The document discusses 9 reasons why games should be used instead of online courses for learning. It argues that games give learners more choice in how they learn, similar to how Amazon personalizes recommendations. Games also immerse learners in contexts that cognitive psychologists believe helps learning occur in the zone of proximal development. The document notes that games are good because they do not have rigid "next" buttons and sometimes allow useful failures unlike traditional online courses.

1. Getting Serious about Games.
Seriously.
Richard
Cula,a
9
reasons
you
should
throw
out
your
online
courses
and
start
using
games
User:
Level:
DevLearn
2010
Shameless
plug
@rec54

2. A word about words
Educa<onal
Games

3. A word about words
Educa<onal
Games

4. #9
They give learners choice

5. They give learners choice
•
Monty,
R
&
Perimuter
L
1972
•
Constance
Kamii,
1991
•
Ran<
&
Corno,
2000
• Zimmerman
&
Salen
2003
Educa7onal
researchers
Crazy
Dave

6. They give learners choice
How
should
you
proceed?

7. They give learners choice
Ready to start module 27?!
I
guess
so
Back
to
Module
26

8. #8
It’s what Amazon.com would do if they
had your job

9. It’s what Amazon would do
Inspired
by
my
wish
list
–
cool!
How
did
they
know
my
kids
speak
Spanish?
Wow,
the
only
season
of
West
Wing
I
don’t
already
have!

10. It’s what Amazon would do
Read This, Richard:!
Blah
blah
blah
ton
of
text
here.
Fizzle
ipsum
dolor
fizzle
amizzle,
consectetuer
adipiscing
crazy.
Nullizzle
fo
velit,
aliquet
volutpizzle,
suscipit
gangster,
gravida
gangsta,
arcu.
Pellentesque
eget
tor<zzle.
Sizzle
erizzle.
Fusce
dang
dolor
yo
mamma
check
it
out
tempizzle
tempor.
Maurizzle
mah
nizzle
nibh
izzle
mah
nizzle.
Ves<bulum
tellivizzle
tortor.
Pellentesque
eleifend
crunk.
In
hac
away
platea
dictumst.
Gizzle
the
bizzle.
Curabitur
gangsta
boom
shackalack,
pre<zzle,
sure
izzle,
eleifend
vitae,
nunc.
Break
it
down
suscipizzle.
My
shizz
semper
velit
sizzle
purus.
Whelp,
they
know
my
name.
I
guess
that’s
as
good
as
it
gets

11. It’s what Amazon would do
Kinesthe7c
learners:
Read
this
while
jumping
up
and
down,
that
will
really
help
you
learn
beLer
Read This, Richard:!
Whelp,
they
know
my
name.
I
guess
that’s
as
good
as
it
gets
Blah
blah
blah
ton
of
text
here.
Fizzle
ipsum
dolor
fizzle
amizzle,
consectetuer
adipiscing
crazy.
Nullizzle
fo
velit,
aliquet
volutpizzle,
suscipit
gangster,
gravida
gangsta,
arcu.
Pellentesque
eget
tor<zzle.
Sizzle
erizzle.
Fusce
dang
dolor
yo
mamma
check
it
out
tempizzle
tempor.
Maurizzle
mah
nizzle
nibh
izzle
mah
nizzle.
Ves<bulum
tellivizzle
tortor.
Pellentesque
eleifend
crunk.
In
hac
away
platea
dictumst.
Gizzle
the
bizzle.
Curabitur
gangsta
boom
shackalack,
pre<zzle,
sure
izzle,
eleifend
vitae,
nunc.
Break
it
down
suscipizzle.
My
shizz
semper
velit
sizzle
purus.

12. It’s what Amazon would do

13. #7
There are no next buttons
Next
Next
Next?
Next
>

14. No Next buttons
How
tradi<onal
online
courses
force
people
to
learn:
1
2
3
4
5
Learn
this
Then
this
Now
do
this

15. No Next buttons
How
tradi<onal
online
courses
force
people
to
learn:
How
people
actually
learn:
1
2
3
4
5
Learn
this
Then
this
Now
do
this
Learn
this
I
wonder
what
that
looks
like
in
prac7ce?
Hmmm…
I
wonder
how
that
relates
to
this?
Holy
crap,
that
reminds
me
of
this
1
2
3
4
5

16. No Next buttons
• We just LOVE content. What we do is so important that
when we finally get a chance to make an online learning
it’s all we just can’t hold ourselves back. !
• But the best learning experiences are judicious with
content. But it’s more than just not having too much
content. It’s also having an abundance of context.!
• It seems like the best learning experiences use context
effectively. Here’s what it looks like. First,
describe the contextual problem (or ideally, allow them
to actually experience it!). Second, teach the solution
to the problem. !
• Here’s an example of the wrong way: teach a group of
scouts how to tie a taut line hitch. Together, think of
ways to use the taut line hitch!
• Here’s an example of the right way: Set up a tent in the
wind, let them try to figure out how to anchor it down.
Then teach them the taut line hitch!
• Here’s another example of the wrong way: Teach MBAs the
Newsvendor Equation, then let them play the Newsvendor
Game.!
• Here’s another example of the right way: Let them play
the game then teach them the Newsvendor Equation (once
they have the context for it).!
Online
Learning
–
Module
79
of
5362
Next
I
know
you
just
can’t
wait
to
see
what’s
on
the
next
page!

17. #6
Cognitive psychologists dig it

18. Cognitive psychologists dig it
“The best instruction hovers at the
boundary of a student’s competence.”!
- Andy diSessa (Berkeley Graduate School of Education)!
h,p://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.05/view.html

19. Cognitive psychologists dig it
What I
can do!
What I can’t do!

20. Cognitive psychologists dig it
What I
can do!
What I can!
do with help!
What I can’t do!
Zone
of
Proximal
Development

21. Cognitive psychologists dig it
What I can’t do!
Zone
of
Proximal
Development
What I can!
do with help!
What I
can do!

22. Cognitive psychologists dig it
Ooh,
I’m
SO
close
–
just
one
more
7me
I’m
sure
I
can
beat
it!

23. #5
Sometimes it’s good to fail

24. Sometimes it’s good to fail
If you want to succeed,
double your failure rate!
- Thomas Watson, Founder IBM!

25. Sometimes it’s good to fail
1. Tried
it
2. Failed
3. Yelled
at
by
teacher,
GPA
destroyed
Result:
Hated
math
for
the
rest
of
my
life
Online
Algebra
Failure
=
Bad

26. Sometimes it’s good to fail
Plants
vs.
Zombies
1. Tried
it
2. Failed
3. Yelled
at
by
teacher,
GPA
destroyed
Result:
Hated
math
for
the
rest
of
my
life
1. Tried
it
2. Failed
3. Rewarded
by
game
for
gedng
as
far
as
I
did,
encouraged
to
try
again
Result:
Spent
exaggerated
amounts
of
<me
playing
(and
eventually
bea<ng)
the
game
Online
Algebra
Failure
=
Bad
Failure
=
Learning

27. Sometimes it’s good to fail
Next
<me
you
interrupt,
you
be,er
have
a
good
reason
–
objec<on
overruled!

28. #4
Immerses the learner in context

29. Immerses learner in context
Here’s a shape:!

30. Here’s where it!
is supposed to go:!
Immerses learner in context
Start
by
dividing
the
screen
in
half
ver<cally.
Then
divide
the
right
side
in
half
again
and
place
the
shape
in
the
middle
of
the
ver<cal
plane.
Without
moving
the
shape
to
the
lek
and
right,
divide
the
screen
horizontally
and
place
the
shape
approximately
2”
above
the
horizontal
plane.
The
loca<on
of
the
shape
can
have
a
margin
of
error
or
3/4”
in
any
direc<on
and
s<ll
be
considered
adequate.

31. Immerses learner in context

32. Here’s some context:!
Immerses learner in context

33. Here’s a shape:!
Immerses learner in context

34. Where should it go?!
Immerses learner in context

35. Immerses learner in context

36. #3
Gets rid of learners once and for all...

37. Gets rid of learners once and for all...

38. #2
They make data sexy

39. They make data sexy
Tombstone
photo
by
Flickr
user
“tstadler”

40. They make data sexy
Player
results

41. #1
Nobody ever wanted to stay up until
2:00 AM just to take your CBT one
more time before going to bed

42. Games are more fun
surprises
collabora7on
Mastery
=
Fun
Might
want
to
pick
this
up.
Ya
never
know
when
a
mega-­‐blaster
might
come
in
handy
mastery
Try
again?

43. Games are more fun
“In other words, with games,
learning is the drug”!
- Raph Koster (theory of fun)!

44. Games are more fun
Innova<veLearning.com/games
So
what
next?
Go
here

45. Games are more fun
There’s
no
learning
objec7ve
that
can’t
be
made
into
a
great
game
There’s
no
learning
objec7ve
can’t
be
ruined
by
turning
it
into
a
“nexter”
Innova<veLearning.com/games

46. Thank you!
Innova<veLearning.com/games