Experience Points
On today’s episode, we’ll answer the question: What is Game Literacy? We don’t often think about when we first started playing games. Or really the “first” game that we ever played. Most players are preoccupied with the game that they are playing “now” or the game that they will play next. Yet, we don’t stop to think about what we already know about games and how we’ve applied that to learning and experiencing new games.
Read MoreIn this podcast episode, host Dave Eng interviews Dan White, founder of Filament Games, discussing the intersection of education and gaming. Dan's journey from teaching to game development is explored, emphasizing the challenges of creating engaging learning experiences. The concept of "pleasing frustration" is covered, where games strike a balance between challenge and support to maintain learner engagement. The conversation delves into game mechanics and their role in learning, citing examples like the game "RoboCo." The alignment of games with educational standards and the promotion of problem-solving skills are also discussed. The episode concludes with insights into Filament Games' philosophy on innovation and continuous improvement.
Read MoreIn this podcast episode, host Dave Eng interviews Clayton Whittle, a researcher, educator, and environmentalist. Clayton's work centers around using game design to educate and motivate action in the realm of environmental education. He discusses his role as a past resident fellow at Pennsylvania State University, focusing on developing game design frameworks for environmental education. He emphasizes the importance of moving beyond designing for behavior and towards empowering informed and motivated action. Clayton highlights the potential of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in environmental education. VR can create visceral experiences for policymakers, while AR can engage players in real-world based play that drives awareness and action. The episode underscores the value of technology in fostering environmental consciousness and activism.
Read MoreOn today’s episode we’ll cover Playing Serious Games. Serious games are games created from the ground up for teaching and learning. These also include games created for a social purpose outside of the more tradition paths of games for entertainment.
Read MoreOn today’s episode we’ll cover simulations vs games. Games and simulations are two things that seem talked about in the same circles. Sometimes they even get misinterpreted for one another. They do share some of the same characteristics. But, games and simulations are different from one another. Before we jump into what those differences are, let’s first define what we mean by games.
Read MoreOn today’s episode we’ll cover Moral Choices in Games. There are many types of games available for people to play and enjoy. One of the most familiar and heartwarming ones are narrative driven games. These are games where the player often plays the protagonist. Here, you play as a single avatar. You explore the world and different paths in the story. If you’ve ever read the “Choose your own adventure” type of books then you know what I’m talking about. As the character, you interact with and make decisions as you move through the world. When reading the book your turn to page –whatever- in order to see what happens. If you liked this episode please consider commenting, sharing, and subscribing.
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In this episode I connected with Matthew Stevens of Lessons Learned Simulations and Training. In this interview we discussed the meaning and purpose of humanitarian work; Matt’s career working n the field; as well as how he uses serious games and simulations for teaching and training others.
Read MoreI connected with my colleague James Sterrett the US Army Deputy Chief, CGSC Simulations & Exercises Division. In this interview we discussed Dr. Sterett’s work with simulations, war games, and his philosophy on incorporating gaming into teaching and learning.
Read MoreMany people already know what games are and how to define them. But do you know anything about “serious” games? Serious games are games. But they’ve been designed with an educational purpose. Serious games were not created to be played for amusement or entertainment. For other educators like myself, serious games offer a distinct advantage compared to using commercially available off-the-shelf games. When using those commercial games I have to work to adapt them to what I want my students to learn. Serious games on the other hand are available for teaching and learning right out of the “box.” Serious games have allowed us to improve our teaching practices by using game structures, constructs, and scaffolding directly for learning.
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