Bruk av digitale spill i finsk språkopplæring – nettverksseminar

Transcription

Rapport 12/2007
ISBN 978-82-7747-155-6
Bruk av digitale spill i finsk
språkopplæring – nettverksseminar
Etablering av nettverk mellom aktører på
språkområdet – finansiert av Nordplus Språk
Oppsummering fra et nettverksseminar med finansiering fra Nordplus Språk
mai 2007
Ellen Brox
Norut
Tittel
Bruk av digitale spill i finsk språkopplæring – nettverksseminar
Etablering av nettverk mellom aktører på språkområdet – finansiert av Nordplus Språk
Forfatter(e)
Ellen Brox
Oppdragsgive
Oppdragsgivers Ref
Nordisk råds Nordplus språk
1021917
ISSN 1503-1705
Dokumentnr
Dokumenttype
Tilgjengelighet
ISBN 978-82-7747-155-6
12/2007
IT-Rapport
Åpen
Prosjektnavn
Bruk av digitale
nettverksseminar
Prosjektnr
spill
i
finsk
språkopplæring
– 334 Nor
Dato
Versjonsnr
Antall sider
30.04.2007
1.0
90
Emneord
Noter
Distribusjon
Rapportsensor
Resymé
Faglig ansvarlig
Innhold
1
BAKGRUNN.........................................................................................1
2
MÅLSETNING ....................................................................................1
3
PROSJEKTET .....................................................................................1
4
FORVENTET OG OPPNÅDD RESULTAT.....................................2
5
OPPFØLGING .....................................................................................2
6
SEMINARET........................................................................................3
6.1
6.2
AGENDA .........................................................................................3
PRESENTASJONENE ........................................................................4
1 BAKGRUNN
Initiativtakerne til nettverksseminaret har sammen utviklet et digitalt
rollespill til finskopplæring med finsk brukergrensesnitt og norsk og svensk
hjelpespråk. Prosjektet ble avsluttet 30.04.2007 og en første versjon av
spillet er nå gratis tilgjengelig på Finnet.itek.norut.no. Vi ønsket å få
tilbakemeldinger på hvordan det fungerte og diskutere mulig videreutvikling
og andre anvendelser før prosjektet ble avsluttet, og planla derfor et seminar
hvor vi inviterte parter fra forskjellige miljø i Norden. Seminaret var også
tenkt å fungere som en start på et utvidet nettverk med tanke på fremtidige
prosjekt med spill i språkopplæring.
Vi søkte Nordplus språk om bidrag til å arrangere et slikt seminar, ettersom
det ikke var midler i prosjektet. Søknaden ble innvilget, og seminaret ble
avholdt i Helsingfors 1.2. mars 2007.
2 MÅLSETNING
Målsettingen slik den ble definert i søknaden:
Hovedmål med prosjektet er å etablere et tverrfaglig nettverk med tanke på
digitale rollespill språkopplæring i finsk og de nordiske språk gjennom et
seminar. Utgangspunktet vil være et spill som er utviklet i fellesskap av en
gruppe forskere i Sverige, Finland og Norge.
Prosjektet vil fremme internordisk språkforståelse i og med at man vil
diskutere et digitalt verktøy til finskopplæring hvor hjelpespråk er svensk og
norsk. En norsk elev som slår opp en finsk ord i ordboka, vil altså samtidig
ha muligheten til å se den svenske oversettelsen. Kanskje samarbeidet vil
kunne føre til flere digitale læringsspill på nordiske språk.
Verktøyet – og nettstedet med annet materiale - vil også kunne brukes fritt i
andre land hvor man har undervisning i finsk som fremmed- eller
andrespråk, og vil kunne styrke det finske språks stilling i og utenfor
Norden hvis man oversetter hjelpetekster til andre språk..
Metoden og plattformen som er utviklet vil også kunne brukes for andre små
språk, som for eksempel de nordiske eller baltiske språkene.
3 PROSJEKTET
Søkerne er en tverrfaglig gruppe bestående av pedagoger, språkforskere,
lærere, teknologer, kunstnere og representanter for forvaltningen fra Norge,
1
Sverige og Finland. I et Sokrates/Minerva-prosjekt har vi utviklet et enkelt
digitalt rollespill (finnes på finnet.itek.norut.no) og et nettsted
(www.finope.fi) med materiale til bruk i finskopplæring. Nettstedet skal
også fungere som et møtested for lærere som underviser i finsk. Rollespillet
er enkelt, men det har vært lagt mye vekt på utforming, språklig innhold og
historien som gir bakgrunn for spillet og det mysteriet som skal løses. Vi
mener at dette er en spennende metode for språkopplæring hvor elevene kan
utfordres på flere plan. Rollespill, også digitale, tilbyr mulighet for å gå inn i
andre situasjoner. Samtidig gir spill oppgaver som skal løses ut over det rent
språklige, og dette vil gi spillerne inspirasjon til å arbeide for å forstå de
tekstene de møter. Spillet er integrert i en LMS.
4 FORVENTET OG OPPNÅDD RESULTAT
Et tverrfaglig nordisk nettverk innenfor de fagområdene som trenges for å
utvikle digitale rollespill i språkopplæring
En av deltakerne sa under avslutningen ”dette er det beste seminaret jeg har
vært på, for det så uformelt og alle var ærlige”. Da har vi oppnådd mye av
de vi hadde planlagt. Vi fikk flere gode innlegg fra deltakere både om spill
og språkopplæring – og om de spesielle utfordringene som følger med spill
som i sin natur er ikke-lineære, slik at spillere gjerne støter på språklige
fenomener i andre rekkefølger enn det som er vanlig. Det var mange gode
diskusjoner underveis.
Universitetet i Jyväskylä har fått tilslag på et større nordisk prosjekt for å
etablere et nettverk innen spillbasert læring (serious games), og flere av
deltakerne på seminaret er blitt invitert med i dette nettverket.
5 OPPFØLGING
Vi har samlet inn foiler fra alle presentasjonene, og de er distribuert til alle
deltakerne sammen med liste over deltakere og e-postadresser. Flere har
også hatt kontakt med hverandre etterpå via e-post og i forskjellige digitale
og fysiske nettverk.
Folkupplysningssällskapet / KVS foundation fattet interesse for spillet vi
har utviklet, og har kontaktet flere parter i Finland for å forsøke å finne noen
som kan finansiere det videre. Foreløpig har vi ikke noe konkret, men vi har
flere muligheter vi vil forsøke. Det arbeids også for å få en finsk part til å ta
over vertskapet til spillet.
2
6 SEMINARET
Selve seminaret ble avholdt på engelsk. Bakgrunnen for dette er at det var
deltakere fra Finland, Sverige, Norge og Danmark, og det er vanskelig for
de fleste finlendere å forstå norsk og dansk.
De som var med på seminaret:
Antti Kirjavainen
University of Jyväskylä - Agora centre
Peppi Taalas
University of Jyväskylä – Centre for applied language studies
Frans Mäyrä
University of Tampere – Hypermedia lab
Tuija Tammelander Folkupplysningssällskapet / KVS foundation
Leena Niiranen
Høgsolen i Finnmark
Tasha Buch
IT-universitetet København
Ellen Brox
Norut IT
Audun Heggelund
Norut IT
Tuija Mättää
Umeå universitet, moderna språk, finska
Arja Roth
Umeå universitet, moderna språk, finska
Marianna Andreassen Fylkesmannen Troms
Tapani Mokko
Fylkesmannen i Troms / Mokko media
Kaisu Tapiovaara
Palmenia centre for continuing education, Kouvola
Merja Bertling
Palmenia centre for continuing education, Kotka
Pia-Maria Lausas
Kemi/Tornio university of applied sciences
Oulu university, department of Finnish, information studies and
logopedics
Stiina Rantatalo
Salla Taavetti
Teacher Lyngen and Storfjord via Fylkesmannen i Troms
Annikki Komeros
Teacher Bjørnevatten via Fylkesmannen i Troms
Leena Okko
Teacher Pajala via Umeå universitet
6.1 AGENDA
Language learning using educational computer
games
Thursday March 1
Nordic network seminar
Helsinki March 1-2 2007
Hotel Arthur
Nordplus Språk
09:00 Project meeting FinNet
12:00 Lunch
13:00 Start seminar. Welcome, purpose of Seminar
13:15 Short presentation round, who, from where, background (who,
language, pedagogy, expectations)
13:45 Educational games – considerations (Frans Mäyra)
3
14:15 Language learning – what is important (Peppi Taalas)
14:45 Coffee break
15:00 FinNet and SanatOn – the project and the first version of the game
Feedback and discussions
The game
The language
The pedagogy
LMS integration
17:00 Summing up
17:30 End of day (at the latest)
19:00 Dinner
Friday March 2
09:00 Round table – gaming activities and related activities (ICT tools for
language learning) by the participants
11:00 Coffee (and checkout)
11:30 Educational games – about / examples (Antti Kirjavainen, Tasha
Buch)
12:30 Lunch
13:30 Round table and discussions – ideas for educational games in
language learning involving more of the participants including
further development of SanatOn, possible funding..
14:30 Summing up
15:00 End of day
6.2 PRESENTASJONENE
Presentasjonene kommer i følgende rekkefølge:
1. Welcome – Ellen Brox
2. Educational games – Considerations – Frans Mäyrä
3. ICT in Language learning – what is important. Peppi Taalas
4. Games-for-learning, prototypes Agora game lab, Antti Kirjavainen
5. Global Conflict Palestine – A process of developing an educational
computer game – Tasha Buch
6. SanatOn – The project and the game: Ellen Brox, Kaisu Tapiovaara,
Marianna Andreassen, Tapani Mokko, Tuija Mättää, Arja Roth, Pia,
Pia-Maria Lausas, Audun Heggelund, Merja Bertling
4
Nordic network seminar
Helsinki March 1-2 2007
Nordplus Språk
Language learning using educational
computer games
Nordic purpose
• Etablering av nettverk mellom aktører på
språkområdet
• Å styrke viten om språkene i Norden
• Aktiviteter som styrker nordboers forståelse
av finsk og andre ikke-skandinaviske
nordiske språk
Our purpose
• To establish a network between the two
diciplines
– Language learning
– Educational games / ICT tools
• To get input about our game SanatOn
• To spread knowledge about it
• Maybe new project ideas?
Participants
• The FinNet project team:
–
–
–
–
–
–
Language
Pedagogy
ICT
Artists
Authorities
Teachers
• Linguists and language experts
• Educational game and ICT learning experts
Educational Games
- Considerations
Frans Mäyrä, PhD
Professor of hypermedia, digital culture and game studies
University of Tampere
frans.mayra@uta.fi
Entering the era of games
cultures
• The information society has quietly become reality for the
majority in younger generations in two principal domains: the
use of the Internet, and digital games
• Digital games show how computing machinery becomes popular
culture, or folk culture
• According to studies, almost 100 % of 6-10 year olds plays
regularly, and from total Western populations 50-60 % are
claimed to be game players (BBC 2005; ESA 2006)
• Total turnover of global games industry is estimated to be
somewhere near 30 billion euros
• There are signs that in addition to leisure, digital gameplay is
gradually becoming more pervasive in other domains of life,
too
Games growing mature, or
‘serious’?
• Today’s digital games are popular among the young, but they
are not all children’s culture
• The average age of game player is estimated to be already
above 30 years and it is rising
• For many game genres (particularly in ‘casual games’) the
typical gamer is over 35 year old woman
• Games are increasingly used in advertisement campaigns,
political campaigns, to educate people or to gain attention to
some issue or other
Games literacy
• The development of games becoming mainstream media as
well as way of socializing and interacting together is related to
increasing games literacy
• Since 1970s and 1980s, kids have learned while growing up to
play certain popular game types, and have added the related
skills to their overall repertoire
• Games literacy is multidimensional:
– basic understanding of play, pretence and imagination, of
social gaming contract; functional gaming skills; strategic
and meta-level playing skills; social playing skills; creative
and productive game skills; games-related media literacy
Multidimensional games
• When designing or analysing games, it is important to
appreciate the multidimensional character of games
• All games have at their core the gameplay: the dynamic
process of playing, interacting with the game
• Digital games have also rich representational layers: games can
represent medieval cities, space battles, social life, gold
digging, movie industry - pretty much anything can be
simulated in games
• While playing games, people operate in these two fundamental
levels: they interact with the gameplay, and ‘read’ or
interpret the simulation or representation in various ways
Dual structure
•
A simplified model of digital games (Mäyrä, Introduction to Game Studies, forthcoming)
Educational games
• There is rich history of learning through play
• A natural, learning-by-doing approach that is the favourite in
real life, but sometimes neglected in formal education
• Games are powerfully motivational: they both liberate the
player into the ‘ludic’ domain of gameplay, and also offer
clear goal structures
• Game rules offer a way to direct and structure students’
actions, while maintaining their own initiative of action
• Games are particularly strong as parts of problem-oriented and
collaborative learning processes
• A particular skill, or e.g. vocabulary can be trained effectively
in the context of educational simulation, or game
Past use of games in education
• In traditional societies used to train e.g. hunting
skills
• Classical military training developed the first war
games (chess is a highly abstracted war game)
• Much use of flight simulators in pilot training
• At certain point the commercial entertainment
games overcame simulators in technical
sophistication and ease of use
• Applications to use e.g. Civilization (1991) to learn
about wider dynamics of history, or Sim City (1989)
to learn about urban planning
•
Sim City 4 (Maxis/EA)
Future of games in education?
• Particularly complex processes with multiple interrelated
factors and actors are best learned through own experience, as
functional simulations
• As more of learning resources are becoming digital, and
computers, terminals and smartphones ubiquitous, there are
more opportunities to exploit powers of digital games in
learning
• One interesting direction the use of pervasive, or alternate
reality games in education
• E.g. collaborative challenges of complex puzzles where the use
of multiple sources of information, team building, theory
formation and testing are required to understand the challenge
and overcome it
• Studied in IPerG EU project and in MLE (Mobile Learning
Environments) initiative
Thank you - Questions?
References:
• BBC (2005) ‘Gamers in the UK: Digital Play, Digital Lifestyles.’
Commissioned by BBC Creative Research and Development,
authored by Rhianna Pratchett. Online:
http://crystaltips.typepad.com/wonderland/files/bbc_uk_gam
es_research_2005.pdf
• ESA (2006) ‘Essential Facts About the Computer and Video
Game Industry.’ Online:
http://www.theesa.com/archives/files/Essential%20Facts%202
006.pdf
• Books by: Clark Aldrich, James Paul Gee, Marc Prensky
Nordic Network Seminar
Helsinki 1.-2.3.2007
ICT in language learning:
What is important?
Peppi Taalas
Centre for Applied Language Studies
University of Jyväskylä
peppi@jyu.fi
http://www.cc.jyu.fi/~peppi
© Peppi Taalas 2007
University of Jyväskylä / Centre for Applied Language Studies
First some definitions
• Use of technology for enabling access to
education

Distance education
• Use of technology for learning management
and automating routines

Management of learning content
Administrative aid
• Use of technology as an integrated learning
tool

Aims at structural change in the pedagogical setting
Challenge on pedagogical development of F2F
teaching
Focus from content to learning process
Degree of integration varies according to learning
goals, learning context and learning content
Main point in finding the added value of integration
Changing notions of language and learning
Access
Ownership
Authorship
P.Taalas 2005
Multimodal pedagogy
(Må
(Mångmedial pedagogik, monimediainen pedagogiikka)
• Designing for learning

Multilayered approach to course design
• As the contexts of learning have become more varied, there is
an ever growing need for non-linear structures of teaching
• Different media are used to enable different working modes
that support the different phases of the learning processes.
The emphasis is on media selection: a pedagogical
understanding of the potential of the various technologies
and materials in respect to learning objectives, learning
settings and feedback and evaluation.

Multimodality is not an end to itself, but a dynamic
and multi-dimensional approach to course design
and teaching with a goal to support the learning
process AND the development of a self-directed
learner
Technology and learner roles
•
The intentional learner – an
individual-cognitive view: the
learners become aware of their
own actions and plan their
learning activities better
•
The learner as a communicator
– social-interactionist view:
learning takes place in
interaction, through
communication and
collaboration with others
•
The learner as experimenter/
researcher: experimentalparticipatory view: the learner
gradually develop knowledge of
the learning matter through
experimentation in a safe
environment
Taalas, 2003
Pachler&Daly, 2004
Holistic thinking
Materials
Learner
guidance
Learning
objectives
Check-points
Core
content
Working
modes
Feedback &
assessment
Activities
Individual –
Group
Design approach
Electonic elements: when, where and what?
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Progression of language competences
Progression continued...
• Productive vs. Reseptive skill

Which in focus, or both
• Skill

Which skills in focus
How are the specific skills developed
• Level

Difficulty level
Learner styles, motivation
• Language content

What is the target content for learning
Learning
• Learning strategies

How will the strategies develop during an activity

”learner training”, metacognitive skills
• Self-regulation, self-directed learning (ability to guide one’s
own learning, ability to evaluate one’s own learning, ability to
set goals for one’s own learning)
• Problem solving skills
• Critical thinking skills (and also multiliteracy)
• Meaningfulness for the learner (motivation,
usefulness)
• Authenticity
Materials
Tasks
Audience
FollowFollow-up study: teachers’
teachers’ technology use
and pedagogical thinking
• English teachers in all Finnish vocational
schools (vocational, commercial, polytechnics)
• First set of data collected in 1994, 2nd in 1997,
3rd in 2001 and 4th in 2005
• Questions about actual use, desired use,
support, further training
• First three data sets reported in

Taalas, Peppi. 2005. Change in the making: Strategic and
pedagogical challenges of technology integration in
language teaching. Centre for Applied Language Studies.
University of Jyväskylä.
Who are the teachers?
1994
(n=201)
1997
(n=119)
2001
(n=111)
2005
(n=119)
School
Vocational
107
65
80
93
39
16
-
12
11
163
99
100
35
14
7
186
108
106
15
10
5
Commercial college
Polytechnic
Gender
Female
Male
99
11
Language of the school
Finnish
Swedish
111
8
Teachers’
Teachers’ use of techology for
administrative purposes
0,8
2005
6,7
1,7
90,8
Inte alls
3,6
2001
Ibland
9
Ganska ofta
87,4
Ständigt
1997 2,5
9,2
1994
16,6
0%
26,9
61,3
25,6
20 %
26,1
31,7
40 %
60 %
80 %
100 %
Use of technology in teaching
3,4
2005
2001
41,5
11,2
33,9
21,2
47,7
31,8
9,3
Inte alls
Ibland
1997
16,8
47,1
30,3
5,9
Ganska ofta
Ständigt
1994
40,7
0%
8,5 0,5
50,3
20 %
40 %
60 %
80 %
100 %
Use of Internet/WWW in teaching
2005
31,6
20,4
43,9
10,1
Inte alls
Ibland
Ganska ofta
2001
1997
12,1
56,1
18,7
32,5
49,6
Ständigt
13,1
12,8
5,1
3,3
1994
0%
95,7
20 %
40 %
0
60 %
80 %
0
100 %
Use of learning platforms
Inte alls
Ibland
Ganska ofta
2005
67,5
2001
15,4
7,7
12,7 0,80,8
85,5
0%
20 %
40 %
Ständigt
9,4
60 %
80 %
100 %
Computer/Internet at home
Internet hemma
17,8
3,4
78,8
Nej
Ja
Tänker skaffa
Dator hemma
6,7
0%
0,8
92,4
20 %
40 %
60 %
80 %
100 %
Koo-Kit – study programme (20002000-2006)
• Focuses on integrating
technology in language
teaching and learning
• 20 - 40 study points
• For becoming language
and mother tongue
teachers
• In cooperation with inservice teachers
• Approximately 15
electronic learning
modules produced
• Net-based MOODI from
2007 on
• http://www.solki.jyu.fi
Organisational development: Language
centre at JY university (2001(2001-2005)
• Supporting teachers in developing
multimodal teaching
• Organisational and individual
development combined
• Pedagogical, technical, collegial support
available throughout the process
• Shared understanding of the goals
• Shared tools and concepts
Language Compass at the Language Centre
• Extension to the physical
space

Something between the
contact teaching and
learning platforms
• Background in extensive
pedagogical development
• Offers activites before,
during and after
language courses
http://kielikeskus.jyu.fi
Towards Future Literacy Pedagogies
(2006(2006-2009)
Tolp project continued
• First phase completed

A large-scale survey
Responses from 740 teachers (both mother tongue and
foreign language teachers) and 1400 students
Similar question patterns for both teachers and students
• Second phase starting soon

Qualitative classroom ”interventions”
Analysis and evaluation of study materials and strategic
documents
• Summer school of applied language studies, June 2007

http://www.jyu.fi/hum/laitokset/solki/en/summerschool2007
• More information on the project at: http://ww.jyu.fi/tolp
Survey structure
A. BACKGROUND
B. TEACHING
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
education (teachers only)
years as teacher
(teachers only
languages
use of technology
•
•
materials
working modes
learning goals
cooperation &
integration
feedback & assessment
beliefs, attitudes
C. FREE TIME
•
•
•
•
use of media
technology skills,
needs and interests
reading and writing
habits
beliefs, attitudes
Learning materials development
• Currently writing a study book series for
lower secondary school (grundskolan,
åk 7-9) for Finnish as a second
language (Writing team: Eija Aalto,
Kaisa Tukia, Sanna Mustonen, PT,
publisher Otava)
• Aiming at a hybrid structure

The world around students in the core of
the learning materials
Net-based extension with no clear border
between the book and the net
Games-for-Learning Development &
Prototypes
Agora Game Lab
Antti Kirjavainen
FinNet Network Seminar
Topics
Our games-for-learning prototypes:
Suoseikkailu (Peatland Adventure)
Talarius
Gameli
Our ongoing research for quality process of
Player-Centred Design & Development of
Games for Learning.
Background
• Agora Center
– Multidisciplinary
Research Center in the
University of Jyväskylä
• Agora Game Lab
– Research Unit in AC
(and IER)
– Digital games
– Games for Learning
• Story-driven web adventure game
• About peatland, it’s origins and ecology
• Part of the Virtuaalisuo (Virtual Peatland)
virtual learning environment
Technology
• Web-based Flash
game
• Game content in XML
• Integrated with the VLE
Development
• Collaboration:
– Learning & Pedagogy
– Game Dev.
– From the concept stage
• Iterative Development
Talarius
• Digital board game creating and playing
environment
• Multiplayer over network
• Provides various choices for game elements,
competition mode etc.
Talarius
Talarius
Technology
• Client/Server or stand
alone
• Game content in XML
• Development
• Original idea from a
school teacher
• User-centred design
• Iterative design, 4
cycles now
Gameli
• Simulation Game Environment
• To experiment with natural scientific
phenomena
• Allows playing and simulation system
creation
• Based on WorldMaker (Dr. Nancy Law, Univ.
of Hong Kong)
Gameli
Gameli
Technology
• Client/Server java program
• Cell Automaton-like
simulation engine
Development
• User-centred design:
– Science teachers
– Students
• Common ground for
– Natural scientific learning
theories
– Game design
Development Process
• Effort to bring together the viewpoints of:
– Learning theories and the design of educational
technology
– User-centred design
– Game design & development
– Software engineering
Process: Goals
• Validation in every phase of the process
– “Are we making the right kind of product?”
– “Are we making it right?”
• Validation from multiple viewpoints:
– Pedagogy, gameplay, users
Process: Methods
• Prototyping
– Paper prototypes
– UI Drawing with users
– Iterative Prototyping
• User-centred methods
– Concept workshops
– Testing in Classrooms
• Iterative Game Design
• Agile Software
Development
– Test-Driven Development
– Short Cycles
– Agile Modeling (not just
software!)
Nordic Serious Games
• NICe Project
• Start: Spring 2007 (now!)
• Goal: To form a network of organizations
working in the serious games domain in the
Nordic region.
Nordic Serious Games
• To form new consortia to start new projects in
the area
• To collect and communicate information in
the activities in the Serious Games in Norden
– Conference (late autumn 2007)
– Community website
Thank you!
Contact information:
antti.kirjavainen@jyu.fi
http://anttiki.wordpress.com/
Agora Center
http://www.jyu.fi/erillis/agoracenter/
Agora Game Lab
http://www.peda.net/veraja/jyu/ac/agl/
Global Conflicts:
Palestine
A process of
developing an
educational computer
game
Center for Computer Games Research • IT University of Copenhagen • Denmark
My background
•
Research project: “Educational Potential of Commercial Game Technology”
IT University of Copenhagen & Serious Games Interactive
•
Research project on math game for primary school
Learning Lab Denmark, University of Education
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MSc in IT at the IT University of Copenhagen
•
BA in Film and Media Studies and Literature Studies
Project background
• PhD thesis by Simon Egenfeldt-Nielsen “Beyond Edutainment – Exploring the
Potential of Educational Computer Games” (2005)
» Research and development project:
Exploring the Potential of Commercial Game Technology
•
Collaboration between Serious Games Interactive and
IT University of Copenhagen
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Sponsors: Danish Research Agency, Ministry of Education, Media +, Danida
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Partners: Electronic Arts Europe, UN Association, School book publisher Alinea
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Technology: UNITY by Over The Edge
The challenges of educational computer games
Problems with integrating games in classrooms
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Complexity & branching in content
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Triggering reflection
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Technical problems
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Keeping game serious, but engaging
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Linking to teaching, textbooks and curriculum
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Balance between points, score and learning
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Teachers reluctant to engage with games
The vision
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•
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Growing out of international groundbreaking research
Strong testing, validation and user involvement
Strong mix of competences: Game developers, School publisher,
researchers, educators, content experts
Global outreach through strong network & good media coverage on
company and project
Strong technology and access to support (UNITY)
•
Next generation educational games based on commercial game technology
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Creating a prototype to explore design, development and use
Create computer games with an agenda beyond entertainment
Research goals
•
Explore whether educational computer games have a future in the educational
system and the form it may take.
•
Explore, develop and implement a prototypical educational computer game,
examining the challenges and possibilities in development process and the
educational use of the game
•
Provide a foundation for a serious games research-based industry through a
prototype convincing other developers of the potential in developing
educational computer games beyond low-budget titles
Intented learning process
•
•
•
Move from abstract
history/citizenship teaching to
concrete
Audiovisual, safety, challenge,
interaction, feedback
Strong game universe:
Compelling, realistic,
engaging
Reflective
observation
Group work
Concrete
experiences
Lecture
Abstract
concepts
GC: Palestine
Based on Kolb, 1984
Active
experimentation
Theme of game: Global conflicts
•
Interesting & exciting learning material
•
Easy to apply in cross-disciplinary teaching, e.g. the game
can be used in various subjects such as History &
Citizenship (mainly) but also in English, Danish, Media
subject, Religion.
•
Easy to find interesting material for RPG game
•
Potential trigger for reflection and discussion
Testing process
1st round: Testing preliminary game prototype on 3 upper secondary school
classes (aged 16-20)
» adjusting prototype
2nd round: Testing more mature prototype on 3 lower secondary school classes
(aged 14)
» adjusting prototype
3rd round: Testing gamers from youth clubs
» adjusting game for the final version
Results from the evaluation test
•
•
•
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85% students find it to be an interesting course
72% students find the game is an interesting educational material
Problems:
58 % of students find they learned more than usually
89% of students want to try a similar course again
» Can we use these numbers for more than promotion, e.g. for making
better games?
» Does these answers say anything about how good the
game is as educational computer game?
So, what did I learn from the process?
The argument for using computer games should evolve from:
• What difference for the didactical process can computer games
make for the respective subject, find the quality of he computer
game – if you can’t answer this, don’t bother to make a game!
The purpose of education:
• Don’t we want our pupils to become autonomous grown up
human beings? How can we apply that on developing educational
computer games? Look at “reform pedagogics”
Next step
•
Serious Games on a Global Market Place
A collaborative research project involving University of
Education, IT University of Cph., University of Southern
Denmark & industry:
» Global Conflicts: Palestine (Serious Games Interactive)
Subject focus: History, Citizenship
» Mingoville (Danish E-Learning Centre)
Subject focus: English Language learning
» Digital play objects (Maersk Institute, Kompan, Tricon)
Informal learning on movement and play
•
•
•
Budget: 30 Million DKK
Purpose: conducting international testings
» cross-national method for developing Educational
computer games??
Involving 4 PhD students and 2 post docs
Thank you!
Contact info: tabu@itu.dk
Blog: http://tashabuch.wordpress.com
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com
Serious Games Interactive: http://seriousgames.dk
Center for Computer Games Research: http://game.itu.dk
See also http://watercoolergames.org for other educational games
SanatOn
Game from the Minerva project “Network for teachers of Finnish as
a second or foreign language”
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission
Partners and
main responsibilities
• Norut IT – ICT and management
• Umeå University – language contents
• County governor of Troms – idea, manuscript,
illustrations
• Kemi-Tornio University – illustrations, dialogues
• Palmenia centre for continuing education – training of
teachers, web centre
The project
• 2 years
• Multi-disciplinary from 3 countries:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
teachers
pedagogues
artists
ICT developers
narrators
language experts
representatives from
government
– students
Some challenges
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Suitability for the school curriculum
Assessment of learning
Entertaining educational games
Gender consideration
Teacher confidence
Different levels at same age
Scarce resources
The idea
• Computer role-playing game
• Local culture
• Follow European language portfolio
Methodology
• Kaisu
Background
and manuscript
• Marianna and Tapani
Sanaton Exercises
ELP –
The European Language Portfolio
Common European Framework of
Reference
Level A2
Basic User A2
Can understand sentences and frequently used
expressions related to areas of most immediate
relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family
information, shopping, local geography,
employment).
Can communicate in simple and routine tasks
requiring a simple and direct exchange of
information on familiar and routine matters.
Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her
background, immediate environment and matters
in areas of immediate need.
Reading
I can read very short, simple texts.
I can find specific, predictable information in simple
everyday material such as advertisements,
prospectuses, menus and timetables and
I can understand short simple personal letters
Listening
I can understand phrases and the highest frequency
vocabulary related to areas of most immediate
personal relevance (e.g. very basic personal and
family information, shopping, local area,
employment).
I can catch the main point in short, clear, simple
messages and announcements
Writing
• I can write short, simple notes and messages
relating to matters in areas of immediate needs.
• I can write a very simple personal letter, for
example thanking someone for something
Pilot Group
- Teachers in Norway
- Teachers in Sweden
- Questionnaire
- special difficulties?
The Questionnaire
• Limited vocabulary
• Slow readers
• The difference between spoken language and standard
Finnish
• Syllables
• Short/long wovels and consonants
• Wovels o, u, y e, ä
• Diftongs ou, uo
• Flexion of nouns and verbs
• Questions, question particle
Themes
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At home
At school
Basic facts about Finland
Geography (Nordic countries)
Nordic Nature
Environmental protection ”light”
Hot potatoes
• The Hot Potatoes suite includes six applications,
enabling you to create interactive multiple-choice,
short-answer, jumbled-sentence, crossword,
matching/ordering and gap-fill exercises for the
World Wide Web
Level of difficulty
3 levels:
• Green
• Yellow
• Red
Grammar Book
Pronominit
Pronomineja käytetään substantiivien sijasta.
Esim. Liisa on tyttö.
Hänellä on koira.
minä
sinä
hän
me
te
he
Nämä ovat persoonapronominit.
Word List
sana tekstissä
perusmuoto
sanaluokka
ruotsiksi
asiaa
avulias
harmi
hassua
kuvailla
lapsenlapsi
miellyttävä
parasta
puuttuvat
valitettavasti
asia
avulias
harmi
hassu
kuvailla
lapsenlapsi
miellyttää
paras
puuttua
valittaa
s
a
s
a
v
s
v
a
v
v
ärende
hjälpsam
harm: synd
konstig
beskriva
barnbarn
trevlig
bäst
saknas
beklaga: tyvärr
??????
How shall we go on?
Dialogues
and illustrations
• Pia-Maria
Technology
• OpenSource
• DimensioneX - Cris, Italy – Bologna
– Java / Tomcat
– http://www.dimensionex.net/
• Moodle
– PHP / mySQL / Apache
– http://moodle.org/
JavaScript
&
Flash
XML
extension
plugin
Teacher training
The web site: www.finope.fi
Assessment of learning
•
•
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Login via LMS Moodle – one login
Nickname in game
Use folders for results
Can log “everything”
The game