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Computer Games and Simulations for Investigation and Education >> Content Detail



Study Materials



Readings

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WEEK #TOPICSREADINGS
1Introduction and Overview of the Course

Game Brainstorming and Categorization: Initial Game Definition

Participatory Simulations Introduction - Live Long and Prosper

Game Exercise: Responses
Amazon logo Gee, J. What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003. ISBN: 1403961697.
2What is a Simulation? What is a Game?

Activity - Finding happiness on a checkerboard:
What defines a game? a simulation? a model?
What makes a game educational?

The Modding Revolution
Amazon logo Schelling, T. Micromotives and Macrobehaviors. New York, NY: Norton, 1978. ISBN: 0393057011.

Rieber - Seriously considering play: Designing interactive learning environments based on the blending of microworlds, simulations, and games
3Exploring "Educational" Simulation and Games

Introduction to Edutainment Simulations:
Civilization® III
SimCityTM 4
Roller Coaster Tycoon® 3
Rise of Nations®
Chemicus/Physicus
ZoombinisTM

Poster Presentation
Amazon logo Dargahi, N., and Michael Bremer. SimCity 2000: Power, Politics and Planning. Roseville, MN: Prima Games, 1995. ISBN: 0761500758.

Squire - Civilization® III as a World History Sandbox

Squire - Replaying History
4Edutainment in the Classroom

Mayor for a Day - SimCityTM

SimCityTM in the Classroom Links:
Urban Planning
Almost the Real World
What Do Game Designers Know about Scaffolding (PDF)
Uses and Subversions of SimCityTM (PDF)
SimCity™ 3000 Teaching Guide

What do you learn through these environments?

How can curriculum determine the learning experience?

See Pictures of Q&A from Class
Amazon logo Gee, J. What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003. ISBN: 1403961697.

Bush's Science Advisor, Senator Clash Over Computer Models

What Are Video Games Turning Us Into?

The 50 Most Important Video Games Ever 
5Video Games - Board Games

Edutainment Wrap-up and Gee Readings Discussion. (Please read Gee book and Squire papers.)

Intro to Board Games Activity (see description weeks 6-8)

Study on Transfer (PDF)

Zoombinis™ Study: Brainstorming Educational Board Game 
Introduction and first steps to Board Game Design
6Designing and Developing Games to Teach (and Participatory Simulations)

Activity - Designing a board game:
What are the issues in designing an educational game?
How do we solve these issues?

Network Participatory Simulation

Participatory Simulations - Understanding Systems from the Inside 
Learning through Participatory Simulations
7Designing and Developing Games to Teach

Critique and Feedback on Initial Board Game Ideas

Special Guest - Steffen Walz
8-9Designing and Developing Games to Teach - Presentations

Board Game Preparation and Testing

Readings Discussion

Board Game Presentations - 20 minutes of playable Game
Rieber, et. al. - The Value of Serious Play

Papert - Does Easy Do It 

Amazon logo Stoll, C. "Makes Learning Fun." In High-Tech Heretic: Reflections of a Computer Contrarian. Garden City, NY: Anchor Press, 2000. ISBN: 0385489765.
10-11Simulation and Game Design - Adventures in Modeling

What is a simulation?

Overview of Simulation Environments:
Agent Based (StarLogo, AgentSheets, Stagecast) vs. Aggregate (Stella, Vensim, ModelBuilder)
Programming vs. Equations vs. Visual
General Purpose vs. Specific Domain

Adventures in Modeling - Exploring Complex Dynamic Systems with StarLogo:
The next three weeks will be dedicated to developing simulations or games with StarLogo TNG, a brand new simulation environment under development.

Activities and Participatory Simulations

Evaluating Models: Good Models and Bad Models - What defines a "good model?"
Idea Models - How much detail/reality need to go into a model?
Adventures in Modeling

Amazon logo Epstein, J., and Robert Axtell. Growing Artificial Societies. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1996. ISBN: 0262550253.

Schmucker, Kurt. "A Taxonomy of Simulation Software: A work in progress." Learning Technology Review, Spring 1999, pp. 40-75.

The Seductions of Sim

Pianos not Stereos 

Rieber and Matzko - Serious Design for Serious Play

How to Write a White Paper 

The Art of the White Paper (PDF)

The White Paper Company
12Simulation Design - Adventures in Modeling

Begin Final Models

Introduction to Instructional Design
Learning Theory in Practice - Learner Centered Design

Evaluation Methods and Procedures for Studying Learner's Use of Media
13Educational Research - How do people learn from simulations?

Introduction to Educational Research

Muzzylane
Amazon logo Gall, et al. Educational Research - An Introduction. 7th ed. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon, 2002. ISBN: 0321081897.
14Final Project Presentations

 








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