#games4ed Archive
#games4ed discussions cover ways in which gaming can be used in education. Games mirror the way the human mind was designed to learn. They motivate players to take risks and actions, persevere through failures, set and achieve increasingly difficult goals, and devote attention, time, and effort to acquiring knowledge and skills. All this while the game is tracking the player’s actions and assessing the player’s achievements and skills. Isn’t this what we want from education?
Thursday May 5, 2016
Who's gonna move over to now? Talking and
I’m Keegan, educational technologist . I’m excited to be hosting tonight! And I’m officially committing to here.
Please, if you wanna keep chattin' join for chat starting NOW!
Happy Thursday ! Melissa from Nebr, 11-12. , mainly because I <3 Robert Downey, Jr.
Super stoked to talk about OERs tonight! Always love finding more resources!
Steve from NJ - I teach (i.e. co-learn) game design to MS / HS students; fav superhero movie... Forest Gump :)
Hey Steven! Excited to be hosting tonight. :)
Evening All! Garrett. Here from Ontario Canada I work with Gdesign in and help Ts do the same!
And excited to have you!!
A1 Designing a game provides metacognitive framework for wrestling with course material. Students grow through generative design
Hi! I'm a newbie in games and games in ED! I'm Rose Bard, Brazil, EFL teacher or ? Hard to choose! lol
TRUST ME - Do not miss this Chat There's tremendous educational value in Game Design for all Ts All Subjects. Mod by
Mark G from NJ, 5th grade T, hello
Welcome to Rose! Excited you can join us tonight. :)
A1: Game design=serious critical thinking! Not to mention student ownership
A1 Game Design incp's multiple skills, Literacy, Maths, Crit Thinking, and many Biz Related skills that I look for when hiring.
Playing board games is a way to develop sportsmanship, critical thinking, creativity, team work, social negotiation, etc.
I should use the # lol https://t.co/KF2eeN5bZe
Yes! Lot’s of opportunities to think about how content fits together. Great idea to exposes Ss to these materials!
Hey Mark! Excited you are going us for tonight. :)
"All play is associated with intense thought activity and rapid intellectual growth.” - Neville V. Scarfe (1962)
Hi all! Lainie from CO. ILT Grad Student at UCD. for me - IM is funnier, but can't beat Cap's sincerity!
Fantastic reasoning for any in the classroom https://t.co/Qiykk3H243
"All play is associated with intense thought activity and rapid intellectual growth.” - Neville V. Scarfe (1962)
Emily in Philly. Techniculturist and instructional coach.
Yes! I want to engage Ss in something they want to do. Something they want to learn. Agency is key.
Hi Emily! Welcome! Q1: What are the benefits of involving students in game design?
A1 2 Game Design is also extremely iterative and subject to the need for OP from peers. Accepting Feedback becomes crucial .
Welcome, Lainie! Q1: What are benefits of involving students in game design?
Ahhh It's YOU!!!!! I see you there.... stalking me all over the place :D
A1: Many aspects to game design can help students develop skills beyond intended core content. Contextualize content using games!
A1 Interest, Engagement and an authentic set of problems students get to choose how they approach and solve!
Welcome Amanda! Glad you're here! Q1: What are the benefits of involving students in game design?
A1: Game design = creative process, critical thinking, social analysis, communication, and more
Hey buddyyyy! Glad to see you. :D
Excited to join in. Newest bff tweep shared how awesome this was.
Welcome to Emily! Glad you can join us!
It is good to be here! I am all about education and games. Just need to add the 4 in the middle and we are golden!
A1: Game Design = creation, iteration, production, vs consume, one-&-done, passive, disconnected learning https://t.co/PzvwloaY93
So happy you're here! We always have lots of fun :)
Hello all! Gabe from PA, 9th grade, just popping in to learn about game design!
Always good to have you here, Gabe :)
I think this is one of the best feelings in the world! Let’s share it with our Students! :D
Feeling is mutual. Let’s keep the conversation going!
A1 game design builds in healthy competition. It's good to know who you're up against
A1: Game design is a great intro to computer science that is relevant and meaningful to students
Great topic! Looking forward to discussing and learning with you.
Happy Thursday to you too!
Not game design related, but so proud of my P today who said Ts need time to just "play with technology" as PD.
A2 Game literacy is another element that needs to be taught rather than assumed. Not everyone is a born gamer.
Thank you Mark! I’ve been wanting to talk about it as well ^-^
Q1: When I proposed last year to a group of Ss gamers to design a game for the other students, I had in mind challenging them(1/2)
A1: Game Design provides an opportunity for students to collaborate, design, build, test, iterate
Education 4 Games? is that what you mean?
Yes! The more we can bring students into this process the more they can develop those skills!
Play is definitely part of the game design process. Ts need time too! https://t.co/OTHPGBL2sO
Not game design related, but so proud of my P today who said Ts need time to just "play with technology" as PD.
Would you say gd is an intro to computer science whether or not one is game designing digitally?
A1: allows students to be aware of the goals of the game which then leads them to building connections to the curriculum
A2 time to build. There is never enough time
True. Game play isn't an automatic w/many students.
Q1: cont challenge them with sth they liked games. To go beyond playing to think more critically. It was a learning for me too.
A1: It is fun to learn about Game Design, it allows creativity to flow, having good structure and having someone to work with.
A2: Obstacles might be related to time for teachers already concerned with 'getting through the curriculum'
A1:Consider play of young children: take what's available and make something from it, build on it next time. Sounds right, eh?
HEY Dude! How's it?
I personally prefer the feedback aspect... watching others play and enjoy my game
Crap. That's what I was going to say! Time!
I to make games more accessible, scaffold experiences, and promote learning through experimentation and play.
Yes! Many games out there to teach computational thinking, like Code Masters from Could have Ss create own game
HUZZAH! Student Voice Arrives strong and proud!
Opportunity to learn more about time management! Also a good life skill:-)
Sounds like the perfect facilitator mentality to me! ;)
Absolutely - the computational thinking and balancing of rules applies to digital / non-digital
A2: said it, but I'm ditto-ing it. Time. Time to design games of good quality
I agree! And part of this is inspiring this culture of playing with tech, especially as an adult!
Awesome how it has been a leading driver of Programming and Coding for Decades.
Q2: not enough space in the curriculum and lack of proper training. I'm still operating through try and error.
Funny, I find sandwiches created by others always taste better than my own.
students can always improve but know when to let it be is hard. Sometimes time says let it be
Playing w/tech is my favorite summer activity :) Wish others enjoyed it as much as me!
A2: $$$ and time are always barriers. Any way to minimize these are ideal. That’s why I’m exited to talk about tonight!
A2: Prizing content over everything else, valuing short gains over long. Thinking it needs to be right the first time.
A1: in a world of constant consumption & disposable lifestyles it's important for Ss to create something & take ownership of it.
and especially with diversity of games. Some Ss may know RPG over shooter and are fine in some game settings
Yes! Sadly there's still some Bias around the value of games.
On the bright side, you learn a lot that way. I often feel same w/curriculum & standards & all that
Welcome! good to see you this Thursday!
A2: Ts won't give up control in a classroom, Ss may lack basic Coding and Game Skills.
good articles coming out lately though about value of play in early childhood development.
A2 Sadly many Ts are A - hampered by stigma of Games waste of time, B - Lack of training for Ts to help them learn Gdesign basics
A2 obstacle to -where to put the badges & how much to gamify
Gabe has a good point about teachers needing to let go of some control. https://t.co/XmWh82GkEq
A2: Ts won't give up control in a classroom, Ss may lack basic Coding and Game Skills.
A2: Teaching and selling school & age appropriateness to Ss. Etiquette changes based on physical environment, even when gaming.
I definitely learned along with the students. Used the Institute of Play iteration framework to help us. Really helpful.
Lack of training & infrastructure. + Ts see games as another thing in addition to curric, not embedded in https://t.co/Qkzskqz6d3
A2 Sadly many Ts are A - hampered by stigma of Games waste of time, B - Lack of training for Ts to help them learn Gdesign basics
I TOTALLY AGREE! T's and their control issues
A3 We're not all artists, coders, or designers. Open resources compliment our strengths through shared effort
A3: Large amounts of relevant info immediately available. See the trials and tribulations of others, as well as successes.
A3: OER can start Ts and Ss at square 3 rather than square 1. Time saver! !
. Help teachers shift from pilot to air traffic controller.
We need to open our Ts up to easy to use Gdsgn Engines that don't req large coding skills. IE: Minecraft! https://t.co/O2d715Kq3h
A2: Ts won't give up control in a classroom, Ss may lack basic Coding and Game Skills.
I think this is a big one. But also an opportunity to teach coding if those are the types of games you’re looking at
A3 In video game engines like Unity, there are resource pools to accelerate development. OER can be similar and broader
Yes, there is a lot of cultural stigma in this area. Breaking design process down into components helped me.
For me, my game ends when Ss game design begins. We review what's made class good..."now you do it & I'll play"
Get to pull out things like “difficulty curves” or “overcoming failure” engage Ss with valuable components.
A3: provide educators with opportunity to support one another and get started without huge time / cost investment
Amazing how the basic design process of a game (75%) is similar to design process of a Good Content Lesson .
Ya, having many options for this is crucial. Need to have something accessible for both beginners and pros
Has anyone used Atmosphir as a 3D Game Design engine?
Yes. Maybe we just need to make the content lesson design process into a games itself?
Starting with light easy engines than progressing to the coding engines makes sense to kids :D and Ts.
A3: Cardboard! Best OER there is. Familiar material keeps some discomfort at bay. Onboard with cardboard...move to tech if/when.
A3: Advance softwares like Unity or Unreal Engine could be too advanced for beginners, GameMaker is perfect for starters.
This is so important to make game design accessible to more people!
Q4: What are the pros/cons of using vs. proprietary tools or copyrighted materials to build games? https://t.co/PgTXQNgWKO
I believe that we can turn anything into a game! I believe all Ts and Ss can benefit from turning any lesson into a gm
Thanks Matt, will def need to check it out.
The more I use tech, the more I still appreciate the tactile paper/scissors, too.
A4 OER can accelerate game development and allow you to share your game more widely. You may not always find what you need in OER.
A3: Check out blockstud.io game design with no coding required!
A4: Pros - ease of access, don't need a lot of resources to work with them, Cons - not always as well-vetted, product support?
Yes, I think building games on paper has so much merit. Helps teach planning and iterative process https://t.co/sfmKhh2dMv
The more I use tech, the more I still appreciate the tactile paper/scissors, too.
A4 Proprietary tools like Adobe Storyline can produce beautiful and great games. But you may not be able to share them; also $$$$
While the game 504 (https://t.co/XdpbrDZVXU ) would be great in teaching and learning game design, it is a little cost prohibitive.
Yes, I am imaging a vast network of educators—connected by the content they make during game development with Ss!
and these materials are accessible to more people anyways. Build games with paper & imagination!
bigger audience, bigger feedback! will allow you to access knowledge from experts in the field!
Wish I could stay a little longer, I was going to join half through, but glad I got to join on time. Have to jet now though :(
A4: OER materials also provide lessons in crediting others for work
That sounds fantastic! Thank you for the share Matt!
Don't forget the cardboard box!
Yes! Spot on! https://t.co/uSIs3165ZU
A4 Proprietary tools like Adobe Storyline can produce beautiful and great games. But you may not be able to share them; also $$$$
Will catch up on the convo later :D Cheers all and Awesome start with Killin it. Keegan lets connect soon.
A4: One con of using materials to develop https://t.co/s1IioA3MaH was few artwork options in terms of gender diversity.
Main problem is, we don't know how to turn anything into a game.
agreed! And lower difficulty tools can allow for more focus on the game than learning the tool :)
agreed! have a god night!
I still have Ss excited to work a puzzle
A6 How about a OSR- Open Student Resources where students have a network to guide learning!!
. And whatever is available. Aim for Ss to make no purchases for any activity.
We need more PD time to play around with curriculum and game ideas. A teacher game jam!
Yes, requires Ss to vett materials themselves. Another teaching opportunity!
Q5: Should students and/or teachers produce materials while building games? Why or why not? https://t.co/f9OQDFXkwh
A4: Proprietary products are often packaged nicely with polished tutorials, instructions vs. which might require tinkering
Let’s help our Ss make games they can share and show each other!
A5: Yes, as time allows. Allows Ss to contribute to global community
A5 Having students produce OER can be empowering. They can become the experts by sharing their work.
There's that time thing again:-)
A5: Of course! My students take notes in as crowd sourced notes and can share them as
although I'm no expert, I proposed that in my school n we had a whole afternoon2it. Enlightening was thefeedback from Ts
AMEN Brother! So many of our Ts are moving to OER next year. https://t.co/ibvPAYj0g4
A3: provide educators with opportunity to support one another and get started without huge time / cost investment
Could def be a student led EdCamp session
That's awesome! And no experts needed--just creative minds & the iterative process. Good for you!
Yes, part of producing materials should also be spent on what’s needed to make accessible to others
A5: A great additional layer of learning! But might depend on the class and students...could be overwhelming. A Stage Two project?
A5: Ya, Ts especially so there are more copyright free materials available to make games! How awesome would Ss work be too!?!
A5: Having Ss communicate Game assets, story and graphics are everything, whether in OER or not. If not, it could take them awhile
A5 There needs to be an open sharing community. I get the point of TpT. But it also irritates me a tad
Agreed! That would be an awesome repository!
Love Thursday Nights Chats, but by this time I am exhausted, good night Friends.Will catch up.
Have a good rest, Mark! Thanks for stopping by!
Yes, bring those barriers down so Ss can go farther and push the boundaries of their potentials!
. Yes...and important to keep judgement at bay. We all have our in-roads. Tutorials already some folks' uncomfort zone.
Only on Q5! There's still time!
Have a good night Mark! Thanks for hangout out at :)
But you're here now :) You can still hit the last 15 minutes!
Q6: Using & game design as starting points, what other topics should we talk about with our Ss? https://t.co/h1hmCix93q
Still some time :) And luckily the convos can be asynchronous if needed.
A6 Copyright and creative commons; openness and reproducability; accessibility - both UD and culturally/economically
A5 YES! As we move to a globalized culture, it's vital that students learn how to leverage and contribute to online communities
This is definitely something to engage Ss with while they make games. How to do tutorials right!
A6: Right now, I think crediting others' work is huge for students to learn. And being a good digital citizen
A6: How does game-design thinking help us access and expand other learning?
Exactly! Can utilize game design to address these issues and expose Ss to these ideas :)
A6: Coding, animation, character models & interaction, story, and most importantly how the gameplay will be.
Everyone keep a lookout for the Archive of Last nights EDChatInteractive with On game Design. - Resources
A6: If we are using to show students what is available to help them learn, makes nice bridge to based learning
Yes! literacy of being a good (digital) citizen :)
A6: I think is grounds for talking about & content ownership with Ss. etc.
A6 Ss need to be aware of what elements or lack of would offend others and make sure to avoid leaving out a group
There are many challenges Ss must face & overcome during this process that expand learning unexpectedly .
Q7: How do we help other teachers who want to get involved with engaging Ss in game design? First steps? https://t.co/g11UAMJiz1
Breaking into components for Ss to focus on is crucial. Especially in big game projects.
A6: Decision-making - Making the best choices you can, with the resources and understanding you have & be able to explain choices
A7 Make our work accessible and discoverable. Share our design strategies and tips. Work, think, and produce open
BOOM! https://t.co/vf048qhEjV
Breaking into components for Ss to focus on is crucial. Especially in big game projects.
Inclusion should be a focus of the design process. Especially for so they are culturally (etc.) accessible
First steps to engage students in game design? Well, in the immortal words of … “Play more games!”
A7 Sit and get with slides. j/k haha! Game jams and breakout games as PD, fun learn by doing
Sounds like a great excuse to play more games to me! I’m helping my Ss! ;D
A7: 1st, get Ts quality for game design. Long term, develop more OER for more kinds of games to adopt & adapt.
A7: All I had when I game jammed with my Ss last year was an objective in mind and a bit of knowledge of playability.
A7: Ts design games first ! Experience what you want the Ss to experience. I teach writing better by writing myself. Same thing.
A good example of dive in and do it. Pioneering!
LOL, too many Ts would be comfortable with slides. Let’s shake it up with games PD! :)
A7: Example: materials like https://t.co/0ltu3D15po are fantastic assets to jumpstart game design in the classroom.
A7: brainstormed, discussed games they knew, used some of the game mechanics to create their own.
A huge shout out to for hosting a fabulous chat this evening! Fantastic questions, Keegan! Thank you!
A huge shout out to for hosting a fabulous chat this evening! Fantastic questions, Keegan! Thank you!
A7: There are so many great educators out here happy to help teachers! don't hesitate to ask questions!
A7: I am more than happy to talk to admin, etc. to provide rationale for why is so valuable in school!
That sounds like a great progression for Ss to bridge the gap between what they know and what they will learn
As with virtually anything, Twitter is a great place to start!
Who wants to this summer? Let's hear from you!
https://t.co/F9JWKjOnJ2
Would you attend a weekly live chat at this time, even during the summer?
Thank you! This was a blast! :D
A7: Let Ts who are inexperienced see works that other Ts in Game Design created and communicate on how that game works so well.
