Games & Learning

Synthetic Worlds

Synthetic Worlds

 
• How are synthetic / virtual worlds affecting learning environments?
 
   
• OLN has set up an island in Second Life , a synthetic world where Ohio educators can be and build whatever they wish.
   
• OLN's ET and ILT Committees seek to better understand how synthetic worlds and games can be used to support learning. Want to help us figure it out?
   
• Set up a free account and then contact Cable Green (aka “Cable Enigma”) to access the OLN Island .
   
• Synthetic Worlds: The Business and Culture of Online Games
   
• Here's another take on the same idea: http://www.activeworlds.com/
 

Games as Business

Games as Business

 
• How might an Ohio gaming industry support State economic development goals?
 
   
• How do we collectively grow Ohio 's capacity to create games and game developers in Ohio ?
 
 
• Who is already engaged in this activity?
 
   
• GRID lab ( SE Ohio ) @ OU
   
• Northeast Ohio Videogame Initiative
 
 
• What are the challenges and opportunities?
 
• Where are the funding sources?

Research on Games as Learning

Research on Games as Learning

 
• What learning principles do game designers understand that we know but don't utilize?
 
• What does engagement theory teach us about games and learning?
 
• How do games fundamentally change the way we think about learning in higher education?
 
• Who are the Ohio (and international) learning experts who understand how we learn and how games can be used effectively?
 
• How do we build serious games to support learning?

Integrating Games into the Curriculum / Classroom to Support Learning

Integrating Games into the Curriculum / Classroom to Support Learning

 
• How do we use existing games (serious, commercial, social impact) to support learning?
 
   
• What games can be used in various disciplines? Examples?
   
      
• MIT is using the SIMs game engine to create language emersion environments.
   
 
 
• Is there a “litmus test” for determining whether a game might be useful for learning?
 
• How can games be integrated into the curriculum?
 
   
• Can games be connected to Ohio learning objectives, TAGs, and/or K-12 standards? ORC tags content to Ohio K-12 standards.
   
• How can games be effectively deployed in the classroom?
 
 
• What about the ‘darker side' of gaming – social isolationism, gaming addictions, and other potential hazards recently reported in popular media?

A Series of BIG Questions

Greetings Games & Learning BLOG readers,

 
• The Ohio RESET (a games and learning) group has met a few times and has asked many interesting questions about games and learning. I've been taking notes ;)
 
• Rather than lose the community's good ideas, I'll post them here, en masse, and we'll see what ideas develop.
 
• Some of the questions are Ohio specific, though I suspect the questions (and possible solutions) may be universally valuable.
 
• The following posts attempt to categorize these questions. Click “Comments” to add your two cents!
   

Cable Green

Ohio Learning Network