DRAFT

Spring 2008

TR 1-2:30 (NE25-372)

Computer Games and Simulations for Investigation and Education
Prof. Eric Klopfer (klopfer@mit.edu)

During the past two decades, simulation, especially as it helps people to understand complex systems, has become a mainstream use of computational technology. The widespread popularity of “edutainment” software like SimCity and Civilization gives a clear indication of the extent to which simulation games have permeated popular culture. As these and other games have found places in the classroom, researchers have tried to ascertain what and how students (or people more generally) learn from these environments, and what implications this has for software and curriculum design.

In this project-based course, students from all disciplines are encouraged to understand how we learn from interactive computer environments, and delve into the process of designing and understanding simulations and games for learning. In the first part of the course we will explore the design and use of Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) games and simulations in the classroom, and how they have been and can be tailored to learning, including technical, practical and pedagogical advantages and limitations. This will be combined with scholarly readings from the emerging field of learning games. We will then design non-digital games, and study both the design process and learner outcomes. Next we move into the realm of the digital, again studying the design and use of digital games and simulations in educational contexts. Finally, we will also study what and how people learn from simulations (including focus groups and user feedback), and how simulation and gaming tools can be implemented in educational settings. All levels of computer experience welcome. Graduate students are expected to complete additional assignments.


Assignment Overview and Grading


Open Lab Hours
TBA

Game Nights and Design Discussions - Feb 20, March 12 and April 9 (around 7:30 pm)

Week 1 (Feb 5 and 7) – Introduction and Overview of Course

  • Overview
    • The course will explore educational games and simulations in both digial and non-digital forms. We will focus on design and research issues pertinent to learning through simulations and games. Throughout the course we will explore concepts in simulation and gaming common to many domains, and investigate specific applications from a variety of fields ranging from weather to ecology to traffic management.
  • Game Brainstorming - What have you played? (Feb 5)
    • Categorization of Games
  • What is a Game?
    • Initial Game Definition
  • Labyrinth - Designing a Game for Teaching Math and Literacy - Scot Osterweil (Feb 7)
  • Readings

Week 2-3 (Feb 12, 14 and 21) – How to we combine games and education? Edu-tainment?

Week 4 (Feb 26 and Feb 28) – Research on Games and Learning

  • What have we learned from Civ IV?
  • What Video Games Have to Teach Us... (about Civ)
  • Do educational games embody these principles?
  • Readings
    • Gee - Video Games, Learning and Literacy

Week 5 (March 4 and 6) – Video Games -> Board Games

Week 6 (March 11 and 13) - Learning from Games

Week 7 (March 18 and 20) - The Case for Mobile Games

Week 8-9 (April 1, 3, 8 and 10 ) – Board Games and Guest Presentaitons

Week 10-11 (April 15, 17 and 24) – Simulation and Game Design - Adventures in Modeling

Week 12 (April 29 and May 1)- The History of Simulations & Thinking about Users

Week 13 (May 6 and 8) – Design

  • May 6 - Gary Goldberger from Fablevision

Week 14 (May 13 and 15) – Final Project Presentations

  • Assignment
    • Final User Testing Project -Design and conduct an focused feedback session on how people use and learn from either the digital or non-digital game you've created. (DUE AS PART OF Game Design May 8)
AttachmentSize
civ3-education-chapter.pdf200.4 KB