AR readings 09 12

Reading for my AR project.

I have started my research into gaming. I think I even have a virtual game in mind to work on. Right now I am doing background research. I will be adding things to my AR website as we go. I am also having trouble with my AR website. I will have to reload it on the web. I will let everyone know when I am back online with it.

My first reading is actually a web site;

http://www.wideopendoors.net/educational_technology/gaming.html

It has facts on gaming in education along with 6 questions to ask when evaluating a game. I have copied them directly from the website listed above.

Some questions to ask when evaluating games

1. How compelling or engaging was the experience?

2. How comfortable did you feel with the game controls (interface, etc)

3. Did you feel you were playing or learning?

4. Did the graphic quality help or hinder the experience?

5. What kind of instructional design could you observe in the game?

6. Did you choose to continue on to the next level or stage when you had the opportunity?

This site also contains a link to the game I intend to use in my study. It is called Immune Attack.

I will be referring to this site in the future.

The next is an article on sex differentials in geometry using games and simulations. Although I am not testing a math game, I found their study interesting. Is there a difference in learning between male and female students? Their result was that no significant difference was show between improvements in math scores between males and females that used games and simulations. Both scored higher than the control group.

Anchor, Emmanuel E. Sex differentials in Students’ Achievement and Interest in Geometry Using Games and Simulations Technique.

The next article was a current event simulation game at the University of South Dakota. It involved a simulation of a contemporary event. Specifically it involved the war on Terrorism; or more properly, insurgencies and counterinsurgency efforts. The game became more than just an assignment done in class. Students used blogging to communicate and blogging became an important part of the game. Real news releases were incorporated into the game and students were introduced to a variety of perspectives. Although the governments and terrorist organizations were fictionalized, news events reflected what the players were doing.

Hacker, Kurt. More than a COIN flip: Improving Honors Education with Real Time Simulations Based on Contemporary Events.

The final article evaluates how the three “C” s models for literacy (creative, critical, and cultural) can be applied to the study of computer games in the English and Media classroom. It used examples such as Harry Potter, which is a book, a movie, and a video game. It also analyzed the term literacy and how it applies to computer games and simulations. This is an are that I did not consider before, but I will look at it as part of the game learning process.

Partington, Antony. Game Literacy, gaming cultures and media education.