Video Games in the Social Studies Classroom: Video Games in the Social Studies Classroom The good, the bad and the ugly Glenn Wiebe ESSDACK glennw@essdack.org ©2005 Kansas Technology Leadership Conference Topeka, KS December 2005


Pong / 1975: Pong / 1975


Galaga 1985: Galaga 1985


Rise of Nations / 2005: Rise of Nations / 2005


Solve the problem: Solve the problem Games haven’t gotten simpler over time They’ve gotten more complex Why? Because the brain demands it


Big ideas: Big ideas Students are different now / we should be teaching differently Gaming is supported with research Gaming is good for kids Using games in the classroom entails risk More questions than answers


Introductions: Introductions What is a game? What’s your definition?


Slide8: What is a game? “A series of meaningful choices” “one or more linked challenges in a simulated environment” “exceptionally tasty patterns of reality” What is a video game?


30 years does make a difference!: 30 years does make a difference! Long hair Longing for hair


30 years does make a difference!: 30 years does make a difference! Long hair Rolling Stones Longing for hair Longing for hair Kidney stones


30 years does make a difference!: 30 years does make a difference! Long hair Rolling Stones Pay phone Longing for hair Kidney stones Longing for hair Kidney stones Cell phone


30 years does make a difference!: 30 years does make a difference! Long hair Rolling Stones Pay phone Pop tops Longing for hair Kidney stones Cell phone Longing for hair Kidney stones Cell phone Laptops


30 years does make a difference!: 30 years does make a difference! Long hair Rolling Stones Pay phone Pop tops Baby boomers Longing for hair Kidney stones Cell phone Laptops Longing for hair Kidney stones Cell phone Laptops iKids


Who are the iKids?: Who are the iKids? Center of their world is the Internet Don’t know a world without cell phones, CDs, computers, or on-demand music “Second generation” technology users 95% of teenagers access the Web every day 75% use the Internet rather than library 80% instant message at least once a week 8 million new blogs in the last year / many created by students


Who are the iKids?: Who are the iKids? 650 freshmen at MIT 88% played games before age 10 60% spend at least an hour a week gaming - Kurt Squire 82 minutes a day on social networks i.e. MySpace, Flickr, Facebook - Kaiser Family Foundation


Who are the iKids?: Who are the iKids? Wired differently They count with their thumbs More abstract / emotional / right brained Multi-taskers


So what?: So what? Our students are different / they require different instruction that includes gaming “Gen X” & “Baby Boomers” vs. “iKids”


Slide19: “CIA spies will learn craft via game” USA Today June 16, 2005 “Video game key to Edwards Nascar victory” Washington Post June 13, 2005 “3Dsolve delivers virtual training to U.S. Army” Triangle Business Journal November 28, 2005


What are some gaming “myths?”: What are some gaming “myths?” Scientific evidence links violence and video games It’s mostly kids It’s mostly boys Games are not a true form of artistic expression


What are some gaming “myths?”: What are some gaming “myths?” Gaming creates isolated loners I can’t cover all of the content! It’s really not that big of a deal Others? www.pbs.org/kcts/videogamerevolution/impact/myths.html


Let’s play a bit! : Let’s play a bit! Food Force Making History


Types of games: Types of games FPS First person shooter Doom / Halo / Rainbow Six / Medal of Honor MMO / MMORPG Massive Multi-player Online Everquest / Second Life / Final Fantasy


Types of games: Types of games RTS Real Time Strategy Age of Empires / Rise of Nations / Civilization / Sim City RPG Role Playing GameUltima / The Sims / World of Warcraft / Matrix Often combined together


Types of systems: Types of systems Console Playstation / Xbox / Gamecube Computer PC / Macintosh / Online Many are browser based / but often tied to local computer or console


Why do games work?: Why do games work? Why do people play video games? The brain searches for patterns It “chunks” those patterns into “icons” Games provide structured, recognizable patterns “Icons” of reality and so impact the brain long term No messy details to filter out Reality without the danger


Why do games work?: Why do games work? Why do people dream? “What gets fired is longer wired” The brain dreams to practice what it learned during the day by re-firing neurons Keep what’s important / lose what’s not What’s important? Whatever provides the most input Game provide tons of input!


Why do games work?: Why do games work? What role does emotion play in thinking? “almost every thought, no matter how bland, is accompanied by an emotion, no matter how subtle.” (Restack 1995) Emotional chemicals literally modify synapses to increase cognitive activity and improve problem solving skills Video games are great for emotional arousal


Why do games work?: Why do games work? Why do we laugh? The brain is social, creating community and finding ways to belong to groups Games can encourage / support group and collaborative learning


Why do games work?: Why do games work? Basic idea? Quality games create high levels of learning High levels of learning result in high levels of pleasure brain chemicals People like high levels of pleasure


So . . . use games because they: So . . . use games because they Teach how problems can be approached from multiple points of view Build key life-long skills: Decision making, problem solving, team building and information sharing Encourage students to use their initiative and creativity Especially writing skills and multimedia


So . . . use games because they: So . . . use games because they Require “old-fashioned” research skills Are adaptable to specific, desired educational objectives Support engagement with the content due to their competitive nature Encourage use of the three story intellect (p. xx)


Problems?: Problems? Takes time What are you willing to give up? Content integration “Forcing” standards alignment


Problems?: Problems? Takes money Hardware / software / computer upgrades Technology issues Not enough stations / consoles Not enough “power” Computer crashes Apple vs. PC


Solutions: Solutions Start with a clear curricular goal in mind Game as instruction / assessment / both? Game as content or process? Collect information and resources Game sites / FAQs www.gamefaqs.com / www.gameboomers.com Cheat codes / walkthroughs / hints and tip books Building tech resources Building people resources


More solutions: More solutions Is there something else that would do the job better? Ease of saving Age appropriate navigation Student learning styles / intended audience Group or single player Time of play / chapters vs. entire game


Even more solutions: Even more solutions Be aware of content What’s missing or inaccurate? Brainstorm possible activities Budgets / business plans / annual reports Diaries / letters / fictional biographies Timelines / flowcharts Don’t buy the games Rent at Blockbuster or www.gamefly.com Download free demos


Yes . . . more solutions: Yes . . . more solutions Communicate with parents Permission? / be excited not tentative “Brag” to BOE / principals Have research handy Know the game! Be sure you’ve played it through Be willing to give up control Ask kids for advice / help What do you got?


Examples / solutions: Examples / solutions Online sims / games Second Life www.secondlife.com teen.secondlife.com Construct an actual business / create an island with specific geographic features / open a medical clinic Food Force www.food-force.com


Examples / solutions: Examples / solutions Online sims / games Renaissance Florence activehistory.co.uk/sample_activities.htm Virtual Worlds www.bized.ac.uk/virtual


Examples / solutions: Examples / solutions Online sims / games Other games online www.shambles.net/games/ www.sgi.com/fun/freeware/games.html www.history.org/History/teaching/Dayseries/webactivities/index.htm renaissanceconnection.org www.gametap.com www.gamespyarcade.com


Examples / solutions: Examples / solutions Railroad / Zoo / Roller Coaster Tycoon www.ymiteacher.com/pdf/ZooTycoon.pdf Sim ThemePark Design a park with each “land” documenting the events of the Civil War / different decades / different regions www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/j/x/jxz8/ Student_Webquests/Oswald/WebFiles/ webqu.html


Examples / solutions: Examples / solutions Real Lives www.educationalsimulations.com www.educationalsimulations.com/ lesson_plans.htm Civilization III / Rise of Nations / Age of Empires Impact of geography Impact of technology What if Native Americans had resisted Europeans?


Examples / solutions: Examples / solutions The Sims www.mackenty.org/images/uploads/ collaboration.mov Making History: The Calm and the Storm www.making-history.com SpaceStationSim www.vision-play.com/index.html A Force More Powerful www.aforcemorepowerful.org/game


Examples / solutions: Examples / solutions Sim City www.fi.edu/fellows/fellow3/apr99/simcity2000/ lessons.htm www.macomb.k12.mi.us/eastdet/Plans/ MS-simcity.htm www.eduref.org/Virtual/Lessons/ Computer_Science/EDT0203.html www.boiseschools.org/schools/lesbois/teachers/ johns/simcity3000.htm


Other lesson plan sites / reviews: Other lesson plan sites / reviews Children’s Technology Review SilverSprite Mr. MacKenty Learning Teachers Arcade


Students creating their own games: Students creating their own games StarLogo GameMaker Power Game Factory


Brainstorm: Brainstorm What makes a good game? How might you use games in your classroom? What do you need for it to happen?


Slide49: “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation” Plato


Resources: Resources Wiebe, Glenn (2005) Video games. Kirriemuir, John. (2005) Resources for researching games and learning. McFarlane, Angela. (2005) Literature review in games and learning.


Resources: Resources Prensky, Marc. (2001) Digital Game-Based Learning. McGraw Hill. Kane, Pat. (2004) The Play Ethic: A Manifesto for a Different Way of Living. MacMillian. Grossman, Dave. (1999) Stop Teaching Our Kids to Kill. Crown Publishers.


Resources: Resources Beck, John. (2004) Got Game: How the Gamer Generation is Reshaping Business Forever. Harvard Business School Press. Zull, James. (2002) The Art of Changing the Brain: Enriching Teaching by Exploring the Biology of Learning. Stylus Publishing. Gee, James. (2003) What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning & Literacy. Palgrave / MacMillan.


Resources: Resources Johnson, Steven. (2004) Mind Wide Open:Your Brain and the Neuroscience of Everyday Life. Scribner. Johnson, Steven. (2005) Everything bad is Good for You: How Today’s Popular Culture is Actually Making Us Smarter. Riverhead Books. Koster, Ralph. (2005) The Theory of Fun. Paraglyph Press.


Resources: Resources Caine, Geoffery. (2001) The Brain, Education, and the Competitive Edge. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Education. Committee on Developments in the Science of Learning. (1999) How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.


Resources: Resources Gee, James Paul. (2005) Why Video Games are Good for Your Soul. Common Ground. Aldrich, Clark. (2004) Simulations and the Future of Learning. Pfeiffer.