Discussion 6

Discussion 6 was due July 12, and, while we were assigned to read Chapter 11, our instructions were the same as the other discussions.

My answer

Summary

As the generation coming up loves video games and the video gaming technology continues to evolve and advance, educators have shifted their attention to determine how to harness the gaming tools for constructivist learning. The authors introduced VISOLE, Virtual Interactive Student-Oriented Learning Environment, which is a constructivist approach to game-based learning. VISOLE can assist students with multi-disciplinary knowledge and problem solving skills.

Two background thoughts behind game-based learning are behaviorist game-based learning and constructivist game-based learning. The first is usually associated with drill-and-practice games which have a clear reward structure in order to encourage students to complete the tasks. Usually, the teachers’ involvement is minimal. Constructivist game-based learning includes playing mini-games, which can take anywhere between a few minutes to an hour to complete. One of the games that some scholars are hoping to introduce into high school curriculum is Civilization III, where players lead a civilization from 4000 BC to present day. Other scholars hope to see games which are in an epistemic frame and allow students to play in multiple simulations of various professional careers that they might choose.

The authors cited principles for constructivist learning design, which are: motivation, previous knowledge, contextual and active learning, social activity, and experience. Intrinsic motivation, situated learning, and teacher facilitation are needed for VISOLE to be successful. To get even closer to the heart of the matter, VISOLE has three pedagogical phases: multi-disciplinary scaffolding, game-based situated learning, and reflection and debriefing.

The authors also noted that students need to be motivated intrinsically and be immersed in the game. Interactive gaming with multi-disciplinary facets needs to have real-life situations that allow students to practice, participate, have a community, and identify with other human players or non-player characters. As far as teacher participation goes, the teacher should remove the scaffolds gradually as the students become more adapt at the game. Debriefing, another VISOLE pedagogical phase, should be conducted by the instructor and allow students to participate in meta-cognitive thinking that transforms their gaming experience into their learning experience.

FARMTASIA is one VISOLE design discussed by the authors, which involves multi-disciplinary areas such as geography, biology, and economics. It’s based on real data simulation and simulates how crops and livestock evolve in a near real-world way. FARMTASIA records every student’s movement on the game, and the teachers can review what the students are doing in the game.

How could teachers/educators use the material/information addressed in the chapter to help improve their instruction or professional development?

FARMTASIA strongly reminded me of Facebook’s Farmville. Even the pictures looked similar. Something I hadn’t thought of with Farmville, though, was the idea that it could be used as an educational tool (though, as I’ve never played Farmville before, I’m not sure how adequate its educational value is). I can easily see how this would be beneficial, especially for K-12 students in multi-disciplinary areas. Actually, I can see a Batman-esque game forming where students could gain engineering and science skills by putting gear and equipment together for Batman. I was never a video gamer growing up, but I do see how they can be beneficial for students today.

Did you feel this chapter helped in your understanding of the use of technology in education? Explain why or why not. Did anything confuse you? Did the chapter leave more questions for you?

It broadened my view of video games, but I am wondering how long it would take to put something like FARMTASIA together. I’m sure in a few years companies will be marketing educational video games (they already are, I know, but I mean something similar to FARMTASIA) to all areas of education, but I wonder how or if we would ever be able to specialize a game for classes – or how beneficial they would be for liberal arts, really.

Reference

Jong, M., Shang, J., Lee, F., & Lee, J. (2010). VISOLE: A Constructivist Pedagogical Approach to Game-Based Learning. In Yang, H. H., & Yuen, S. C. (Eds.), Collective Intelligence and E-Learning 2.0: Implications of Web-Based Communities and Networking (pp. 185-206). Hershey, Pennsylvania: Information Science Reference.