Using the Nintendo 64 to promote creative writing ... S

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LTS advocate for games and learning

• Derek P Robertson
• New Technologies for Learning

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Our new learning space

• Successful learners
• Confident Individuals
• Responsible citizens
• Effective Contributors

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Prenskys digital native?

• What is a digital native?
• Modern technology is now embedded in, and
  integral to, young learners lives

• digital interactive TV
• the internet
• Music downloads
• computer games
• cell phones
• instant messaging

• blogs
• ebay
• online avatars
• MMORPG
• instant messaging
• sharing media

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Digital natives what differs?

• Does the digital native learn in a different way?
• They are used to receiving information at high
  speed
• They like to parallel process/multi-task
• They prefer graphics before text
• They prefer random access (i.e. hypertext)
• They work very well when networked
• They thrive on instant gratification and frequent
  rewards
• They prefer games to serious work

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Prenskys digital immigrant?

• Have had to adapt to the ever increasing
  influence of technology on society
• Retain their accent
• print out e-mails
• write on word processing documents rather than do
  it on screen
• refer to the manual first
• Did you get my e-mail? phone call

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Communication breakdown?

• Do teachers (digital immigrants) speak a
  different language from young learners (digital
  natives)?
• Is our methodology still based on how immigrants
  were socialised to learn?
• slowly, step-by-step, linear, individually,
  seriously
• Do immigrants implicitly assume that learners
  learn, and will continue to learn, the way they
  always have?

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Why computer games?

• Whitfield Primary, Dundee, 1997-1999
• Games at Christmas
• Problem solving with the Zoombinis
• Using the Nintendo 64 to promote creative writing
• Pupils were motivated and stimulated to learn
• Encouraged and facilitated collaboration
• Encouraged and facilitated learner reflection
• A climate of active and knowledgeable
  participation
• No fear in the approach to their learning

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Enhanced learning?

• Powerful motivational context
• Enhanced learning through games
• Science model
• Problem solving
• Knowledge about other curricular areas
• Metacognitive development
• Collaborative contexts
• Affective domain

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Boris Johnson December 2006
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A new moral panic?
promotes aggression
social isolation
causes obesity
encourages sedentary lifestyle
desensitises children
cognitive stagnation
established standards challenged
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The Consolarium

• Scottish Centre for Games in Education
• Comprehensive range of commercial consoles and
  games
• PS2, PSP, Xbox360, DS, Wii,
• Alienware PC
• Intel Mac
• Interactive whiteboard
• Wi-fi access
• Some pictures

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What it aims to do

• Promote games and learning
• Act as a centre that teachers and educational
  managers can visit
• Develop a community of interested partners
• Education, academic industry
• Nurture, support and celebrate effective and
  innovative practice with games
• Address cynicism and moral panic associated
  with games based learning
• Embed games and learning in ACfE

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Literacy through games

• Text driven narratives encouraging reading and
  writing
• Phoenix Wright, Hotel Dusk
• Tracey Beaker, Shobna, Jungle Adventure
• Myst with Tim Rylands
• Developing a game character
• Exploiting games related contexts
• Crazy Talk
• A little bit more adventurous
• Guitar Hero/Singstar thematic approach

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Numeracy and games

• Increasing range of games that present cognitive
  challenge
• Nintendo Touch Generations
• Doctor Kawashima, Big Brain Academy
• St Columbas PS Nintendo project
• 3 schools one with Nintendo DS, one with Brain
  Gym, one control group
• 10 week treatment period
• Pre and post tests Burnett Self Scale and age
  appropriate Maths test

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New Technologies

• Games are incorporating the full range of new
  technologies to enhance the game experience
• Eye Toy Aberdeen City pilot
• Dance Mats
• Sonica Spanish
• Ramba Studios Phonics dance mat
• Nintendo Wii Aberdeen City pilot
• Buzz

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Power to create games!

• An ethos of creation and not just consumption is
  required
• Gamemaker
• Thinking Worlds Aberdeen City pilot
• Missionmaker
• Neverwinter Nights new
• Microsoft
• Opening up Xbox coding

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Lets be realistic

• Successful learners require good teachers
• This is another way through which we can engage
  digital natives
• We need to explore this medium but we need to be
  open-minded
• Schools needs to appreciate the changing societal
  landscape and evolve accordingly

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Thank you

• d.robertson_at_ltscotland.org.uk
• http//hotmilkydrink.typepad.com