Games Based Learning MOOC

Let's start building this list! Here is the Google Document.

If you are doing the Games Based Learning Badge and/or the Connected Educator Badge, please your game and annotation here and on the Google Doc.

Here is the link to the Game Based Learning Research Diigo group.

Hi,
This is fun and so timely for our team. Unfortunately I am unable to access either the Google Document or the Prezi presentation. :*(

Thanks so much,
Jennifer Zapp

Would love to lurk and work
on badges.... etc!
Exquisite Corpse -- call me XQC for short -- it seems so Mayan for one thing -- and we'll see if they were right about the end of the world ... If so, I hope to have a badge by then. LOL

Slowly adding to that game list (doing this during breaks between teaching classes, argh).

2 Games - The Enchanted Cave and Mr. Bree (listed in Google Docs, Flickr, and Diigo)

Question: I know the games I've posted are not exactly serious (educational) games, but I teach my students to analyze these games using rhetoric and comp principles. Should they be in the Google Docs list? The games would partially satisfy Big "G" game requirement (social interaction + social topics)

If they are not, I do have other games that specifically teach philosophy, rhetoric and composition (though not as exciting).

Cheers~
Mind Erasure

Mind Erasure,

Any game that you consider to be a Big G game in some way! Please add them. Remember that Jim Gee pointed out how World of Warcraft is a Big G game in several ways. He also mentioned EA's The Sims. Neither was produced as educational (serious) games.

It's interesting you mention social interaction and social topics, because Mr. Gee specifically mentioned a project where The Sims was used to help students understand the struggles of a single parent (to help encourage emotional intelligence, among other things).

Please add them!

Hi folks,

I'd love to kick start this discussion just a little bit to get some more ideas flurrying around!

Is anyone using any of the big games in the classroom at all? WoW? Minecraft?

Have ya'll remembered to put links into Diigo?

Also, just an off-the-wall question, has anyone found a good source for playing some of the much older games (legally, of course)? I'm thinking things like Crystal Caves or the original Carmen Sandiego games.

-LeeDale

Whoops, I posted a few games in the google doc but didn't put them here, so here you go:

Gamestar Mechanic (submitted by Missrithenay)
http://www.gamestarmechanic.com

(Missrithenay)

Useful Content Area - Art and programming, writing, and just about any content area you care to focus on
Demographic of the learner - Game is for pre-teens and teens. My sixth graders use it very successfully.
What would you use it for? - For teaching game design, and for teaching that you can communicate other concepts through games, which forces students to think strategically about their choices.
How would you use it? Gamestar Mechanic is not a game in and of itself, but a game design website. It’s fantastic for teachers because there’s a fun “quest” that takes the kids through a variety of games that teach them how to design games on the site. The website includes lesson plans, but they are not really necessary as the site does a great job. I have the kids do this when they finish early, and then later in the year I give them the occasional choice of designing a game to illustrate a concept (one of my students designed a really cool game about child labor!)


Third World Farmer (submitted by Missrithenay)
http://www.3rdworldfarmer.com/index.html

Useful Content Area - Social studies
Demographic of the learner - preteen to teen
What would you use it for? - For increasing awareness of global poverty and the causes behind it
How would you use it? This game is a simulation game where students take on the roll of an African farmer and graphically experience how poverty results from a wide variety of circumstances. I would have them experience the game, then use the knowledge they acquire to explore the issue further.

(Missrithenay)

Professor Layton and the Curious Village (submitted by Missrithenay)
Nintendo DS

Useful Content Area - Language arts, math, problem solving
Demographic of the learner - preteen to teen
What would you use it for? - Literacy (novel study), character analysis, discussion of mystery story elements, problem solving
How would you use it? This game has students follow the exploits of Professor Layton and his apprentice Luke as they solve a mystery. The game contains over 100 challenging puzzles integrated into the story.

(Missrithenay)

Added two games to the list -- King's Call and Allies and Aliens. Just a heads up, King's Call is a Christian/religious game. But if you happen to teach Sunday School or at a religious institution, it's a lot of fun.

Glad to see so many of you on the list. If you running out of game possibilities or want to expore more, here is a list of 47 FREE games available through STEAM, there is no cost to have an account, but whatever you do don't lose your STEAM password, it is very difficult to get it back... trust the "grasshopper98" on this.

They have quite a few games I am looking at for possible use in my classroom. Some can be played within STEAM and others need a free-download to play, but may need strong graphics, ram memory and high-speed internet, others will work just fine within STEAM. No I haven't played them all. ;) So many games so little time.

I have made one line notes to help you decide and here is a link to STEAM Steam Website You would just click on "login" to open an account. You do have to download the Steam Client.

Super Crate Box (golden arcade games)
Maple Story (can customize your character)
Bullet Run (ok just killing doesn’t get you fame)
Combat Arms (first person shooter )
Micro Volts (cartoon first person shooter)
BlackLight Retribution (futuristic first person shooter)
Atlantica Online (strategic turn-based, character development)
Dungeon Fighter Online (arcade mix with epic storyline)
Tribes Ascend (first person shooter, a million people have played
Dungeons and Dragons Online (the game you think it is)
Vindigtus (search for paradise, after battle and despair)
The Lord of the Rings Online (what you think it is)
Moon Breakers (3-D space combat games)
World Battles Morning Star. (undead walk the earth)
Microsoft Flight (flight simulation)
Super MNC Monday Night Combat (multiplayer shooter)
Age of Empires Online (great civilizations and more built all the time)
Pandora Saga: Weapons of Balance (Multiplayer fantasy, rich community)
Stronghold Kingdoms (life of medieval lord, unique game)
Fallen Earth (earth destroyed, 2156 survival)
Realm of the Mad God (multiple player – battle)
Brawl Buster (action game combat)
Magic the Gathering Tactics (build collection of figures and spells)
Star Trek Online (as expected, and what the Grasshiopper98 plays)
Poxnora (turn based, online fantasy games)
Everquest (what you think it is, multiplayer game)
APB Reloaded (city of crime, stop criminals)
DC Universe (physics-powered action game)
Bloodline Champions (action multi-player, player v player)
Marauders (online strategy including tactical battles)
Rise of Immortals (strategy game with sociological features)
Rusty Hearts Tavern (gothic inspired world, vampires, etc)
Puzzle Pirates (puzzle action, create and customize)
CrimeCraft GangWars (first person shooter)
War, Inc. Battlezone (multiplayer, can compete with friends)Gl
Global Agenda Free Agent (oppressive government, you need to overthrow it)
Champions Online (epic heroism in super-hero universe)
Spiral Knights (multiplayer, band together to win)
Alliance of Valiant Arms (Set in 2009 based on Soviet Union and after it fell)
Forsaken World (up against dark forces and five distinct races)
Team Fortress2 (“most fun you can have online” PC GAMER,)

Not doing the badges since I am part of the Guild Officers, Kae, but I did put a list of 47 games that can be played free through STEAM, and have the link, also tweeted it and did the diigo with it. Link to my post that is in this thread (hmmmm is this circular reasoning?)

#6818288 Games MOOC wrote:

Let's start building this list! Here is the Google Document.

If you are doing the Games Based Learning Badge and/or the Connected Educator Badge, please your game and annotation here and on the Google Doc.

Here is the link to the Game Based Learning Research Diigo group.

I had just thought to add APB: Reloaded to this list since I was talking about it yesterday, only to find that a certain grasshopper had beat me to it! Well, since it's only one game in a big list, I'll bring it up again anyway.

Note that this game is VERY competetive and requires a relatively high-end machine to play well. I recommend at least 4 gigs of RAM and a decent graphics card.

...But it's free! And fun! And really SERIOUSLY FRUSTRATING SOMETIMES

Did I mention it's free?