Games Based Learning MOOC

ARGNetwork – so many topics, so little time….Please peruse and the ARGNetwork and let us know what you found useful, interesting or amusing. Anything or any ideas you could use for your class?

One that I've been keeping an eye on because I think its pretty innovative is Defiance. I really like the idea of interaction between mediums and how the TV show takes its cues from game play, particularly the game play that the developers could not have predicted in the first place. It is something to play and watch to be a part of an evolving story line in real time on a very grand scale.

Yes, that network is addictive, I spend a lot of time there. I was looking at it in bed last night on my iPad, I would doze off, wake up, look at something else, woke up this morning with a face plant on the iPad screen. :) --- Had all sorts of ideas floating around in my head. I especially have been hooked on the podcasts and this one caught my eye because as you know, I am a big believer that the "zombie craze is almost over." This is 032 It is not about the Zombies Henry Jenkins and John Green It is not about the Zombies There is a list (links) that will take you to every important subject mentioned in the podcast. There was an example about Trans media characters like Ninja Turtles. . . that certainly discussed the migration and multiple use of various venues to support one character. Ninja Turtles were everywhere, movies, books, comics, television, games, action figures, costumes. . . insane crossovers. I think we are looking to make our subject matter or the lesson of our class as a "trans media" when we are thinking of ARGs. Does anyone else think along those lines? In case you forgot what those Ninja Turtles looked like, here they are, bet you can name all of them. Why? Trans Media. Can you do that with your lessons? Of course you can. And by giving those names to the characters, and giving those turtles the characteristics and traits of those name, the kids learned something while having fun, they will come across those names later and reflect back on the Ninja turtles.

ninja turtles by grasshopper98, on Flickr

#7648499 grasshopper98 wrote:

]bet you can name all of them.

Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Leonardo but don't ask which colors go with which. My son informs me that Donatello is the funny one. I remember these characters from when I was a kid and the have been revamped and reused over and over again with each new generation. Reminds me a bit of the Power Rangers.

ARGs sound really intriguing. I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around how one looks in action, so I think I'm going to have to wait until I have the time to play one before I can determine how I might use one for a class. From the resources I've read/watched for this class, they seem like they would be really complex to create, so while I may not be able to invest so much effort into creating one for a class, it might be interesting to allow students the option of creating one--perhaps allow them a choice between creating IF, a scavenger hunt, or an ARG.

Well, I'm wrestling with the requirements of these different game types. Specifically, I am planning a game in which the clues and puzzles and tasks usually exist in the real world, but the narrative storyline (mystery) and the game mechanics are provided through mobile technology. This game will be played by students visiting a hands-on science center on a school field trip. The students will be enlisted to use their science inquiry skills to help solve a mystery at the museum. The learning goals are for students to engage in science inquiry and discourse throughout the visit to the museum. I think of this game as an augmented reality game rather than an alternate reality game because I won't be interfering during gameplay, there will not be a "puppetmaster" per se. However, this game uses the real world as a context and players keep their real world identities. Just fyi, I'm calling this game The Great Science Caper.

#7648499 grasshopper98 wrote:

bet you can name all of them.

Not only can I give you their names, I could tell you which is which, what their personality types are, and just looking at that picture makes the old 80's cartoon intro start playing in my head. They've been through so many iterations in so many media types you'd probably be hard-pressed to find someone who won't recognize them.

@Mina: Yes, I understand feeling a little overwhelmed! I think the key is to start pretty simple and continue soaking in a lot of examples. Just because we've been looking at examples of ARGs that span weeks, that doesn't mean you need to start there.

I'm always a proponent of having students create media!


@Deelyn: The Great Science Caper sounds cool! You have a venue, so that doesn't mean you have to worry about the location. It sounds like you have some firm ideas about what you want them to do, also. What mobile technology were you considering?

@Leedale: Thanks, I've been working with ARIS for about a year with the intention of using it to build the Great Science Caper (which is the centerpiece of my design-based dissertation research.) Unfortunately, being inside a building (especially a multi-level one) precludes using ARIS' location-based capabilities, but I can still use QR codes and workarounds like that. ARIS only runs on iOS, and I want the students to play in pairs (social constructivism, you know ;) ), so I will be using iPads for this game.