Gaming Literacy and Learning

Overview

The use of games in educational contexts has recently received growing attention. Many teachers are interested in using games in their classrooms, but can’t find a right context to adopt games that match their curriculum. This course provides an introduction to the educational value of games, game genres, gaming literacy, and new literacy. Teachers will play games and analyze how gaming can cultivate learners’ new literacy, understand how game debriefing can help scaffold students’ learning, and identify factors affecting the adoption of games in educational contexts.

This course is facilitated by a literacy professor and an instructional technology professor, who will be available to assist and encourage you to implement game-based learning into your classroom.

Syllabus

Week 1: Why do people play games?
Learning outcome: Understand motivation theory
Students will share their game playing experience and analyze their playing behaviors using motivation theory.
Week 2: What is new literacy? Apply new literacy across a variety of game genres
Learning outcome: Define new literacy and explain why apply new literacy in game-based learning environment.
Students will learn the definition of new literacy, how media shapes the literacy learning, and how new literacy supports game-based learning environment. Then, students will research game genres and analyze the educational value of the games based on the new literacy framework.
Week 3: Game playing as equivalent of “reading and comprehending”
Learning outcomes: Explain what a literate game player is.
Students will learn the components of defining a literate game player. They will record a piece of game playing video and explain the components of gaming literacy from a player’s perspective.
Week 4: Using debriefing of games to scaffold learning
Learning outcomes: Design and scaffold a game debriefing process.
Students will learn to “debrief” game playing experience, and design a learning activity to scaffold learning in the classroom through game debriefing.

Week 5: Game design as equivalent of “comprehending to writing”
Learning outcomes: Explain how to motivate learners to develop new literacy skills through game designing process.
Students will learn the basic game design process and required components, how they can motivate learners to develop literacy skills through the design process, and what technology can be used in regular classroom to design games.
Week 6: Example of using games in the classroom
Learning outcomes: Develop a game-based learning environment
Students will develop a learning activity facilitated through game playing process.
Week 7: Issues of adopting games in the classroom
Learning outcomes: Understand issues and challenges of game-based learning environment.
Students will discuss the challenges and issues of adopting games in the learning process, including evaluation, classroom management, and pedagogical practices.

Taught by

Shiang-Kwei Wang and Hui-Yin Hsu

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Andreas Fleckenstein

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Tags

Never Stop Learning.