MOOCS AND EDUCATIONAL

GAMING
BY JOHN BERGLUND DANIEL BOTTEHSAZAN SEAN BRADY
WHAT ARE MOOCS?
A massive open online course
Free web based distance learning program
Pay for accreditation
2012 year of the MOOCs


HISTORY OF MOOCS
2008 the term MOOCs was coined by Dave Cormier and Brian Anderson
Response to a course at University of Manitoba CCK08
25 paying students and 2200 free users
Connectivism and connective knowledge
WHERE TO GET ACCREDITED
UC Berkley
Stanford
Harvard
Johns Hopkins
5-9 weeks with a certification of completion

VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW3gMGqcZQc
EDUCATIONAL GAMING
Games that are designed to help people expand concepts
Understanding an historical event or culture.
Games types are board, card and video game
HOW TO LOCATE EDUCATIONAL GAMES
Try the internets!
http://gaming.psu.edu/
http://www.funbrain.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30oZ7WVdheg

WHY GAMING?
97% of US teens play digital games on a regular basis
Gaming can be described as a system in which players engage in
artificial conflict, defined by rules, that results in a quantifiable
outcome
Elements of gamification applied to traditional teaching increase
motivation or engagement

FIVE MAJOR CHARACTERISTICS/CLAIMS:
(1) are built on sound learning principles
(2) provide more engagement for the learner
(3) provide personalized learning opportunities
(4) teach 21stcentury skills
(5) provide an environment for authentic and relevant assessment
GAMES ARE BUILT ON SOUND LEARNING
PRINCIPLES
Play is an important element for healthy child development
Children learn through imaginative play
Games provide an opportunity to think, understand, prepare, and
execute actions
Games also are built with clear goals and provide immediate feedback
GAMES PROVIDE MORE ENGAGEMENT
FOR THE LEARNER
Digital games can be more engaging than regular classroom activities
Ability to sustain engagement and motivation across time
A European study demonstrated that gaming increased student
motivation/engagement
GAMES PROVIDE PERSONALIZED
LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Identifies strengths and weaknesses
Develops teaching strategies based on student need
Provides engaging curriculum choices
GAMES TEACH 21ST CENTURY SKILLS
Many games take advantage of technology that is familiar to students
and use relevant situations
Provides the ability to interact with other learners and trained
professionals
Games foster collaboration, problem-solving, and procedural
thinking
PROVIDE AN ENVIRONMENT FOR AUTHENTIC
AND RELEVANT ASSESSMENT


Games provide a means for quantifying knowledge level and abilities
Assessment occurs as the game engine evaluates players actions and
provides immediate feedback
Assessment occurs naturally in a game: players make progress or they dont
Analytical tools rate the success of students throughout the entire range of a
game
EXAMPLE
http://player.piksel.com/player.php?p=wow8r9la

REFERENCES
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massive_open_online_course
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_game
http://gaming.psu.edu/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW3gMGqcZQc
http://researchnetwork.pearson.com/wp-
content/uploads/Lit_Review_of_Gaming_in_Education.pdf