I am reminded of Ed Castranova's book "Virtual Worlds". In it Dr. Castranova wrote about various things such as the rewards systems and the economics of Virtual Worlds. It dovetails nicely with what was being said in this video.
The divergence point is where it is taken. For Dr. Castranova (an economist) the payout was on the way Virtual Worlds were reflecting physical world economies, and the potential future to which they could lead. He was both excited and frightened by the potential for this escapism to dominate our futures. For Dr. Chatfield, however, he was drawn into the way the game model could be used to impact education.
I wasn't clear on a point in the video. It sounded to me like he was going so far as to suggest that these models could be brought into non-computerized classrooms. To a degree I suspect that could well be. For example, awarding points for participation in activities can easily be done. "Turn in a group paper, everyone gets five points automatically." I am uncertain exactly how one can make "opening boxes looking for pies" into a lesson in a class room setting, however. I imagine, given enough thought, it could be done.
In virtual worlds and online games, however, it seems obvious that one could easily apply all seven points. Imagine, for example, a game based around Shakespeare. Students could find that they are in a castle. They have been promised a reward of, say, getting the rest of the class period off, if they complete a task in time. To achieve this they have to retrieve the goblet from "Hamlet". First they have to convince Rozencrantz and Guildenstern to show them the way to the castle by revealing that Hamlet switched the letter. At the castle they have to get Polonius to show them to the King's chambers by correctly identifying one of his adages. After reaching the chamber they must defeat Claudius by correctly identifying how he killed King Hamlet. Etc. Etc.
To apply this to my own particular interest, I can see how to apply some of this as well. In a game, I could create an environment in which people have to overcome social gender imbalances. A game could be created in which people gain points by literally breaking the glass ceiling...
I think you have it completely grasped when you say "create an environment." One example of a real-life game-sim that came to mind when I read your comment about non-computerized classrooms. There was a middle school in MA (I think) that built a whole economic community in the hallways - with stores, banks, services - the works. Kids earned a form of cash by doing all sorts of things and they could spend the cash any way they wanted, including investing etc. So the whole school life experience (the environment as a whole) because a simulation of some of the key aspects of real life outside the school. In this example, the "game" was highly complex with many paths and outcomes and complex byways.
ReplyDeleteI loved your riffing on WS's Hamlet as a game!