This presentation, originally presented at Tech Forum Atlanta 2012, discusses the principles that make good games and good learning one and the same. It provides tips for starting a game-based program in your school, and it shares two of Lucas Gillispie's game and learning projects: WoWinSchool and MinecraftinSchool.

1. T h e !
Le t e g in
e s B es f
or L
ear ning
G am ging
The
Powe
r of
Video
Gam
Le vera
Sunday, February 26, 12

2. Lucas
Gillispie
On Twitter:
@PCSTech
Sunday, February 26, 12

3. www.edurealms.com
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4. What game designers
know about learning...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mazakar/2217726325/
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5. #1 PLAY IS POWERFUL
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6. “The opposite of work is
not play, it’s depression.”
Dr. Brian Sutton-Smith
Author: The Ambiguity of Play
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7. “It is paradoxical that many
educators and parents still
differentiate between a time for
learning and a time for play
without seeing the vital
connection
between them.”
Leo F. Buscaglia,
USC
Sunday, February 26, 12

8. Flow
An optimal state
of intrinsic
motivation, where
a person is fully
immersed in what
he or she is
doing.
ntmi hályi
l y Cs iksze
Mihá
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9. #2 IT’S ALL ABOUT MASTERY
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10. Level 1
Level 50
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11. Learning works best when
new challenges are
“pleasantly frustrating” in
the sense of being felt by
learners to be at the outer
edge of, but within their
“regime of competence”.
That is, these challenges
feel hard, but doable.
(Gee, 2007, p. 36).
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12. #3 GAMERS CRAVE
ASSESSMENT
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13. #4 IT’S OK TO FAIL
Text
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14. “One of the counter
intuitive things I
needed to learn as a
designer was that
players enjoy
failures more than
success. As long as
it’s diverse, they like
to explore the failure
space of a game.”
-Will Wright, Game
Designer
Sunday, February 26, 12

15. Failure is different in the classroom...
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16. #5 TOGETHER, WE CAN
OVERCOME THE TOUGHEST
BOSSES
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17. Social Constructivism
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18. #6 Epic Wins Are Possible
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19. “In a good game we feel
blissfully productive. We
have clear goals and a
heroic sense of purpose.”
Jane McGonigal, Institute for the
Future
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20. Are your learners challenged with real-world
problems?
Do they feel an epic win is possible?
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21. 12 Tips for
Bringing
Video Games
Into Your
Classroom
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22. 1. Read What The Experts Are Saying
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23. #2 Talk to your learners about the
games they play.
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24. #3 Let your own children teach you
about the games they play.
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25. #4 Pick up a new game and play it.
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26. #5 Put on your teacher lenses.
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27. #6 Don’t overlook off-the-shelf games.
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28. #7 Always start with your instructional
goals in mind.
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29. #8 Collaborate and share with other
professionals.
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30. #9 Make cookies for your IT staff; they
can be powerful allies.
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31. #10 Get your principal on board.
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32. #11 Start in a safe place to fail.
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33. #12 Remember how to play.
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34. Two Game-
Based
Projects
We’re Doing
With our
Learners
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35. WoWinSchool
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36. An Elective/Enrichment Class for
Middle School Students
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37. Blended/Hybrid Course
P aper less
Granu
Porta lar
b le
Freely A vailable
Migrated to:
Originally built
in
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38. Aligned to Common
Core Standards
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39. The
Theme
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40. Students
are
“Heroes”
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41. Parallel
Reading
Assignment
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42. Reflection
on
Life
Experiences
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43. Sunday, February 26, 12

44. Gamifying The
Classroom
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45. “Heroes”
Not Students
(Game
Players)
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46. “Lore
Keepers” Not
Teachers
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47. Instead of
Grades…
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48. …experience points
I “Win” The Class
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49. “Quests”
Not Assignments
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50. Learner Choice
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51. Stats and
Achievements
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52. Sunday, February 26, 12

53. Sandbox
No Subcription
Game
Fees
Locally
Hosted
Servers
Appropriate
Flexible! for all ages
K-12
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54. Buildings and
Structures
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55. Contraptions
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56. 8-bit Art
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57. A story about a
girl...
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58. Questions?
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59. Sunday, February 26, 12

60. Sunday, February 26, 12