The infusion of games, simulations, and virtual worlds into online learning can be a transforming experience for both the instructor and the student This practical guide, written by education game expert Clark Aldrich, shows faculty members and instructional designers how to identify opportunities for building games, simulations, and virtual environments into the curriculum; how to successfully incorporate these interactive environments to enhance student learning; and how to measure the learning outcomes It also discusses how to build institutional support for using and financing more complex simulations.The book includes frameworks, tips, case studies and other real examples, and resources — Karl Kapp, assistant director, Institute for Interactive Technologies, Bloomsburg University “At a time when the technologies for e-learning are evolving faster than most people can follow, Aldrich successfully bridges the perceptual gap between virtual worlds, digital games, and educational simulations, and provides educators with all they really need to use this technology to enhance and enrich their e-learning experiences.” — Katrin Becker, instructor, Department of Computer Science and Information Systems, Mount Royal College, and adjunct professor of education, University of Calgary “I consider this a must-read for anyone engaged in or contemplating using these tools in their classrooms or designing their own tools.” — Rick Van Sant, professor of learning and technology, Ferris State University THE AUTHOR Clark Aldrich, a popular conference speaker, columnist, and analyst, is the designer and implementer of educational simulations including SimuLearn’s vLeader 2007, a virtual leadership e-learning platform He is the author of two award-winning books, Simulations and the Future of Learning and Learning by Doing, as well as The Complete Guide to Simulations and Serious Games, all from Pfeiffer Learning Online with Games, Simulations, and Virtual Worlds “Clark Aldrich provides powerful insights into the dynamic arena of games, simulations, and virtual worlds in a simultaneously entertaining and serious manner as only he can If you are involved with educating anyone, from your own children to classrooms full of students, you need to devour this book.” J O S S E Y- B A S S G U I D E S T O O N L I N E T E A C H I N G A N D L E A R N I N G Praise for Learning Online with Games, Simulations, and Virtual Worlds J O S S E Y- B A S S G U I D E S T O O N L I N E T E A C H I N G A N D L E A R N I N G ALDRICH Learning Online with Games, Simulations, and Virtual Worlds Learning Online with Games, Simulations, and Virtual Worlds Strategies for Online Instruction Cover design by Michael Cook EDUCATION & TECHNOLOGY www.josseybass.com Clark ALDRICH c01.indd 7/21/09 10:17:30 AM JOSSEY-BASS GUIDES TO ONLINE TEACHING AND LEARNING Learning Online with Games, Simulations, and Virtual Worlds S T R AT E G I E S F O R O N L I N E INSTRUCTION Clark Aldrich ffirs.indd Sec1:i 7/21/09 10:24:57 AM Copyright © 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc All rights reserved Published by Jossey-Bass A Wiley Imprint 989 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-1741—www.josseybass.com No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400, fax 978-646-8600, or on the Web at www.copyright.com Requests to the publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, 201-748-6011, fax 201-748-6008, or online at www.wiley.com/go/permissions Readers should be aware that Internet Web sites offered as citations and/or sources for further information may have changed or disappeared between the time this was written and when it is read Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation You should consult with a professional where appropriate Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages Jossey-Bass books and products are available through most bookstores To contact Jossey-Bass directly call our Customer Care Department within the U.S at 800-956-7739, outside the U.S at 317-572-3986, or fax 317-572-4002 Jossey-Bass also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Aldrich, Clark, 1967Learning online with games, simulations, and virtual worlds : strategies for online instruction / Clark Aldrich p cm Includes bibliographical references and index ISBN 978-0-470-43834-3 (pbk.) Education—Simulation methods Virtual reality in education Computer games Computer-assisted instruction I Title LB1029.S53A425 2009 371.39'7—dc22 2009021642 Printed in the United States of America first edition PB Printing ffirs.indd Sec1:ii 10 7/21/09 10:24:58 AM C ON T E N T S Preface The Author vii x What Are Games, Simulations, and Virtual Worlds Really, and Why Should I Care? PA R T O N E ONE Understanding Highly Interactive Virtual Environments Do Highly Interactive Virtual Environments Work Better? The “Why” Clarifying What We Mean by Highly Interactive Virtual Environments TWO Embracing Interactivity Interactivity Levels through Interactivity Levels and Leadership Models THREE Sims: A New Model of Content Simulation Elements Game Elements Pedagogical Elements Tasks and Levels Genres of Stand-Alone Sims Four Concluding Thoughts 15 16 19 21 22 23 25 27 29 37 iii ftoc.indd iii 7/21/09 3:17:05 PM Highly Interactive Content from the Students’ and the Instructor’s Perspective 39 Different Culture, Different Rules Learning to Love Frustration and Anticipate Resolution When the Most Valuable Thing for a Coach to Do Is Nothing 39 40 42 FOUR Choosing and Using a Highly Interactive Virtual Environment PA R T T W O FIVE Identifying the Right Approach for the Right Need Why Use Distance Learning Programs at All? When to Use Highly Interactive Content Costs Associated with HIVEs SIX Doing the Prep Work Connect with Other Interested Professionals Access the Content Infrastructure Selection Criteria Content Selection Criteria Self-Paced/Single Player, Asynchronous, or Synchronous Trust Might Virtual Worlds Be the Universal Interface to (Other) Sims? SEVEN Integrating and Piloting Technical Support for Students Chunking Content Piloting Conclusion: The Need for Front Loading EIGHT A Brief Example of a Simulation Deployment Peter Shea’s Sim for Writing iv ftoc.indd iv 47 48 49 53 55 55 55 63 66 69 71 71 75 75 76 81 83 85 85 Contents 7/21/09 3:17:06 PM Online versus Face to Face Students as Real-Time Evaluators of Sims? 87 88 The Processes of Using a HIVE and the Role of Coaching 89 NINE The Setup On Ramp: From Real Life to Simulation Teaching the Interface First Public Simulation Play Putting Together Groups for Multiplayer or Team-Based Sims Coaching during the Student Use After Action Reviews Off Ramp: From Simulation Back to Real Life Into the Breach TEN Creating Evaluation Strategies Why Not Measure Experience with a Multiple-Choice Test? Assessment Strategies Assessment Techniques for Grading Student Performance Conclusion PA R T T H R E E 89 92 93 93 95 97 99 101 102 103 103 105 107 111 Other Considerations Selling Interactive Environments Internally—Getting Buy In from Administrators, Department Heads, Colleagues, Parents, and even Students 115 Building Support for HIVEs What Does Success Look Like for You? 116 120 Epilogue: The New Attraction of Distance Learning 121 References Index 123 125 ELEVEN Contents ftoc.indd v v 7/21/09 3:17:06 PM To Muffy and Slate With Special Thanks to Mark Alexander Storm Bear Dennis Beck Susan Blankenship Jim Kiggens Curt Madison Rich Petko Shannon Ritter Sarah Robbins Scott Traylor ftoc.indd vi 7/21/09 3:17:06 PM P R E FA C E A five-year-old girl visits a swimming pool at the beginning of the summer and is terrified But with some playful challenges from her father, she works up her nerve to dip her toe in the water She has entered a new world Slowly, she begins playing games on the pool stairs She gets excited and engaged She begins to splash with other children She imagines the water is the ocean, and she lives in an undersea world, where her father is the king In playing, she is learning how this new world works The pool then becomes a comfortable environment for her and her friends to spend time Finally, she begins to deliberately challenge herself It is not enough to be in the shallow end; she wants to learn to swim to the deep end With the coaching of her father, she pushes toward the dark and cold, experimenting with strokes, overcoming the mouthfuls of water and finding the odd band-aid She gets frustrated and then excited with each new skill It takes time, and progress is uneven Two steps forward may be followed by one step back But by the end of the summer, she has become a competent swimmer and could swim to safety in many different environments— other pools as well as lakes and beaches She has learned skills that she will never forget This book contains the guidelines for instructors who will be selecting, planning, and implementing curricula using games, simulations, and virtual worlds in a distributed classroom environment (that is, where students are not face to vii fpref.indd vii 7/21/09 10:25:35 AM face with each other or the instructor) This material focuses on both the frontloaded prep activities necessary for successful use and the instructor’s role in a “learning to do” (as opposed to a “learning to know”) course As with the pool example, it also takes into account the growing realization that these highly interactive virtual environments, while often successfully used separately, are increasingly and inexorably nested If you squint hard enough, you can see that every game takes place in some type of virtual world, and every educational simulation is a type of rigorous game Further, instructors and students push the boundaries and functionality among all three This means from a process perspective (as described in the subsequent chapters) there is overlap: the same techniques for increasing familiarity, giving instructions, or providing technical support with a virtual world are also relevant for games and simulations Here are the sections in more detail: • Part I overviews some of the highest-level reasons for thinking about, caring about, and driving the use of virtual worlds, games, and simulations (to which we will collectively refer as Highly Interactive Virtual Environments or HIVEs) It describes the similarities and differences among these environments and explains the shift in mindset that highly interactive virtual environments require from both the students and the instructor • Part II details how to choose and use a HIVE, including how to identify an opportunity, select an environment or program, and use an environment effectively in your online instruction It also offers strategies and techniques to assess learning outcomes • Part III covers larger issues of using a HIVE in your instruction, including advice on how to politically build a case for HIVE use to decision makers in one’s organization • The Epilogue suggests that distributed education may drive the growth and use of HIVEs more than face-to-face classes in the near future My goal in writing this book is to be more practical than theoretical (although all the sections have theoretical edges to them) Using games, simulations, and virtual worlds can be a transforming experience for both the instructor and the student, so I want to be as specific as possible But for those who are interested in the intellectual frameworks, there should be plenty of grist for those mills as well viii fpref.indd viii Preface 7/21/09 10:25:36 AM Epilogue: The New Attraction of Distance Learning It wasn’t that long ago that distance deployed in classrooms felt second-class to face-to-face It was viewed with suspicion and distrust by a hiring HR department College administrations in ivy-covered halls must have had a good laugh at the early quality of instruction and interaction And it probably seemed as self-evident to many that the co-located students and classes would necessarily have richer interactions and higher-quality experiences than those far-flung all over the globe What is interesting, however, is this might be changing We may be arriving at a time when far-flung classrooms actually have long-term inherent infrastructural advantages over co-located ones There is of course the cost Not having to worry about “room and board” makes so many schools so much more attractive But another big advantage is the opportunity for diversity of students (which also comes in part from lower cost) People who are twenty years old can be a student with someone who is eighty years old Further, and incredibly, people’s experiences and even contexts are so much more diverse In the same classroom on organizational behavior, one person could have just been in a firefight in Afghanistan and another in a boardroom meeting in Detroit (in his or her own firefight) Just one not so surprising datum point is that the number of distributed learning programs using simulations is increasing Fully one-third of professors learning about Capsim business simulations are now planning to use them in a distributed classroom, according to Dan Smith, founder and president of Capsim Simulations 121 bepil.indd 121 7/21/09 10:23:29 AM add interactivity They drive emotional engagement and provide a shared context for chat rooms But there may be an even more surprising conclusion It may be easier to use simulations in a virtual classroom environment than one that is face to face I’d thought the opposite I had thought face-to-face would be much easier for one big reason: students who were confused would have access to immediate help It turns out that I both underestimated students and overestimated the face-to-face learning environment The thing that is holding up so many deployments in a classroom college environment is the less-than-100-percent access to computers There are plenty of desks and plenty of chairs and inspirational posters but an uneven distribution of laptops and desktops Even if everyone has a laptop, getting them all in the same room is tough In contrast, in a virtual environment, an instructor can be completely assured that every single student has a computer on in front of them And yes, students are more than capable of solving their own technical issues The riff has been that virtual classes are inferior to face-to-face for so long that many of us haven’t noticed a subtle shift Now, hopefully the land-locked schools will rise to the occasion and get competitive 122 bepil.indd 122 Learning Online with Games, Simulations, and Virtual Worlds 7/21/09 10:23:29 AM R E F E R E N C E S Aldrich, C 2009 The complete guide to simulations and serious games San Francisco: Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer Aldrich, C 2005 Learning by doing San Francisco: Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer Barrie, E 2001 Meaningful interpretive experiences from the participants’ perspective PhD diss., Indiana University Bloomfield, R 2007 Metanomics http://www.metanomics.net Crawford, C 1984 The art of computer game design Berkeley, CA: Osborne/McGraw-Hill Csikszentmihalyi, M 1990 Flow: The psychology of optimum experience New York: Harper Perennial Gee, J P 2003 What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy New York: Palgrave/Macmillan Habgood, M.P.J., S E Ainsworth, and S Benford 2005 Endogenous fantasy and learning in digital games Simulation and Gaming 36 (4): 483–498 Held, R., and A Hein 1963 Movement-produced stimulation in the development of visually guided behavior Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology 56, 872–876 Kapp, K 2007 Gadgets, games, and gizmos for learning: Tools and techniques for transforming know-how from boomers to gamers San Francisco: Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer Keith, N., and M Frese 2008 Effectiveness of error management training: A meta-analysis Journal of Applied Psychology 93, 59–69 Kiili, K 2005 Digital game-based learning: Towards an experiential gaming model The Internet and Higher Education (1): 13–24 Kirriemuir, J 2005 March Presentation at Serious Games Summit, Game Developers Conference, San Francisco Klein, T A., T Endrass, N Kathmann, J Neumann, D Y von Cramon, and M Ullsperger 2007 Neural correlates of error awareness NeuroImage 34 (4), 1774–1781 Ledoux, J 1998 The emotional brain New York: Simon & Schuster 123 bref.indd 123 7/21/09 10:26:16 AM Lepper, M R., and T W Malone 1987 Intrinsic motivation and instructional effectiveness in computer-based education In Conative and affective process analysis, ed R E Snow and M J Farr, 223–243 Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum Senge, P M 1990 The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization New York: Currency Doubleday Squire, K., M Barnett, J M Grant, and T Higginbotham 2004 Electromagnetism supercharged! Learning physics with digital simulation games (Proceedings of the 2004 International Conference of the Learning Sciences) Los Angeles: UCLA Press Wexler, S., K Corti, A Derryberry, C Quinn, and A van Barneveld 2008 360 report: Immersive learning situations 2008: The demand for, and demands of, simulations, scenarios, and serious games Santa Rosa, CA: eLearning Guild Yukl, G 2002 Power and influence in leadership in organizations 5th ed Chapter Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 124 bref.indd 124 References 7/21/09 10:26:17 AM I N D E X Page references followed by fig indicate an illustrated figure; followed by t indicate a table A Academic grades, 25 See also Assessment grading techniques Actions: after action reviews (AARs) of, 25, 28, 31, 42, 67, 99–101; practiceware presentation of, 34; representation of systems affected by, 22, 23; simulation elements representation of, 22, 23 Active Worlds, 8, 56 Acton School of Business, Adobe Acrobat Connect, 13 Adobe Flash: distance learning environment access using, 48; engineering tools, 52fig; sims based on, 59; student access to, 64 After action reviews (AARs): branching stories use of, 31; change in leadership potential timeline example of, 100fig; as conducted by coaches, 99–101; instructor role for conducting, 42; level structure and use of, 28; as pedagogical element, 25; specific feedback included in, 100–101; tips on debriefing or, 67 See also Instructors; Students Age of Empires series, 63 Ainsworth, S E., Aldrich, C., 4, American Public Media, 59, 60 Artifacts, 68–69 The Art of Computer Game Design (Crawford), Assessment grading techniques: continuing evaluation of, 111–112; correlating simulation play scores with grades as, 110; creating multimedia production as, 108; exploring other approaches to, 111; keeping journal about experience as, 108; peer assessment as, 108–109; student modification of environment as, 110; time spent in simulation as, 109–110; writing paper about experience as, 107–108 See also Academic grades Assessment strategy issues: automated questionnaire or interview?, 106; control group or just students?, 105; evaluating right after program or later on?, 106; indicators or direct measurement?, 106; multiplechoice post-testing as inadequate?, 103–105; post-testing only or also pre-testing?, 105; standardized multiple choice or short answers?, 106; student opinion of the class?, 107; “students only” or people around students?, 105; “test” versus reflection, knowledge versus behavior?, 106–107 Asteroids, 71 Asynchronous games, 69, 70 Atari, 63 At-risk students: interactivity impact on, 18–19; misconceptions about HIVEs and, 116 125 bindex.indd 125 7/21/09 10:24:03 AM B Barrie, E., “Being in the zone,” Benford, S., Bibliography of simulations, 67 Binary Numbers, 59 Blecher, J., Blogs, 57 Bloomfield, R., 50 Bloomsburg University, 8, 28 Boat sim, 22fig Boston College, 82 Branching stories, 31–32fig Brown University, 68 Buddy relationships, 95–96 Budget Hero, 59, 60fig Business Simulation, 63 C Caching, 81 Capsim, 92, 121 Capstone, 63 CCleaner, 81 Chatting in a Virtual World, 49fig Cheat codes, 67 Choose Your Own Adventure books, 31 Chris Sawyer Games, 63 Chunking content: instructor decisions on approach to, 76–78; process of using a simulation to, 77fig Cisco, 59 Citizen Cain, Civilization IV, 58fig, 59, 62 Class games: comparison of educational simulations, virtual worlds and, 11t; description of, 12–13; illustrated diagram of, 7, 8fig Coaching Second Life coaching Commercial off-the-shelf games used by, 58fig–59 Communication: AAR (after action review) vehicles of, 100; making emotional states explicit during, 40; piloting infrastructure, 82–83; synchronous conversations, 39–40; threaded conversations, 40 Communication infrastructure pilot, 82–83 126 bindex.indd 126 Competitors/competition, 96–97 Conceptual pilots, 83 Content: caching issue of, 81; chunking, 76–80fig; commercial off-the-shelf games to access, 58fig–59; educational simulations for accessing, 59–61; using free sims to access, 59; modified off-the-shelf computer for accessing, 62; pedagogical elements representing knowledge specific to, 23, 25–27fig; perspectives on highly interactive, 39–43; professor-created simulations for accessing, 62; providing context of, 6; sims model of, 21–37; using simulations and virtual worlds for critical, 53; standalone sims to access, 58; virtual worlds used to access, 56–57 See also Interactive curriculum; Pedagogical elements Content selection criteria: artifacts, 68–69; curriculum alignment, 66; instructor support materials, 66–68, 78–80fig Context, Cookies, 81 Cornell University, 50 Costs of HIVEs: building support by presenting plan on, 117–118; comparing off-the-shelf and custom, 54t; factors affecting, 53–54; Harvard Business School’s pricing sim, 61fig; payment structures for covering, 62 COTS games, 63 Course syllabi, 67 Crawford, C., Credibility factor, 120 Csikszentmihalyi, M., Culture of interactivity: description of true, 15; enabling, 15–20 Curriculum alignment, 66 Curriculum See Interactive curriculum Customized technology test page, 64–65 D “Death by PowerPoint,” 48 Debriefing See After action reviews (AARs) Denning, J., Didactic elements, 25 See also Pedagogical elements Index 7/21/09 10:24:03 AM Distance learning programs: accessing realworld communities in, 50; benefits and downsides of, 48; using games for student engagement, 50–51; growing interest in and future applications of, 121–122; using sims and/or virtual worlds in, 51–53; using virtual worlds to create sense of presence in, 49fig–50 Dubbels, B., 18–19, 91–92 Duke University, 56 E Educational simulations: comparisons of games, virtual worlds and, 11t; description of, 7, 8fig; flight simulators as, 10, 11t; increasing depth of knowledge using, 51–52; list of concerns about adopting, 115–116; off-the-shelf or custom vendorsupplied, 59–61; of a production line, 9fig; serious game versus, 10–12; ten singleplayer and educational simulations listed, 62–63; virtual worlds versus, 7–10 See also Simulations eLearning Guild survey, 118 Electronic Arts, 63 Elluminate, 92 Emotional states, 40 Etiquette rules, 39–40 Evaluation: assessment strategies recommended for, 105–108; continuing evolution of assessments and, 111–112; multiple-choice post-test as inadequate approach to, 103–105; techniques for grading student performance, 107–111 ExperiencePoint, 63 F Faculty See Instructors Firaxis, 62 Flash See Adobe Flash Flight simulators, 10, 11t “Flow” of learning, Forterra Olive, 56 Frame games: compared to educational simulations and virtual worlds, 11fig ; illustrated diagram of relationship to HIVEs, 7, 8fig; key concept use in, 30fig, 31; overview and educational use of, 29–31 Frequently asked questions, 67 Frese, M., Frustration: games used to relieve points of, 78; pairing of resolution, 40–42 Fuque School of Business (Duke University), 56 G Game elements: academic grades as example of, 25; definition of, 23; overlap of simulation, pedagogical elements, and, 27fig ; pros and cons of using, 24–25; simulation elements mixed with, 23 Games: asynchronous or synchronous, 69–70; comparisons of virtual worlds, educational simulations and, 11t; COTS, 63; frame, 7, 8fig, 11t, 29–31; increasing student engagement through, 50–51; institutional use of commercial off-the-shelf, 58–59; modified off-the-shelf computer, 62; multiplayer or team, 70–71, 86, 95–97, 109; overlap of simulation, pedagogical elements, and, 27fig ; used to relieve frustration points, 78; single-player, 69–71, 80fig, 95–97 Gee, J P., Google, 56 Grades See Academic grades; Assessment grading techniques Group challenge: description of, 13; illustrated diagram of, 7, 8fig Grouping approaches: matching people with buddies, 95–96; setting up teams, 96 H Habgood, M.P.J., Harvard Business School Publishing, 61fig, 68, 82, 101 Hein, A., Held, R., Hinrichs, R., 57 HIVEs adoption strategies: address learning goals, 116; be part of a bigger strategy, 116; clarify concepts to deans, 116–117; stress the shift, 117; present a tight Index bindex.indd 127 127 7/21/09 10:24:04 AM HIVEs adoption strategies (continued ) project plan, 117–118; use the right terms, 118–119; citing many classes have gotten great results, 119; low risk/thin edge of the wedge, 119; just try one, 120; 10 something else well, earn credibility, and then spent it, 120 HIVEs components: context and emotional involvement as, 6; games as a learning tool, 5; participation as, HIVEs culture: etiquette rules of, 39–40; frustration-anticipate resolution pairing of, 40–42; instructor’s learning to not interfere characteristic of, 42–43; interactivity of, 15–20; making emotional states explicit characteristic of, 40; synchronous conversations experience of, 39–40 HIVEs (Highly Interactively Virtual Environments): building credibility of, 120; clarifying what is meant by, 6–14; components of, 5–6; correct terminology used to describe, 118; costs associated with using, 53–54, 61t, 62, 117–118; culture of interactivity of, 15–20; curriculum incorporation of already available, 53; examining the learning value of, 4; explaining why learning is facilitated by, 5; growing interest in and future applications of, 121–122; illustrated diagram of, 8fig; making curriculum decisions on, 48–53; off-the-shelf, 59–63; role of coaching in, 89–102; technology accessible by students issue, 63–65 See also Virtual environments I IBM, 48 Ice-breaker activity, 13 Infrastructure selection criteria: instructor controls, 65; Second Life classrooms, 65–66; technology accessible by most students, 63–65 Instant messaging, 56 Institutions: building support for HIVE use by, 116–120; HIVEs and associated costs for, 53–54t, 61t, 62; interactive curriculum used by, 49–54t; interactive environments used by, 3–4; internal development group of, 61 128 bindex.indd 128 Instructional Design and Technology (University of North Dakota), 59 Instruction decisions: content selection criteria for, 66–69; on how to access content, 55–63; infrastructure selection criteria for, 63–66; on self-paced/single player, asynchronous, or synchronous, 69–71; trust as factor in, 71 Instructor prep work: accessing the content, 55–63; chunking content, 76–80fig; connecting with other interested professionals, 55; content selection criteria, 66–69; infrastructure selection criteria, 63–66; piloting, 81–83; self-paced/single player, asynchronous, or synchronous decisions, 69–71; technical support for students, 67, 75–76; trust as selection criterion, 71 Instructors: building support for HIVEs, 116–120; creating evaluation strategies, 103–112; learning to not interfere, 42–43; list of concerns about adopting simulations by, 115–116; necessary preparation required of, 43; support materials by, 66–68, 78–80fig; technical support provided by, 67, 75–76; virtual environment ability to control or gate, 65 See also After action reviews (AARs); Second Life coaching; Students Interactive curriculum: accessing real-world communities, 50; using already available HIVEs for, 53; building credibility of, 120; building support for HIVEs and, 116–120; costs associated with HIVEs, 53–54t, 61fig–62, 117–118; creating sense of presence through virtual worlds, 49–50; using educational simulations for critical content, 53; using games, 50–51; increasing knowledge using, 51–53; providing access to labs and props, 51, 52fig See also Content; Pedagogical elements Interactive spreadsheets: description of, 32–34; originally created by professors, 62; screen shot of, 33fig Interactivity: enabling, 15–16; game levels of, 17–19; leadership models and levels of, 19–20; learning goals of true, 15; pre-game levels of, 16–17; when to include curriculum, 49–53 Index 7/21/09 10:24:05 AM Interface: piloting the communication, 82–83; between Second Life and other sims, 71–73; teaching students the, 93 Internal development group, 61 International Society of Technology Educators (ISTE), 55 iPhones, 64, 65 iPod Touch, 64 J Journals, 108 K Kapp, K., 9, 23, 28 Keith, N., Key concepts: example of sim, 30fig; frame game use of, 30–31 Kiili, K., Kirriemuir, J., 115 Klein, N., Knowledge: context required for, 6; pedagogical elements representing contextspecific knowledge, 25–27fig; practiceware for learning implicit, 34; virtual worlds used for increasing, 51–53 See also Learning L Lab access, 51, 52fig Leadership model, 20 Leadership style: AARs timeline on leadership potential and, 100fig; game interactivity levels and defined, 17–18; pre-game interactivity levels and defined, 16–17 Learning: addressing HIVEs goals for, 116; culture of interactivity and goals of, 15; examining the value of HIVEs for, 4; explaining why HIVEs facilitates, 4; “flow” state of optimal, 5; using games as tool for, 5; pedagogical elements used to facilitate, 23, 25–27fig; Second Life capabilities for, 72–73 See also Knowledge Ledoux, J., Lepper, M R., Level structure: description and example of, 27–28fig; participate progression through the, 28 Linden Lab, Lively, 56 M Making History, 63 “Making Learning Fun: A Taxonomy of Intrinsic Motivations for Learning” (Lepper and Malone), Malone, T W., Massively Multiplayer Online Environments (MMOs), 56 Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs), 56 Maus, 59 Maya, 57 McKinney, A., Meier, s., 62 Metanomics (virtual world talk show), 50 Meta-verses, 56 Microsoft, 63 Microsoft’s Advanced Strategies Group, 57 Minigames (casual or micro games): description of, 34–35; Robo Rush example of, 35fig–36fig Modding tips, 67 MoveOn.org., 23 Multimedia production, 108 Multiplayer games: comparing single-player and, 70; competitors and competition in, 96–97; matching people with buddies, 95–96; peer assessments of individual contributions to, 109; setting up teams, 96; turning single-player into, 71; writing sim example of, 86 Multiple-choice post-testing, 103–105 N Newton, I., 117 O Off-the-shelf HIVEs: educational simulations, 59–61; modified computer games, 62; ten single-player and educational simulations listed, 62–63 Open Croquet, 56 Index bindex.indd 129 129 7/21/09 10:24:05 AM P Participants See Students Pedagogical elements: definition of, 25; overlap of simulation, game, and, 27fig; simulation elements mixed with, 23; A Virtual Coach Gives Players Advice example of, 26 See also Content; Didactic elements; Interactive curriculum Peer assessment, 108–109 Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica (Newton), 117 Piloting: communication infrastructure, 82–83; conceptual, 83; description and function of, 81; technical, 81 PlayStations, 65 Poser, 57 Practiceware, 34 Prep work See Instructor prep work Printed workbooks/guides, 78–80fig professor-created simulations, 62 Props access, 51, 52fig ProtonMedia, 15, 56, 57 Protosphere, 8, 15, 48, 56 R Reading recommendations, 67 Results: building HIVEs support by pointing out, 119; example of, 23; simulation element representing, 22 Robo Rush, 35fig–36fig Role-plays, 70 Roller Coaster Tycoon, 63 RSS feeds, 57 S Saulnier, D., 68, 82, 101 Schools See Institutions Second Life : behavior changes evidenced in, 50; classroom choices in, 65–66; cost options of university use of, 54; games used within, 13; instructor exploration of and presence in, 55; interfacing other sims to, 71–73; learning facilitated through, 72–73; multiplayer format of, 70, 71, 86, 95–97; popularity of, 56–57; recommendations for approaches institutional use of, 57; student modification of 130 bindex.indd 130 environment, 110; synchronous conversations culture of, 39–40; unstructured virtual world of, 7, 8; as virtual world standard, 55–57 See also Virtual worlds Second Life coaching: after action reviews (AARs) as part of, 99–101; benefits of highlighting mistakes of one group, 98; on competitors and competition, 96–97; first public simulation play, 93–94; grouping approaches taken by, 95–96; the intellectual setup, 91; managing the bottom 20players, 99; multiplayer or team-based sims, 70, 71, 86, 95–97; “off ramp” taking students back to real life, 101–102; ongoing player comparison while, 98–99; ongoing tracking and questioning roles of, 97–98; “on ramp” taking students from real life to simulation, 92–93; perfect play, good enough, or intentional failure goal of, 94–95; providing extra bonus challenges for top 20players, 98; remember to not adjust the settings, 90; right amount of hand-holding while, 97; setting the tone, 91–92; the setup, 89–90; softly bringing people into Second Life, 90; teaching the interface, 93 See also Instructors; Student engagement; Students Self-paced/single player game See Single player games Serious games: educational simulation versus, 10–12; examples of, 11t; illustrated diagram of, 7, 8fig; SimCity as, 10–11, 12 SharePoint, 57 Shea, P., 85–88 SimCity, 10–11, 12, 59, 63 Sim examples: branching story, 32fig; Chatting in a Virtual World, 49fig; An Interactive Spreadsheet from Virtual University, 33fig; key concept review in My Sim, 30fig; playing the sims while other sims are playing a game, 72fig; Robo Rush minigame, 35fig– 36fig; throttle in bottom of boat sim, 22fig; A Virtual Coach Gives Players Advice, 26fig The Sims, 7, 68, 69 Sims: accessing stand-alone, 58; Adobe Flashbased, 48, 52fig, 59, 64; availability of free, 59; chunking content through, 76–78; description of, 21; game elements used Index 7/21/09 10:24:06 AM in, 23–25; genres of stand-alone, 29–36; Harvard Business School’s pricing, 61fig; illustrated diagram of relationship to other HIVEs, 8; interfacing virtual worlds to other, 71–73; overlap of game, pedagogical, and simulation in, 27fig; simulation elements for modeling in, 21, 22–23; students as real-time evaluators of, 88; tasks and levels organization used in, 27–28fig; turning single-player into multiplayer, 71 Sims genres: branching stories, 31–32fig; frame games, 7, 8fig, 11t, 29–31; interactive spreadsheets, 32–34; minigames, 34–36fig; practiceware, 34; virtual lab, 29 Simulation deployment example: details of Peter Shea’s sim for writing, 85–87; online versus face to face, 87–88; student’s as real-time evaluators of sims, 88 Simulation elements: boat sim example of, 22fig; mixed in with game and pedagogical elements, 23; three layers of, 22–23 Simulations: bibliography for the, 67; chunking content through, 76–78; growing interest and future applications of, 121–122; an influencing-skills, 12fig; internal development group for creating, 61; list of concerns about adopting, 115–116; overlap of game, pedagogical, and, 27fig; printable guides and workbooks for, 78–80fig; process of using, 77fig ; professor-created, 62 See also Educational simulations SimuLearn’s vLeader, 69 SimuLearn’s vLeader workbook, 80fig Single-player games: comparing multiplayer and, 70; decision to use, 69–70; Second Life coaching of, 95–97; ten single-player and educational simulations listed, 62–63; turning into multiplayer, 71 Skytech, 63 Slide presentations, 67 Smith, D., 92, 96, 98, 121 Squire, K M., Stand-along sims: accessing, 58; genres of, 29–36 Student engagement: accessing real-world communities for, 50; chunking content for, 76–78; creating sense of virtual world presence, 49–50; using games at points of stress for, 78; games used to increase, 50–51; “off ramp” back to real life, 101–102; “on ramp” from real world to simulation for, 92–93; printed workbooks and guides for, 78–80fig; providing access to labs and props for, 51, 52fig; technical support to facilitate, 67, 75–76; virtual worlds for increasing knowledge and, 51–53 See also Second Life coaching Students: at-risk, 18–19, 116; challenging the top 20 98; competitors/competition between, 96–97; distance learning pros and cons for, 48; ensuring technological accessibility of infrastructure by, 63–65; frustration experienced by, 40–42, 78; grading performance of, 107–111; interactivity impact on at-risk, 18–19; learning HIVEs culture and etiquette rules, 39–40; learning to love frustration and anticipate resolution, 40–42; managing the bottom 20 99; providing interactivity to, 15–20; raising threshold to quit of, 41–42; as real-time evaluators of sims, 88; as “target of influence,” 20; technical support for, 67, 75–76 See also After action reviews (AARs); Instructors; Second Life coaching Sun Wonderland, 56 Supercharged (simulation/game), Support materials: different types of, 66–68; printed workbooks/guides as, 78–80fig Syllabi, 67 Synchronous conversations: HIVE culture of, 39–40; setting up team, 96 Synchronous games, 69, 70 Systems: feedback and results produced by, 22, 23; instructor support materials on, 67; practiceware models of complex internal, 34; representation of actions affecting, 22, 23 T Talking points, 67 “Target of influence,” 20 Tasks structure, 27–28 Teachers See Instructors Index bindex.indd 131 131 7/21/09 10:24:06 AM Team-based sims: comparing single-player and, 70; competitors and competition in, 96–97; matching people with buddies, 95–96; peer assessments of individual contributions to, 109; Second Life coaching of, 95–97; setting up teams, 96; turning single-player into, 71; writing sim example of, 86 Technical pilots, 81 Technological issues: instructor control to gate virtual environment, 65; Second Life classrooms, 65–66; student technological accessibility, 63–65; technical support/ frequently asked questions, 67, 75–76 Technology test page, 64–65 Terminology (HIVEs), 118 Threaded conversations, 40 3-D animations, 57 3D Max, 57 Threshold to quit, 41–42 Troy University, Trust factor, 71 2b3d, 57 U University of Minnesota, 18 University of North Dakota, 59 V Van Eck, R N., 59 “Video Games as Tools for Educators” course, 18 Virtual classrooms: description of, 13; ease of using simulations in, 122; illustrated diagram of, 7, 8fig A Virtual Coach Gives Players Advice, 26fig Virtual environments: advantages of instruction in, 122; context provided, 6; everyday applications of, 3; school use of interactive, 3–4; student modification of, 110 See also HIVEs (Highly Interactively Virtual Environments) 132 bindex.indd 132 Virtual lab, 29 Virtual Leader (and VLeader), 63 Virtual University, 63 Virtual worlds: accessing content using, 56–57; accessing diverse real-world communities using, 50; comparisons of games, educational simulations and, 11t; creating sense of presence in, 49–50; description of, 7, 8–9; educational simulation versus, 7–10; illustrated diagram of, 8fig; interfacing other sims to, 71–73; Massively Multiplayer Online Environments (MMOs) name for, 56; Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) name for, 56; Metanomics (talk show), 50 See also Second Life Voice over internet protocols (VOIP), 56 W WebEx, 15, 92 Wexler, S., 118 Wharton Business School, 71 Whyville, Wikis, 57 WILL Interactive, 32 World of Warcraft, 56, 57, 70 Wright, W., 10, 68 Writing sim example: accessing the sim, 85–86; coaching, 86–87; online versus face to face in, 87–88; self-paced student “play,” 86; setup for, 85; students as real-time evaluators of sims, 88; students’ graded work, 87; team work, 86 X Xboxes, 65 Y Yukl, G., 19 Z Zoo Tycoon, 63 Index 7/21/09 10:24:07 AM T I T L E S I N T H E J O S S E Y- B A S S ONLINE TEACHING AND LEARNING SERIES Conquering the Content: A Step-by-Step Guide to Online Course Design By: Robin M Smith ISBN: 978-0-7879-9442-6 Assessing the Online Learner: Resources and Strategies for Faculty By: Rena M Palloff and Keith Pratt ISBN: 978-0-470-28386-8 Collaborating Online: Learning Together in Community By: Rena M Palloff and Keith Pratt ISBN: 978-0-7879-7614-9 Using Wikis for Online Collaboration: The Power of the Read-Write Web By: James A West and Margaret L West ISBN: 978-0-470-34333-3 Engaging the Online Learner: Activities and Resources for Creative Instruction By: Rita-Marie Cohen and J Ana Davidson ISBN: 978-0-7879-6667-6 Learning in Real Time: Synchronous Teaching and Learning Online By: Jonathan E Finkelstein ISBN: 978-0-7879-7921-8 Exploring the Digital Library: A Guide for Online Teaching and Learning By: Kay Johnson and Elaine Maqusin ISBN: 978-0-7879-7627-9 133 badvert.indd 133 7/21/09 10:17:03 AM The Online Teaching and Learning Tool Kit - a 20% package discount ISBN: 978-0-470-38053-6 Includes: Learning in Real Time, Collaborating Online, Engaging the Online Learner, Assessing the Online Learner, and Conquering the Content Attend our online conference based around the series, The Jossey-Bass Online Teaching and Learning Conference - Online www.OnlineTeachingandLearning.com 134 badvert.indd 134 7/21/09 10:17:03 AM The infusion of games, simulations, and virtual worlds into online learning can be a transforming experience for both the instructor and the student This practical guide, written by education game expert Clark Aldrich, shows faculty members and instructional designers how to identify opportunities for building games, simulations, and virtual environments into the curriculum; how to successfully incorporate these interactive environments to enhance student learning; and how to measure the learning outcomes It also discusses how to build institutional support for using and financing more complex simulations.The book includes frameworks, tips, case studies and other real examples, and resources — Karl Kapp, assistant director, Institute for Interactive Technologies, Bloomsburg University “At a time when the technologies for e-learning are evolving faster than most people can follow, Aldrich successfully bridges the perceptual gap between virtual worlds, digital games, and educational simulations, and provides educators with all they really need to use this technology to enhance and enrich their e-learning experiences.” — Katrin Becker, instructor, Department of Computer Science and Information Systems, Mount Royal College, and adjunct professor of education, University of Calgary “I consider this a must-read for anyone engaged in or contemplating using these tools in their classrooms or designing their own tools.” — Rick Van Sant, professor of learning and technology, Ferris State University THE AUTHOR Clark Aldrich, a popular conference speaker, columnist, and analyst, is the designer and implementer of educational simulations including SimuLearn’s vLeader 2007, a virtual leadership e-learning platform He is the author of two award-winning books, Simulations and the Future of Learning and Learning by Doing, as well as The Complete Guide to Simulations and Serious Games, all from Pfeiffer Learning Online with Games, Simulations, and Virtual Worlds “Clark Aldrich provides powerful insights into the dynamic arena of games, simulations, and virtual worlds in a simultaneously entertaining and serious manner as only he can If you are involved with educating anyone, from your own children to classrooms full of students, you need to devour this book.” J O S S E Y- B A S S G U I D E S T O O N L I N E T E A C H I N G A N D L E A R N I N G Praise for Learning Online with Games, Simulations, and Virtual Worlds J O S S E Y- B A S S G U I D E S T O O N L I N E T E A C H I N G A N D L E A R N I N G ALDRICH Learning Online with Games, Simulations, and Virtual Worlds Learning Online with Games, Simulations, and Virtual Worlds Strategies for Online Instruction Cover design by Michael Cook EDUCATION & TECHNOLOGY www.josseybass.com Clark ALDRICH ... Cataloging-in-Publication Data Aldrich, Clark, 196 7Learning online with games, simulations, and virtual worlds : strategies for online instruction / Clark Aldrich p cm Includes bibliographical references and index... AM JOSSEY-BASS GUIDES TO ONLINE TEACHING AND LEARNING Learning Online with Games, Simulations, and Virtual Worlds S T R AT E G I E S F O R O N L I N E INSTRUCTION Clark Aldrich ffirs.indd Sec1:i... designing and nurturing the cities they 10 c01.indd 10 Learning Online with Games, Simulations, and Virtual Worlds 7/21/09 10:17:36 AM Table 1.1 Comparisons of Educational Simulations, Games, and Virtual