3DGameLab - Back in Session

Let it Begin...

My 6th graders are off to a good start. They created their character avatars using Hero Machine this week. I gave them a brief look at my Popplet (I haven't shared it publicly YET) that shows the progression of quests as a sort of "trailer" for things to come.

They are excited! Quests waiting for them to unlock include:

• Creative writing (storybird)
• Creating Music (uJam and isleoftune)
• Listen to my rendition of a segment of "The Raven" set to Rap Music,auto-tuned using uJam.
• A quick taste of Computer Programming (via code.org video, codecademy.com)
• Digital Photography (taking, transferring files multiple ways, creative compositing on Pixlr.com)

Getting Started

I removed last year's users and added all of this years by inviting them through the teacher Dashboard. To quickly invite them all:

1. Using Gaggle.net (you could use any method to get a list of your student email addresses), I copy/pasted all their email addresses from my list of users (free for ~200 users, first must attend a webinar of sorts, then become an administrator, well worth the trouble)
2. Set check the default group they should be in ("Mr. Suter's Level 6" in my case), then invite.

I used a similar method of copy/pasting email addresses from my teacher dashboard on Diigo.com (free educator upgrade) so students have a place to keep their own list of oft-used URLS.

Excited to be in 3DGameLab again, creating quests, creating new content alongside my students.

Design Video Games Without Learning Code

Video Games in the classroom can be used for/to learn

• Programming
• Animation/Digital Storytelling
• Digital Art
• Project Management
• Storyboarding

(Interested in Gamification? Here's a nice LiveBinder collected by the Level Up Book Club)

Here are my top picks for 2012:

GameMaker 

edit 3/1/2014: now called "GameMaker Studio", check out the official "Learn" page that colleague Steve Isaacs and I are contributing to: yoyogames.com/learn

(This is the one I use most in my classes. drag-n-drop, extensive customization, possible intro to programming concepts. LOTS of video tutorials on schooltube + youtube)

GameStar Mechanic 

(for Elementary to Middle School. Built for the classroom. Plays like an adventure game where you earn new game-building abilities/characters as you play through the storyline.

Kodu 

(3D games, drag-n-drop, games can be played on Xbox 360 or PC)

There are others that are built specifically to learn the concepts of programming while building games at the same time:

Scratch

(build games, animations, etc.)

Alice:

(build animations)

Prezi Sharing

I posted a link on our school server that allows anyone with the link to edit my Prezi. I invited any of the students to make one change to my Prezi to help improve it. Below is the chaotic mess that ensued. Students suggested improvements that could the people at Prezi could make:

• Allow for in-Prezi chat
• Limit the number of people that can come in (1-10)
• Color-Code who made what edits

Evolution or Intelligent Design in Spore Video Game?

I watched this video below about the Video Game "Spore". What stands out to me? Will Wright described the game as a Darwinian experience showing evolution by compressing millions of years into a short time frame. However, wouldn't the very creation of a character and the preexistance of lifeforms at the start of the game also present a second theory on the origin of life, such as "Intelligent Design"?
What do you think?

Reward Schedules in 3D GameLab

I envision 3DGameLab having a probability system similar to World of Warcraft. Students will show increased motivation and perseverance to repeat certain tasks - math problems, identifying predicates, etc. if there is a high chance to earn common rewards, and a small chance to get more prestigious rewards.

A simple interface would be for the quest designer to choose from a menu the "number of sides on dice" option that dictates how often the reward "drops" when successfully completed.

Can’t wait to see a rare drop like an ultra-rare  “Auto A+ Test”. It should be “bind on character”.

Gamification in the classroom

It doesn't take a complete game-based curriculum platform like Boise State University's GameLab to integrate what game designers have already discovered as an efficient set of game-like learning methods. In most any classroom, a teacher could try this strategy:

If you have a limited resource, such as computers or mobile devices, try creating a group of 4 quests that once completed, earns the student a new "title". Place the new title either by their name on a display board. Those students with the title earn a bonus such as more time with a resource, or are the only ones permitted to use a special item during class time.

Cold June

A good first year at PG.
Goals met:

• Found the Tech Club
• Profit >$500
• Create first client's website
• Win a Grant
• $2000 eTech Ohio video podcasting
• Establish new curriculum
• 5th grade keyboarding using typingweb.com
• 6th grade fundamentals in image editing, Microsoft Office products, and file management
• 7th grade - part II of 6th grade curriculum, but packed into 1/2 year.
• HS 21st Century Tech - Communication Tools: Visual communication in print, web, video, and web 2.0 tools
• HS 21st Century Tech - Productivity Tools: Power using Microsoft Office, making an average user a proficient, tech-savvy, computer problem solving, daily tech user.

Goals NOT met:

• Train students as advanced video-editors to take the bulk of the editing work in video projects for $$$ with local businesses.
• Field Trip to Quicken Loans Arena Tech Day
• Partner with community college to offer dual enrollment credits
• Offer Microsoft / Adobe certification training.