Digital Games in Instruction

Faculty Innovating with Technology Project workshop

Fall, 2006

What do I mean by ‘Digital Games?’

• Web-Based Game Shells– Web-based game shells are training games

that are played online. The shells permit the loading of new content (usually in the form of short questions) by the game designer.

• Games downloaded or created on your own computer

excerpted from: http://www.thiagi.com/pfp/IE4H/january2003.html#ToolKit Nov 6, 2006

What do I mean by ‘Digital Games?’

• Key Features of Digital Game Shells – Each game shell has two parts:

• An online game that is played by the participant. • An authoring template that is used by the designer

to rapidly create the game.

– Replayable– (Often) the ability to adjust the difficulty level.

excerpted from: http://www.thiagi.com/pfp/IE4H/january2003.html#ToolKit Nov 6, 2006

Resources: Where do I find these games?

• The ‘best’ PowerPoint Jeopardy game is on Gateway’s Faculty Innovating with Technology (FIT) web site: http://fit.gtc.edu

Resources: Other PowerPoint™ Games

• http://facstaff.uww.edu/jonesd/games/

• Dr. Dianne Jones at UW Whitewater has created a ‘Parade of Games’ web site– includes a Blackboard™ Scavenger Hunt

• http://facstaff.uww.edu/jonesd/games/games_parade_scavenger_hunt.html

– includes a decision matrix – ‘which game do I use?’

Resources – all Games

• http://www.quia.com– subscription-based service ($49/year)– create a game on their site– add to ‘your account’– students access via web on ‘your account’– lots of shared content –

games/quizzes/activities created by other faculty

Resources

• Free software to create your own game– Hot Potatoes- Free to educational non-profits

to develop gameshttp://web.uvic.ca/hrd/hotpot/

A Free Game/Learning Object Resource

• University Educational Technology Services (UETS) Learning Object Index– http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwets/instructionalsupport/

learningobjects/finding.html

• Author: Georgia State University– reusable learning objects that are NOT content

specific. – Content is usually changed by filling out a form that,

when the save button is clicked, will automatically populate the game. This eliminates the need for the faculty/designer to know any kind of computer coding.

–http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwets/instructionalsupport/learningobjects/finding.html

(UETS) Hangman Demo

• http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwets/instructionalsupport/learningobjects/objects/demos/sinkorsailv1.html

How much does it cost to use the University Educational

technology Services (UETS) Learning Object Index ?

1. free

2. $49/year

3. If you have to ask, you can’t afford it

More! I want more!

• ‘Great compilation of peer-reviewed educational technology resources

• http://www.merlot.org– more than games

What is the best source for a PowerPoint-based Jeopardy game

template?1. Ron Sellnau’s office2. The FIT web site at

http://fit.gtc.edu3. The library – but only if

you bring Sylvia chocolate

4. You have to play a scavenger hunt game to find out

Can faculty use this student response system?

1. Yes – ‘check out’ the remotes from Pam

What is the Faculty Innovating with Technology (FIT) Web site

address?1. http://www.google.com

2. http://www.ebay.com

3. http://webdev.gtc.edu/seep

4. http://fit.gtc.edu