The Calm and The Storm: Simulation and Games - Why All Games are Simulations and the Challenges of Using Simulations and Games for Learning

The Calm and the Storm:

Simulation and GamesWhy All Games are Simulations

and the Challenges of Using Simulations and Games for Learning

Katrin Becker

IASTED International Conference on Modelling and

Simulation (MS 2013),

Banff, Canada, July 17, 2013

http://www.iasted.org/conferences/cfp-802.html



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Briefly….

1. All Games are Sims2. Computers Simulation3. What the rest of the world knows of

simulation4. Education View of Simulations & Games5. Why this is a Problem6. What can Simulations Take from Games?7. What simulations (including games) offer

Education8. Design Implications

22/06/2013 The Calm & the Storm © 2013, K.Becker

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All Games are SimulationsThere are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm. Willa Cather (1915)

22/06/2013 The Calm & the Storm © 2013, K.BeckerBotanicula

http://www.willacather.org/

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All Games are Sims

In this community, the claim that all games are simulations, but not all simulations are games does not seem especially radical.

When you look under the hood of a modern simulation or videogame, you see pretty much the same stuff.

It hardly seems worth a second thought.

22/06/2013 The Calm & the Storm © 2013, K.BeckerBotanicula

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Computers were created for Simulation

Simulation has been at the very core of computer development since the very beginning, …..


MH-1A was a pressurized water reactor and the first floating nuclear power station. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/MH1Asimulator.JPG

Computers Simulation

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…and we’ve applied what we know to games for almost as long.

Tennis for Two, 1958:Higinbotham realized how static and non-interactive most science exhibits were at that time. As head of Brookhaven Lab’s Instrumentation Division, he would change that. While reflecting on his creation, Higinbotham wrote, “it might liven up the place to have a game that people could play, and which would convey the message that our scientific endeavors have relevance for society."



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Simulations are everywhere…22/06/2013 The Calm & the Storm © 2013, K.Becker


they've been used in almost every manufactured and constructed artifact we have….

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BUT……22/06/2013 The Calm & the Storm © 2013, K.Becker


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What the rest of the world knows

of simulation

s

The Blind Men and the Elephant


And so these men of HindustanDisputed loud and long,Each in his own opinionExceeding stiff and strong,Though each was partly in the rightAnd all were in the wrong.

John Godfrey Saxe

What the rest of the world knows of simulation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Godfrey_Saxe

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What is simulation?22/06/2013 The Calm & the Storm © 2013, K.Becker

Spore

What is Simulation

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To Us

A computer simulation is a computer program that attempts to simulate an abstract model of a particular system.

Computational model of a phenomenon, environment, or experience.


What is Simulation

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To Education

Educational Simulation

=Live Role Play.


http://dare-network.blogspot.ca/2011/06/human-rights-education-through-dilemma.html

Computer simulations often thought to be computerized version of LARP

Education View of Simulations & Games

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Limitations

In education,• simulations are about real life systems,• games are about fantasy

Simulations often have nothing at all to do with computers.

Educationists make sweeping assumptions about how simulations get used, including notions that • fidelity and realism are requirements for

effective learning, • winning always takes precedence

over exploration in games.



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Simulationsaccording to Gredler (AECT), Alessi & Trollip

Perspective is end-user (External)

• Must be complex & REAL • Participants have defined roles• Data-rich environment, where students can execute

range of strategies• Feedback is in form of changes to situation

• Realism is essential to effective learning.

• Learning the model is educational objective.

• Understanding the model is the goal.



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Fidelityaccording to Gredler (AECT), Alessi & Trollip

CS: fidelity = accuracy of the representation.

If simulating real-world system, then fidelity is measure of closeness to reality.

If not then fidelity is measure of closeness to model.

Education: fidelity = level of realism presented to the learner.

("High" fidelity = live action, regardless of accuracy)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulation#Simulation_in_education_and_training



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Validityaccording to Gredler (AECT), Alessi & Trollip

CS: validity = are results usable? Do they allow for

accurate predictions, descriptions, explanations?

(accuracy = closeness of data (in & out) to thing being simulated)


Education: validity = methodological measures: algorithmic, conceptual, construct, content, educational, event, external, internal,…


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Games vs. Simulationsaccording to Gredler (AECT), Alessi & Trollip

Game = • Games rarely played differently from the way they were

intended.• Winning will take precedence over experimenting• Games are less efficient learning models than other

methodologies• Educators have negative beliefs about games

Educational Game =• Learning embedded in game, not part of it• Has rules, winning is important • Winning should not have random factor for Ed• No distracting bells and whistles• Include directions in booklets• Students shouldn’t lose points when

wrong



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Problem is….22/06/2013 The Calm & the Storm © 2013, K.Becker

“Everyone should have his own point of view.” said Alec.

“Isn’t this everyone’s Point of View?” asked Tock, looking around curiously.

Norton Juster, p.107-108, “The Phantom Toll Booth”

For instance, from here that looks like a bucket of water,” he said pointing

to a bucket of water; “but from an ant’s point of view it’s a vast ocean,

from an elephant’s just a cool drink, and to a fish, of course, it’s home. So, you see, the way you see things depends a great deal on where

you look at them from. Now, come along and I’ll show you the rest of the

forest.”

“Of course not,” replied Alec, sitting himself down on nothing. “It’s only mine, and you certainly can’t always look at things from someone else’s Point of View.

All Images © Jules Feiffer

Why this is a Problem

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Let's Make a Game!22/06/2013 The Calm & the Storm © 2013, K.Becker


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Gamers think….22/06/2013 The Calm & the Storm © 2013, K.Becker

Black and WhiteKatamari Damacy


lhttp://lionhead.com/black-and-white-2/

lhttp://lionhead.com/black-and-white-2/

http://katamaridamacy.jp/

http://katamaridamacy.jp/

http://professorlayton.nintendo.com/

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Educators think…..22/06/2013 The Calm & the Storm © 2013, K.Becker


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Comparing Conceptual Structures22/06/2013 The Calm & the Storm © 2013, K.Becker

When terminology is

used in different ways

by different groups…

communication suffers.

Terminology

Att

rib

ute

s

Same Different

Sam

eD

iffere

nt

Consensus

Experts use terminology and concepts in the

same way

Correspondence

Experts use different

terminology for the same conceptsConflict

Experts use same

terminology for different concepts.

Contrast

Experts use different

terminology and different concepts

Shaw, M.L.G. & Gaines,

B. (1989)


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This was not a big handicap in the early days when simulations were primarily

created for fairly specialized applications,



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Things have Changed

Thanks to the Internet, videogames, and mobile technology, things have changed.



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Clearly, recognizing that games are in fact merely a subsetof a larger category of simulations affords opportunitiesfor a fruitful exchange of knowledge, which includes the sharing of methodologies and tools. 22/06/2013 The Calm & the Storm © 2013, K.Becker


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Modern Games vs Traditional Simulations


What can Simulations Take from Games?

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Higher profile for Simulations, generally (games aren’t just for kids)

A way to inspire new practitioners.



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Traditional simulations & commercial games are converging

High-end games can now serve dual-purpose (Full Spectrum Warrior)



Drives hardware development.

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What simulations (including games) offer Education

• Free from “shackles” of reality (or not).• Fidelity can be dialed up or down as appropriate.• Validity is negotiable.• Non-linear (“random access”).• User-control.• Exploration is encouraged (& supported).• Variable perspectives (be the frog, or the fly he

eats).• Learning must be integral to (required for)

winning (achievement).• Narrative approach (R.Schank).• Reduced Risk.


What Simulations offer Education

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Simulation & Gaming

Back together again…


What Simulations offer Education

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Design Implications

HOW?


Design Implications

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SD vs GD vs ID

Simulation Design

Game Design Instructional Design

Object Environment (where)

Player Experience (how)

Content / Message (what)

Role Experiment Teaching Method Receptacle for content

Content / Method

Content and Method

interrelated

Method primary (content may be

irrelevant)

Method secondary to Content (game as

receptacle?)

Fidelity Faithfulness to model essential

self-consistent, otherwise irrelevant

Faithfulness to message essential

Vantage Point

Science & Engineering

Entertainment (SENG?)

Formal Education

Credentials Professional (Sci.,Eng.)

Game Industry Education / Academia


Design Implications

The Calm & the Storm © 2013, K.Becker 33

Simulation Design

1. Describe the Model2. Gather Data

1. Create Conceptual Model

3. Validate4. Create Operational Model5. Verify6. Translate into Simulation7. Test

22/06/2013

Design Implications


Instructional Design22/06/2013

Design Implications


Game Design22/06/2013

Design Implications

Why are we playing?

Where are we playing?

How are we playing?

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3934/book_review_the_art_of_game_design.php


Design Implications


Summary

1. All Games are Sims (but not vice versa)

and that's OK.2. Computers Simulation (but not vice versa)

3. The World doesn't know simulationand we should help them.

4. Education doesn't understand Simulationsand we NEED to help them.

5. Simulation can gain higher profile from Games (so let's do it).

6. Simulations has MUCH to offer Education (so let's do it).

7. Serious Game Design must be a synergy.

22/06/2013


Thanks!22/06/2013

Technology

The Calm and The Storm: Simulation and Games - Why All Games are Simulations and the Challenges of Using Simulations and Games for Learning