ENGAGE - Exploring Next-Gen Apps & Games in Education

Concurrent Session 1

Session Materials

Brief Abstract

Video games for teaching and learning present a tremendous opportunity to increase overall student engagement. Additionally, there is the potential to capture the attention of students that might otherwise struggle to stay focused, if what makes games fun could successfully be merged with learning materials. That’s the tricky part.

A well designed game will entice players into learning the game’s mechanics in order to be able to interact with the material. Sometimes these mechanics are deeply complex (e.g., memorizing lengthy button combinations, detailed inventory management, etc.), but if the virtual world and it’s inhabitants are inviting enough the player will gladly step up to the challenges. If one could successfully integrate assessment and study “mechanics” into this design without sacrificing the fun, you’d have cracked the code to gamified learning. NYU IT’s Teaching and Learning with Technology (TLT) department has been exploring these ideas for the past year and a half. Not just in theory, but through a series of projects that grew out of faculty requests to leverage gamification in their teaching. We would like to share some the lessons we’ve learned since starting in early 2016. 

Presenters

Lead Presenter: David Lasala, NYU

I have been working in interactivity since 2004. It began from a desire to move on from the Barista life, combined with a lifelong love of computers. I started coding in C++, but a quick pivot led me to web development. From there I went on to run a full service operation offering web design, development and hosting for 6 years. My background in art, filmmaking and music informed a variety of unique websites that balanced function with aesthetics, and utilized a range of discovered solutions to achieve results. Those discoveries still inform my processes today. During that time I was also teaching at the Educational Center for the Arts, and simultaneously exploring online game development. I got a taste of viral success with a few of my online games, before making the transition to mobile development in 2010. I was acting as designer and developer on games and applications for Android and iOS devices, including educational content for kids. By 2014 I was consulting in a variety of positions related to video game creation (game designer, creative director, project manager), which led me to connect with the Academic Programs Administrator at NYU School of Professional Studies. He was looking for someone to teach two intensives in video game design and development. I agreed, and covered the entire spectrum of video game creation including concepts, design and development, publishing and promotion. That was my NYU 'trial by fire', and through it I came to the attention of NYU IT's Teaching and Learning with Technology. They were looking for a person to lead the interactive development team. I accepted, and have been in the position for almost two years. I am driven to advocate for the exploration of increased student engagement through gamified learning, immersive simulations and emerging technology.

Tags

OLC Accelerate 2017 Innovations Tools and Technologies Adaptive learning Blended learning Emerging Game dynamics Gamification Gaming Immersive environments Instructional technology Mobile games Simulations

Extended Abstract

Video games for teaching and learning present a tremendous opportunity to increase overall student engagement. Additionally, there is the potential to capture the attention of students that might otherwise struggle to stay focused, if what makes games fun could successfully be merged with learning materials. That’s the tricky part. 

A well designed game will entice players into learning the game’s mechanics in order to be able to interact with the material. Sometimes these mechanics are deeply complex (e.g., memorizing lengthy button combinations, detailed inventory management, etc.), but if the virtual world and it’s inhabitants are inviting enough the player will gladly step up to the challenges. If one could successfully integrate assessment and study “mechanics” into this design without sacrificing the fun, you’d have cracked the code to gamified learning. But finding the time to explore such innovations can be a challenging prospect, given the need to control the cost of higher education understandably being prioritized. Despite this, NYU IT’s Teaching and Learning with Technology (TLT) department has been exploring these ideas for the past year and a half. Not just in theory, but through a series of projects that grew out of faculty requests to leverage gamification in their teaching. We would like to share some the lessons we’ve learned since starting in early 2016. The experience and knowledge we hope to provide for discovery session participants will include:

  • Viewing and playing some of the gamified software we’ve built.

  • Techniques we’ve discovered for developing games, while accounting for limited time and money.

  • Ways for development team building and software building infrastructure.

  • Methods for merging learning materials with game principles.

  • Download access to our 2016 language learning game for iOS and Android.

  • Q & A session.