Comments for Epistemic Games

Comment on Monument games by mhickey

mhickey — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:24:03 +0000

Hello Ben,
Thank you for your comment. We appreciate your enthusiasm and interest in Epistemic Games. As Cynthia has noted, we have not yet used the games with students that young. However, a discussion about what sort of changes would need to be made in order to work with students in that age group is an interesting opportunity.

If you are looking for more information about using Epistemic Games with younger students, you may be interesting in looking at this lecture David Williamson Shaffer http://gcpsx.coeps.drexel.edu/videos/dgvs_ep3public/ gave regarding different age groups and the games, and how teachers assess learning during Epistemic Games. You can also view this post about STEM in elementary schools http://epistemicgames.org/eg/steminelementaryschools/.

Comment on Monument games by mhickey

mhickey — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:23:23 +0000

Hello Skip,
Thank you for your question. We appreciate your enthusiasm and interest in Epistemic Games. Our games are designed primarily for research purposes and experimentation with learning in the digital age. They are not yet ready for commercial use. Implementation of these games in certain setting can be difficult and costly given the necessary equipment, training and personnel.

However, if you are interested discussing the opportunity of using Land Science in your classroom please contact Anjali Sridharan anjali.sridharan@gmail.com.

Comment on Could apprenticeships replace a college education? Epistemic Games are a low risk alternative. by Jonathan

Jonathan — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 03:49:25 +0000

Thank you very much for your reply. I really appreciate it.

I see the perspective now, and I will definitely watch the presentation to learn more.

All the best in your projects!

Comment on Monument games by Ben Konrad

Ben Konrad — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 23:36:56 +0000

I also teach this age range. I am interested in your programs and any discussion on how they might be adapted for elementary level students.

Comment on Monument games by Skip Walter

Skip Walter — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 15:00:38 +0000

Hi,
I’m a 7th and 8th grade social studies teacher that is extremely interested in the epistemic game Land Science. For the past seven years I have been teaching a unit on urban planning and development and have always felt that a game or simulation such as yours would be the ideal culminating project for my students. I am currently on sabbatical but would love to integrate Land Science into my social studies curriculum for the 2012-2013 school year. Please let me know if this is a possibility. If not, do you have any recommendations on a next best option. This is very exciting work and I know that there are a lot of teachers out there who would love to use games such as these in their classrooms. Look forward to hearing from you. Thanks!
Skip Walter

Comment on Could apprenticeships replace a college education? Epistemic Games are a low risk alternative. by mhickey

mhickey — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:24:04 +0000

Hello Jonathan,
Thank you for your question.

Epistemic Games differ from vocational training. In “How Computer Games Help Children Learn,” David Williamson Shaffer explains that Epistemic Games are teaching a way of thinking more than vocational skills. The students are not learning to be professionals as much as they are learning how to think like professionals and solve problems.

Epistemic Games teach students the skills, identity, knowledge and culture of a profession, but are not meant to replace real world experience as much as introduce students to the world of professionals. At UW-Madison, first year engineering students play Nephrotex with the assumption that they will continue to study engineering. However, younger students who play Land Science may or may not become urban planners. Regardless of their future career choice these students learn to think of problems in a different way and present creative solutions.
For more information check out “How Computer Games Help Children Learn” by David Williamson Shaffer, or watch this presentation
http://epistemicgames.org/eg/david-williamson-shaffer-at-the-vlos-research-meeting-epistemic-games-and-learning/.

Comment on Could apprenticeships replace a college education? Epistemic Games are a low risk alternative. by Jonathan

Jonathan — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 03:56:22 +0000

Hi -

I wonder if you would be able to answer (or point me to an answer to)a question I have about your work. I have been trying to figure outhow epistemic games differ from vocational training. It seems that youargue that epistemic games are about teaching students to think likeprofessionals rather than training them to be professionals, but it’shard for me to understand the difference. Do you hope that studentsengage with a wide variety of epistemic games in order to gainmultiple epistemologies, or have you purposefully excluded the morepractical aspects of professional training in your games? Are youtrying to avoid “boxing students into” one domain exclusively, orhoping for transfer of learning to a variety of professional contexts?
I may have missed this argument in one of your papers/books. I wonderif you could point me to a section in which you clarify this point.Perhaps you could post something on your site? I wonder if otherreaders have had the same question.
Thank you very much for your time. I’m sure you are very busy but thishas been on my mind for some time and your help would be muchappreciated.
Very best regards -
Jonathan

Comment on Digital Zoo for elementary schoolers by Cilla

Cilla — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 14:40:24 +0000

Keep up the good work! Computer literacy is only going to get more important with time. I am jealous of these youngsters now who are introduced to computers at an early age, it opens up a whole new world for them.

Comment on Students Feel High School Insufficiently Prepared Them for STEM Majors by Jenny Saucerman

Jenny Saucerman — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 18:53:38 +0000

Thanks for your comments, Micah. We added a link to the study.

Comment on Students Feel High School Insufficiently Prepared Them for STEM Majors by Micah

Micah — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 17:57:21 +0000

Can we get a link to the study? Which other countries are they comparing to and what is their basis for comparison? How do the respondents know how this material is taught in other countries? Was the population somehow restricted to those with exposure to more than one country’s educational system? I could go on, but the gist is that I don’t understand the value of this comparison.