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Visualize Education with Gamification

For the visual learners out there the Knewton Blog has created an info-graphic to visualize the gamificaiton of education.

People love to play games; They offer role-playing opportunities, simulations, and evoke feelings of investment and achievement. This graphic explains that gamification–defined as the use of game design in a non-gaming context–can bring that sense of ‘play’ to the classroom.

Viral Buzz for Epistemic Games

Recently a PBS Wisconsin Media Shift blog post got people talking about Epistemic Games.  Aran Levasseur highlights David Williamson Shaffer’s book, “How Computer Games Help Children Learn,” and positioned epistemic games as the future of education—an idea that the Epistemic Games Group has been arguing for years.

Levasseur gets straight to the point when he says schools need to be looking to the future, not the past, for innovations in the classroom.

“As schools aim to prepare students for life outside of school, they need to realize that the world now values knowledge and skills that can be applied in creative ways. Epistemic games fit the learning requirements of today’s world because they allow students to role-play professions while learning skills that they apply in the game.”

Levassuer’s article is a great review of the epistemology that is behind Epistemic Games and learning through play.

“In playing games,[students] are doing explicitly, openly and socially what as adults they will do tacitly, privately and personally. They are running simulations of worlds they want to learn about in order to understand the rules, roles and consequences of those worlds.”

Games to Teach and Games to Test: Developing and Assessing Innovation

David Williamson Shaffer was invited to speak for Arizona State University Learning Sciences Institute’s ALL series.

This video  presents a perspective on learning and assessment suited to the realities of modern work and education in a knowledge-based society.  Shaffer explores the research behind Epistemic Games.

“The work that I have been trying to do is to develop a game-like environment, a culture, where you would actually be able to learn, to think; in the way that people in the real world who solve problems; do.”

In particular he points to Nephrotex, an Epistemic Game that teaches students to behave like engineers, and the different engineering gender gap theories. Shaffer argues that students

“…actually came into engineering so they could be engineers.  They spend the first three years of engineering doing calculus, basic science courses and they aren’t actually designing anything.”

Nephrotex lets first year students experience what it actually means to be a professional engineer by participating in authentic engineering design. Epistemic games like Nephrotex can be used to propel education forward in the 21st century.

Early Motivation Leads to Success in STEM

The Oklahoman published a story on Wednesday by the Dean of the University of Oklahoma College of Engineering, Thomas Landers, in honor of National Engineers Week about an Oklahoma engineering program that fueled student interest through exposure to aerial vehicles, drones, and flying robots–in an effort to show that engineering is cool  (an important initiative because tomorrows engineers are not always exposed to the field of engineering.

There is a push to promote better STEM education for college and high school students but this may not be early enough to capture student’s imagination.  In the Oklahoman Landers points to research that says earlier is better for STEM stimulation and is calling for educators to increase interest and give students the skills to succeed.

“…as economic growth becomes increasingly driven by the ability to generate ideas and translate them into innovative products and services, it becomes more apparent that all children should be prepared for a world immersed in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).”

Both Nephrotex and Land Science have been used to stimulate interest in engineering for middle school students, high school students, and college students.

But Epistemic Games Group goes beyond simply igniting the fire; our games teach students skills they need to become an engineer. From proper work place behavior, interactions with bosses and supervisors, to the analytical and problem solving skills Epistemic Games are transforming kids from students to pseudo-professionals every time they sit down to play the game.

Even if these students decide that their career interests lie elsewhere, their experience with an epistemic game is not for naught. Epistemic Games have proven to improve literacy and vocabulary as well–It’s not just STEM–Epistemic Games and the Humanities?–because the skills required for STEM careers are universal.

“Nearly all jobs — not just engineering jobs — will require skills gained through STEM education. All of us should support youthful interests in solving the problems they see around them, as they learn how things work and discover how to improve products and processes.” Landers said.

It’s Not just STEM–Epistemic Games and the Humanities?

The Problem

In the process of developing an epistemic frame, games like Nephrotex and Land Science teach reading, writing and vocabulary- skills that are very important for the educational development of any student. It becomes difficult to teach students about STEM subjects when literacy is a problem.

Education Week  sited a study by the National Assessment of Educational Progress in 2011 that found,

“only one in three U.S. students is able to read and understand grade-level material.”

 

Epistemic Games can help

The results of Land Science research have demonstrated an increase of vocabulary and literacy from pregame levels. In a presentation at the VLOS Research Meeting at Utrecht University, David Williamson Shaffer (link) highlights a student’s growth of scientific thinking.

At the beginning of the game the student would say things like:

“Uh, I mean, they could look for a new landfill, like a new place to build a landfill…”

By the end of the game the student demonstrated thinking consistent with the epistemic frame:

“They should have not closed down the recycling plant. They could have cut other stuff, or they could have raised taxes to increase revenue…They should keep a recycling plant because they should be helping to reduce the amount of waste which is…their goal…They could export the trash…, but then that would cost a lot more money…and they’re making budget cuts.”

In addition to the scientific thinking demonstrated in these quotes there is also evidence of vocabulary growth. As Shaffer says in his book How Computer Games Help Children Learn an epistemic game works because it

‘requires that players care about what they are doing. They have to care enough to persist in doing it in the face of obstacles significant enough that overcoming them leads to real learning.’ (p. 126)

For more posts about video games and reading:

Both…And - David Williamson Shaffer
Literacy Skill - Elizabeth Bagley

Wait, What’s an Engineer?

A study found that the STEM shortage in the U.S. isn’t a result of students thinking that science isn’t cool. Middle school students simply do not understand what engineers do. This lack of understanding is an opportunity for Epistemic Games, specifically Nephrotex.

Nephrotex immerses students into the world of engineering in a virtual internship. As engineering interns, students design a prototype solution for their imaginary employer. These students are developing an epistemic frame – making connections between skills, values, identities, knowledge, and epistemologies of a profession — and experiencing a work environment similar to an internship within the safety of a classroom. Perhaps equally important, students enjoy the game.

This experience could be one of the solutions to the engineer shortage. The presidential jobs council wants to graduate 10,000 engineers per year from U.S. universities. Without the dissemination of programs like Nephrotex, it will be very difficult to educate kids that engineering alumni the ones who are making the world spin.

Could apprenticeships replace a college education? Epistemic Games are a low risk alternative.

Students and employers are looking at apprenticeships rather than college degrees to perfect vocational skills. According to an article published by GOOD, these apprenticeships differ from the classic internship, as they combine a classroom education with the master of a skill set.

Apprenticeships are tempting for all parties involved. Employers are looking for employees who have experience and know how to think appropriately. Students are looking to try on vocational hats, and apprenticeships are paid.

Although apprenticeships are slow to trend in the United States, the United Kingdom is seeing an increased demand. The BBC did a study in the UK that found two thirds of graduating high school students are considering apprenticeships rather than college to continue their education.

Apprenticeships have their own downsides. The average apprenticeship requires a four year commitment at a young age. Students take a risk when they commit to a position that they may or may not enjoy.

While apprenticeships are fulfilling a need for the practical application of their learning, Epistemic Games are a low-risk alternative.

Internships and apprenticeships provide on the job learning to complement the classroom education, but Epistemic Games immerse students into a professional learning environment within the confines and protection of a traditional classroom. Epistemic Games give students the opportunity to try on vocational hats in a low risk, learning environment.

Law Students in Need of Epistemic Experience

Law schools are failing students by not teaching them how to practice law according to an article in the New York Times . Practical application is left for students to learn after graduation.

The article frames the issue simply,

“What they did not get, for all that time and money, was much practical training.  Law schools have long emphasized the theoretical over the useful…”

If students never learn the basics of practice, does graduating mean they have become lawyers? Jeffery W. Carr, the general counsel of FMC Technologies, says no.

“They are lawyers in the sense that they have law degrees, but they aren’t ready to be a provider of services.” Carr told the New York Times.

Students are suffering because they are not taught to think like lawyers, to use their skills, knowledge and culture to see the world like a lawyer. When they graduate with a diploma they know a lot of theory, but they don’t have the epistemic frame of a lawyer.

David Segal, New York Times reporter, places the blame on Universities, as law school professors are chosen for scholarly thinking rather than experience. In fact, experience may even hurt one’s prospects of becoming a professor.

“It can be fatal, because the academy wants people who are not sullied by the practice of law,” explained one lawyer turned professor.

Lack of faculty experience presents a mentoring problem. How are teachers, who have very little experience themselves, in a position to show students how to think like lawyers?

Some schools are looking to make changes. What they need is an epistemic model, to teach an epistemic frame, and turn students into lawyers.

Epistemic Learning Does Work: Real World Examples

This video created by Translogic, describes an after school program called Minddrive . Minddrive is a not for profit organization that reaches out to at-risk students in the Kansas city area.

This video highlights Minddrive’s Lola project, an electric car that students help design, build, and market. Similar to games like Nephrotex , mentors guide students through the engineering design process and model ways of thinking like professional engineers.

The students who participate in this program are having fun while they are learning, and changing their career goals. One young man explained,

“It has changed me a lot. Before Minddrive I was hooked on becoming a professional athlete, basketball to be specific. But since then…it’s really been about my future and what I want to get my degree in, in college.”

Another young woman enjoys the sense of accomplishment.

“Hey I’ve built a car. What have you done?”

Epistemic Games has seen similar results regarding the diversity of women in STEM education. Nephrotex and Land Science present an exciting platform and opportunity for researching other underrepresented or at-risk students in STEM fields.

David Williamson Shaffer at the VLOS Research Meeting: ‘Epistemic Games and Learning’

David Williamson Shaffer, in a talk he gave at the VLOS Research Meeting, Utrecht University, called ‘Epistemic Games and Learning,’ argues that the needs of students today are not the same as they were 50 years ago. His presentation describes epistemic gaming and epistemic network analysis as examples of how teaching and assessment might change to better suit the needs of 21st century students. He concludes by arguing that we need to be more purposeful about how we design educational experiences for youth, suggesting that

“whatever choice [of education style] we make, we have to make it based on some understanding of what it is we want students to accomplish, and what it is we as educators need to do to get them there.”