1.3. How do we learn with games?

In this video Ollie explains the mechanisms that make games powerful learning facilitators; for instance, we learn with games because they are competitive, non-threatening and they allow us to build-up relationships with gaming environments and also gaming characters.

The trick of course is if we can use this gaming technology combined with good pedagogy then we start to create really interesting and stimulating environments. 

There is also the common language. Technology has become a common interest and helps break down barriers between different groups of people, in different cultures, in different time zones.

Ollie is saying that it's not just about playing computer games and it's not just about making computer games. It's really about using computer games and making sure that we use them in the right way to make sure that we create these interesting and stimulating learning environments. 

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1.2 Why use computer games

In this video Ollie goes over a range of reasons why we would use computer games at school. Ollie starts with a quote from Derek Robertson

Derek Robertson  is saying that good teachers will pick the right tools for their students to be able to cater for their own individual needs.

Ollie believes that  a good learning environment is made up of two things: 1. Engaging ways and 2. Good pedagogy

He believes that Challenge, Progression ​and Reward. are very important too.

At the end he invites us to think about a computer game we have played think about the reasons we enjoyed this game.

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1.1. Background & Resources

Games based learning has become increasingly popular in the last five years. Ollie suggests the handbook for teachers "Digital Games in Schools", which you can download in englsh language here

This handbook has been written in the framework of European Schoolnet's Games in Schools project. The project's aim was to analyse the current situation in eight countries (Austria, Denmark, France, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Spain and UK) with regard to games based learning. In this handbook one can read the reasons why digital games should be used for learning and the successful applications of digital games. It provides helpful infomation on choosing the appropriate game and it gives a  list of some popular commercial games and their learning benefits. Furthermore it shows us how to conduct a play session paying attention to technical and contextual points as well as pedagogical points. Finally it provides a list of resources for teachers, links and a glossary.

Ollie suggests another handbook from Imagine "Digital Games for Learning", which you can download here

In this book one can find varios recommendations in regard to using games for learning. I found the table of obstacles very interesting on page 21 of this book.

Moreover I found the table of the reasons why teachers use games for learning on page 22 of this book very interesting too.

A third book that Ollie Bray suggests is his own book which was produced by Microsoft a few years ago. The title is  "Playful learning: Computer games in Education" which you can see  here.

The aspects analysed in the book by Ollie are: 

• Why use computer games? 
• Contextual hubs for learnіng. 
• Learnіng from games.
• Makіng games. 
• Why іs іt іmportant to teach about games?  
• Overcomіng the challenges and gettіng started.

Ollie suggests useful links

 http://www.gamesforchange.org/

http://www.q2l.org/ 

and books

James Paul Gee: "What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy"

Marc Prensky: "Don't Bother Me Mom--I'm Learning! "

Jane McGonigal: "Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World"

and journals

http://www.igi-global.com/journal/international-journal-game-based-learning/41019

http://eai.eu/transaction/serious-games

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