More gaming-MMO2
One more week of playing for class…that is playing the game Lineage. It is amazing how much is packed into this game. When you step aside from having some fun to analyze the games components and the interactions taking place there’s a lot going on. So is there learning occurring? What is true learning anyway? David Merrill states in his First Principle of Instruction five components of learning. Here they are:
1. Learning if facilitated when learners are engaged in solving real-world problems.
-solving the problem in progression, more complex as you go
2. Learning is facilitated when relevant previous experience is activated.
-have a foundation, take time to use the previous knowledge
3. Learning is facilitated when the instruction demonstrates what is to be learned rather than merely telling information about what is to be learned…
-media is used, examples of concepts and non-examples
4. Learning is facilitated when learners are required to use their knowledge or skill to solve problems.
-coaching and feedback with coaching gradually withdrawn, practice teachings
5. Learning is facilitated when learners are encouraged to integrate (transfer) the new knowledge or skill into their everyday life.
-Publicly demonstrate skill, explore new ways to use skill
So where are these found in the game Lineage? Here’s what I observed and experienced. First, engage in solving a real world problem. Well, I didn’t really find a ‘real’ world problem within this game. Since goblins and orcs don’t really exist, killing them didn’t show a real world problem per se, except that the concept of invaders is a real world problem. That can stem from insect invasion of your house and property to another country trying to overthrow another. So, yes the concept that there is an invasion of some kind applies to the real world. Learning can occur in this game as you learn to eradicate more evil invaders. The complexity and intensity of these invaders grows in certain areas of the game, so having the knowledge and skill to get rid of them is needed. It was fun for me to be able to progress in my levels of the game as I became more skilled and thought about how the basic concept of the game could be used to teach a real world concept.
Second, activate relevant previous experience. I don’t know how many people actually know how to kill goblins, deer, and boars, but the game gives you the opportunities to practice a little. Having an understanding of using a mouse and keyboard is previous knowledge needed to play the game. So that knowledge is harnessed with new knowledge added. I have played some games before, so I understood the concepts behind this game and what I should be doing (at least at beginner’s level). So my knowledge of using computer accessories to play helped me build on what I needed to do to play this game. Having something, anything to build on is helpful. This game also takes you through a little training course that helps. It is accessible at anytime, and I found myself going back to it frequently when I learned more about the game or couldn’t remember something. What previous knowledge can be applied to the invasion idea (bear with me on this)? Well, if you have an infestation of spiders what would you do? I would probably get some spider spray and try that. That is knowledge that comes from my parents. I’d try it and see if it worked.
Third, this just builds of my previous statement (building off of previous knowledge!) that learning occurs when the instruction is shown not just told. In the little training course in the game, there was some telling of how to do things, but there was also showing. The best kind of showing was in actually playing the game. It was great for me to watch other players and learn from them. I hooked up with some great characters. We joined together as a group and went out hunting. I learned so much from them. I watched and participated in the actions of fighting as well as trading, inviting to a group, and doing a little teaching of my own. It was great! It made the game so much more fun to play with others and interact with them. Most of the time we didn’t tell each other how to do something, we would demonstrate it and then if something was typed we told them. Back to the spider infestation…how did I know to get spider spray? I watched my parents use it when I was a child.
The fourth principle again builds off the third. Learning occurs when coaching is slowly taken away as the learner grows in knowledge. It also occurs when the learners actually use what they are learning. I went to lineage.com to read about the game before I started playing. It was nice to read the literature on the game, but it didn’t do anything compared to what I learned while actually playing the game. That simple act of doing instead of listening made a big difference for me. Spiders…how do I know how to use the spray? My parents would use it, and then allow me to spray with it. As I improved in my aim and control of the cans they would back off and let me do the work; coaching me through the process until I could do it on my own.
The fifth and last principle states that learners should use their knowledge and show others what they know. In Lineage I had the opportunity to coach some newbie in the game. It was so much fun, and I was so happy to help since I had received some great help from more experienced players. This again builds off the fourth principle; since I was coached I could then turn around and be the coach. I could transfer what I learned to others in the game. And with the spiders I can now teach my husband and others how to use spider spray when needed.
Now, is teaching and learning performed differently through this game than in a regular classroom? Unfortunately, I believe that they are. My experiences and observations of classrooms is that they are set more into the principle of telling not doing. Many teachers are now converting their teaching to use one of the above principles, but you need to incorporate all five to make the learning really meaningful. Why is this happening? I would think teachers are not being trained to incorporate the principles or can’t find ways to do so with the limits they are given. I think it will take some training of the teachers to do this. Lineage appears to support these principles, so learning can take place in the game. It would be great to see more games that take an approach to learning where fun is involved as well as teaching. I see gaming as a great tool for teaching, but I believe it needs to be used as all tools should be, at the appropriate time and place. Is there a point where the fun of gaming overrides the learning and teaching that can take place? The article, Killers have more Fun takes an interesting approach to this question. What are the consequences of players actions in a game? What about bugs in the software or servers? What about moral and ethical issues? This article is a little old, but it brings up questions that I think can still be found.
So why are people buying properties for virtual worlds? In the paper The Unreal Estate Boom, the author explains that people pay real money for virtual property. So there is now an economic state in these virtual worlds that is transferring to real world money. Are people learning about managing their property and accounts in these games? Can these acquired skills then be transferred into real-world opportunities? How is e-commerce being introduced into online gaming and where will that take us? Where are the lines drawn for virtual vs. real world? Will true learning take place with economic ideas-guidance, feedback, practice, presentation of information, timing of presentation? How can these be used in both worlds? There is a lot of learning that can take place out there…let’s go out and findit!
I had a great experience playing Lineage, and hope since I have an account for another month that I can continue playing and learning more about the game and the players found in it. This has really sparked an interest for me, so I am excited to play more. Also, I wanted to mention that Kami’s blog expresses so much of what I believe as well.
1. Learning if facilitated when learners are engaged in solving real-world problems.
-solving the problem in progression, more complex as you go
2. Learning is facilitated when relevant previous experience is activated.
-have a foundation, take time to use the previous knowledge
3. Learning is facilitated when the instruction demonstrates what is to be learned rather than merely telling information about what is to be learned…
-media is used, examples of concepts and non-examples
4. Learning is facilitated when learners are required to use their knowledge or skill to solve problems.
-coaching and feedback with coaching gradually withdrawn, practice teachings
5. Learning is facilitated when learners are encouraged to integrate (transfer) the new knowledge or skill into their everyday life.
-Publicly demonstrate skill, explore new ways to use skill
So where are these found in the game Lineage? Here’s what I observed and experienced. First, engage in solving a real world problem. Well, I didn’t really find a ‘real’ world problem within this game. Since goblins and orcs don’t really exist, killing them didn’t show a real world problem per se, except that the concept of invaders is a real world problem. That can stem from insect invasion of your house and property to another country trying to overthrow another. So, yes the concept that there is an invasion of some kind applies to the real world. Learning can occur in this game as you learn to eradicate more evil invaders. The complexity and intensity of these invaders grows in certain areas of the game, so having the knowledge and skill to get rid of them is needed. It was fun for me to be able to progress in my levels of the game as I became more skilled and thought about how the basic concept of the game could be used to teach a real world concept.
Second, activate relevant previous experience. I don’t know how many people actually know how to kill goblins, deer, and boars, but the game gives you the opportunities to practice a little. Having an understanding of using a mouse and keyboard is previous knowledge needed to play the game. So that knowledge is harnessed with new knowledge added. I have played some games before, so I understood the concepts behind this game and what I should be doing (at least at beginner’s level). So my knowledge of using computer accessories to play helped me build on what I needed to do to play this game. Having something, anything to build on is helpful. This game also takes you through a little training course that helps. It is accessible at anytime, and I found myself going back to it frequently when I learned more about the game or couldn’t remember something. What previous knowledge can be applied to the invasion idea (bear with me on this)? Well, if you have an infestation of spiders what would you do? I would probably get some spider spray and try that. That is knowledge that comes from my parents. I’d try it and see if it worked.
Third, this just builds of my previous statement (building off of previous knowledge!) that learning occurs when the instruction is shown not just told. In the little training course in the game, there was some telling of how to do things, but there was also showing. The best kind of showing was in actually playing the game. It was great for me to watch other players and learn from them. I hooked up with some great characters. We joined together as a group and went out hunting. I learned so much from them. I watched and participated in the actions of fighting as well as trading, inviting to a group, and doing a little teaching of my own. It was great! It made the game so much more fun to play with others and interact with them. Most of the time we didn’t tell each other how to do something, we would demonstrate it and then if something was typed we told them. Back to the spider infestation…how did I know to get spider spray? I watched my parents use it when I was a child.
The fourth principle again builds off the third. Learning occurs when coaching is slowly taken away as the learner grows in knowledge. It also occurs when the learners actually use what they are learning. I went to lineage.com to read about the game before I started playing. It was nice to read the literature on the game, but it didn’t do anything compared to what I learned while actually playing the game. That simple act of doing instead of listening made a big difference for me. Spiders…how do I know how to use the spray? My parents would use it, and then allow me to spray with it. As I improved in my aim and control of the cans they would back off and let me do the work; coaching me through the process until I could do it on my own.
The fifth and last principle states that learners should use their knowledge and show others what they know. In Lineage I had the opportunity to coach some newbie in the game. It was so much fun, and I was so happy to help since I had received some great help from more experienced players. This again builds off the fourth principle; since I was coached I could then turn around and be the coach. I could transfer what I learned to others in the game. And with the spiders I can now teach my husband and others how to use spider spray when needed.
Now, is teaching and learning performed differently through this game than in a regular classroom? Unfortunately, I believe that they are. My experiences and observations of classrooms is that they are set more into the principle of telling not doing. Many teachers are now converting their teaching to use one of the above principles, but you need to incorporate all five to make the learning really meaningful. Why is this happening? I would think teachers are not being trained to incorporate the principles or can’t find ways to do so with the limits they are given. I think it will take some training of the teachers to do this. Lineage appears to support these principles, so learning can take place in the game. It would be great to see more games that take an approach to learning where fun is involved as well as teaching. I see gaming as a great tool for teaching, but I believe it needs to be used as all tools should be, at the appropriate time and place. Is there a point where the fun of gaming overrides the learning and teaching that can take place? The article, Killers have more Fun takes an interesting approach to this question. What are the consequences of players actions in a game? What about bugs in the software or servers? What about moral and ethical issues? This article is a little old, but it brings up questions that I think can still be found.
So why are people buying properties for virtual worlds? In the paper The Unreal Estate Boom, the author explains that people pay real money for virtual property. So there is now an economic state in these virtual worlds that is transferring to real world money. Are people learning about managing their property and accounts in these games? Can these acquired skills then be transferred into real-world opportunities? How is e-commerce being introduced into online gaming and where will that take us? Where are the lines drawn for virtual vs. real world? Will true learning take place with economic ideas-guidance, feedback, practice, presentation of information, timing of presentation? How can these be used in both worlds? There is a lot of learning that can take place out there…let’s go out and findit!
I had a great experience playing Lineage, and hope since I have an account for another month that I can continue playing and learning more about the game and the players found in it. This has really sparked an interest for me, so I am excited to play more. Also, I wanted to mention that Kami’s blog expresses so much of what I believe as well.
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