Schedule (Subject to change as needed)

Week 1 Wednesday, August 24 — What Kinds of Games Are There? How do we Review Them?

• Introductions
• Review syllabus
• Assign Game Presentation Days

• Review and practice game review protocols (video closet, blogging, written - using Next Generation's 6 elements, Prenksy's 6 Elements, and Barb's Big 3)
  
• Donkey Konga
• DDR
• Loop
• You Don't Know Jack
  

Week 2 Wednesday, August 31 — What are Gamers Like?

• Intro of new students
• The Games Generation

• Read Digital game-based learning — Chapter 2: The games generations: How learners have changed.  
• Write response on readings and save to post on portfolio.
• Write reviews of the 4 games played in class and save to post on portfolio.
• Jeanne and Linda, bring food.

• Blogging: posting resources to the Learning Games Blog
• Case Study: Making the Case for Game Based Learning.
  

Week 3 Wednesday, September 7 — The Challenge of Assessment

• How is learning through game play assessed?
• what works?
• what doesn't work?
• what do we know?
  

• Complete literature review on ways to assess learning through game play
• Find one article and critique method used, bring printed copy to class, and save to post on portfolio.
  
• Review the method used, and discuss what was learned, what was not learned, or where the assessment method was faulty if you feel it is. Be ready to discuss your article in class with implications for our own game design.
  
• Write a one-page synopsis of your "Making the Case" proposal. Be sure to mention your goal (pitching game play to Smart, the school, or the IRS), and your recommendations. You should review what your group discussed and add in some of your own thoughts if you want.
  
• Cut some 8.5x11 blank paper into quarters, so you have 10 slips of paper. On each one, write the name of a computer game and a short description. You should try to come up with 10 different types of games... bring 'em to class.
  
• Jen and Gerritt, bring food.

• Game Typology
• Case Study: Evaluation of Learning Game
• What Makes a Game Fun?
  

Week 4 Wednesday, September 14 — What Makes Games Fun? What is Play?

• What is Play?
• Chapter presentation by Jordan.
  

• Read Digital game-based learning —  Chapter 5: Fun, play and games: What makes play engaging?
  
• Read Chris Crawford on game design — Chapter 3: Play (Available from email). 
  
• Write a one-page synopsis of your "Evaluation of a Learning Game" proposal. Be sure to include your proposed evaluation, with a description of the challenges and problems with the proposed evaluation.
  
• Write response on readings and save to post on portfolio.
• Kerry and Melody, bring food.
  

• Portfolio Work Session
  

Week 5 Wednesday, September 21 — How do we Learn?

• How does game play lend itself to learning?
• Chapter presentation by Linda.
• Game presentation by Gerritt.
  

• Read How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School — Chapter 10: Conclusions (Available from email).  
• Read A theory of fun for game design — Chapter 7: The problem with learning.
• Write response on readings and post to portfolio.
• Jordan and Matt, bring food.

• Home ownership simulation

Week 6 Wednesday, September 28 — What can we Learn from Games?

• How is learning changed by game play?
• Chapter presentation by Pamela.
  

• Read What Video Games have to Teach us about Learning and Literacy — Chapter 5: Telling and doing: Why doesn't Lara Croft obey Professor Von Croy?
• Write response on reading and post to portfolio.
• Write a one-page synopsis of your "Home Ownership Simulation" proposal. Be sure to include your proposed evaluation, with a description of the challenges and problems with the proposed evaluation.
  
• Alicia and Pamela, bring food.

• Brainstorming on final project games.
  

Week 7 Wednesday, October 5 — Games as a Social Experience

• How can social interaction lead to learning through game play?

• Read What Video Games have to Teach us about Learning and Literacy — Chapter 7: The social mind: How do you get your corpse back after you've died? 
• Write response on reading and post to portfolio.
• Gustav and Barb, bring food.

• Designing Think Tank Activities.
  

Week 8 Wednesday, October 12 — Learning Objectives

Last day to drop with a "W"

• Student's Choice
  

• Read A theory of fun for game design — Chapter 3 : What games are. 
  
• Read A theory of fun for game design — Chapter 4 : What games teach us.
• Read A theory of fun for game design — Chapter 5: What games aren't. Post response to portfolio. 
• Write response on readings and post to portfolio.
• Draft a one-page proposal on final project.
• CC, bring food.
  

• Students Choice (Game Lab Participants)
  
• Case study: Developing learning objectives for 7th grade Social Studies
  

Week 9 Wednesday, October 19 — Adult Learning

• Chapter presentation by Gustav.
• Reading discussion.
  

• Read Digital game-based learning — Chapter 8: Digital game-based learning for adults.
• Write response on reading and post to portfolio.
• Send Barb written evaluation on game played.
  
• Linda and Jeanne, bring food.

• Design Workshop: Final Project
  

Week 10 Wednesday, October 26 —  Usability Testing and Formative Evaluation

• Nielsen's Alert Box: "Don't Listen to Users"
• Chapter presentation by Alicia.
  

• Read The design of children's technology — Chapter 1 : The role of usability research in designing children's computer products.
• Read Design research methods and perspectives — Simsmarts (Page 253).
• Read Design research methods and perspectives — Play as research (Page 176).
• Write response on readings and post to portfolio.
• Jenny and Gerritt, bring food.

• Design protocol for testing

Week 11 Wednesday, November 2 — Usability Test

• Grads: Post draft of narrative for final project to your portfolio.
  

Week 12 Wednesday, November 9 — Development of final proposal

• Discussion on Archeology game
• Kerry and Melody, bring food.

• Group time to draft proposal
  

Week 13 Wednesday, November 16 — Budget and Timeline for final project

• Developing a Budget and Timeline
  
• Game presentation by Matt and Alicia.

• Grad: post draft of project narrative for final project to portfolio (Pam delivers to me)
• justification of games for learning
• learning objectives
• audience description
• use environment
• short description of possible gameplay
  
• Post draft of narrative to portfolio
  
• Read Digital game-based learning — Chapter 6: Digital game-based learning: Why and how it works.
• Read Design research methods and perspectives — Research and Design for kids (page 301).
• Write response on readings and post to portfolio.
• Barbara and Matt, bring food.

• Budget and Timeline development
  

Week 14 Wednesday, November 23 —

Week 15 Wednesday, November 30 — Developing a Learning Games lab

• What activities can we design that involves kids in game design?
• Chapter presentation - Melody
• Chapter presentation - Alicia

• Post to portfolios budget and timeline
• Read Design research methods and perspectives — "You can't bring that game to school! " (Page 244).
• Read Design research methods and perspectives — Creating a culture of design research (pg. 185).
• Write response on readings and post to portfolio.
• Alicia and Pamela, bring food.

• Case Study: Development Project for High School Students
  

Week 16 Wednesday, December 7 — Finals Week

• Everybody, bring food.
• Presentation ready to "sell me" on archeology game
  
• Posted final game proposal to portfolio (in addition to everything else!)