Assignments

<style float-left> </style> <epigraph> There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm. Willa Cather (1915) </epigraph>

<BOOKMARK:readings>

Learning Task #1: Reading Responses

Communication of Journal Postings

Due: A total of four (4) are due during the course. ALL must have been submitted by the last day of class.

Reflection is essential to a fully lived professional life (Boreen, et al., 2000). Reflection can be defined as an analytical process of data-gathering and sense-making through which individuals deepen their understanding of teaching, learning and technology. Dewey (1910) characterized reflection as a sense-making process arising from a 'felt need', usually in the form of questions about practice or learning or evaluation. Students will have multiple opportunities to participate in active scholarly discourse with the instructor and other students in seminar and in writing as they document (observe) and reflect (interpret, make sense) on their learning experiences.

Publish critical responses (250 - 500 words) to one or more of the assigned readings in your private Blackboard space (i.e., Name's Journal) prior to the class meeting (4 journal postings in total starting July 8). The word count is a GUIDELINE, and is meant to indicate that responses need not be a full essay. Instead, the responses may include one's impressions about the reading, a critique of the author's study or arguments, a focus on key issues and ideas, selected quotations plus explanation, ideas you agree/disagree with, questions you are left with, the value of the reading, and so on. Students are strongly encouraged to explore visual methods, such as concept mapping and graphics, for expressing their responses to the key ideas and concepts presented in the readings.

The reflective journal response is a posting that you create each week in a private space in Blackboard. Here are some quick steps to get you started:

  1. Login to Blackboard - http://blackboard.ucalgary.ca
  2. Click on 'Communication Task' link in left column.
  3. Click on 'Group Pages' link.
  4. Locate and click on your 'Name's Journal'
  5. Click on the top link, entitled 'Group Discussion Board'
  6. Click on 'Journal Posting' to create a new space to submit your journal.
  7. Click on 'Add New Thread' and fill in the fields.
  8. When you are finished preparing your journal response, click 'Submit'.

<BOOKMARK:prototype>

Learning Task #2: Prototype

Due: Monday July 21

Game Application / Prototype

Instructions: Individually or in groups, you will choose one of:

Design of a learning situation or instructional intervention that makes use of a COTS or other existing game, including lead-up activities, game-play with goals, and de-briefing.

  1. Choose an existing game - either one that has been designed specifically for educational purposes, or a commercial game that you feel has learning applications, and build a lesson or teaching unit using this game as the focal point. The game must be one to which you have some access - either in its full form, or as a demo. The 'high-level design' in this instance will provide a considered rationale for your choices (i.e. What is it about this game that makes it suitable for your intended purpose?)
  2. Your prototype in this case will be a 'blueprint' of the lesson or unit. This will include pre-game activities, directed play, and post-game activities.

Design a game to be used in a learning situation.

This will include a Design Treatment and a prototype of the learning game.

A Design Treatment is often used to 'sell' a game to a publisher. In this case it is a top-level design document that would explain the basic idea behind the game, show how players can manipulate their virtual universe to accomplish the goals, and to explain the concept and narrative behind the play. It would normally be only a few pages long, and would contain the essential story and motivation that a player would require.

The prototype can be a pure mock-up built as web-pages, power-point, paper-based, or some other medium. The purpose of the prototype is to 'sell' the game to those in a position to fund its development.

The instructional effectiveness of the prototype is the primary focus for this assignment. Justification, including learning goals must be included. The format of the prototype is flexible (i.e., it can be paper-based, electronic or other). Assessment will be based on your game or instructional prototype, and a discussion paper.

Each collaborative group will prepare a presentation of their proposal for discussion, and any supporting materials are to be made available after the seminar in Blackboard.

You will provide a prototype for your unit using the COTS or for the custom game as described above, based on personal/professional interest, the skill sets of your group members, and the course information/activities to date. This prototype will function as a framework for a collaborative review with the instructor and it can also be used for later reflection in the discussion paper.

The final deliverables for this phase should include (but are not limited to):

  • a graphic representation of the prototype elements and flow
    • for the COTS application this would consist of a blueprint of a lesson or unit that outlines activities leading up to, including, and following the use(s) of the game(s)
    • for a custom game design this will minimally consist of a graphical representation of the game (such as a storyboard), and may include a prototype, runnable game or parts thereof (depending on the size of the group and the various skills that members bring to the team)
  • instructional objectives
    • these must be outlined, including rationale and justification for how the game will facilitate meeting the stated objectives
  • intended delivery mode: tech. & time requirements, mode (online, local net, CD),
  • an implementation plan: If you were to finish this project, how would you proceed from the current prototype to completion (timelines, personnel requirements, funding, integration & adoption)
  • assessment plan: how will you determine if, and to what extent, the objectives have been met.

Your prototype should be a detailed sample of a larger instructional project. The completed product should provide at least one detailed example or experience (including initial orientation, guidance, activity, instruction, and assessment) from which other aspects of the larger project could be patterned and developed.

After designing and developing your prototype, you will propose and design a field test, or conduct a cognitive walk-through with at least one test user (could be another member of the class, or someone else from outside the class). Using observations and feedback from your test(s), any additional research, and reflections from your own experiences during development and testing, you will complete the final revisions to your prototype. Final deliverables will include your prototype or blueprint and any related materials such as instructions, etc.

<BOOKMARK:presentation>

Instructions: You will demonstrate or present your COTS or custom game prototype to class members (maximum time depends on class size & number of presentations).

You will be expected to answer questions and to provide one print copy of a topic “brochure” and reference summary (1 page - 2 sided) for each class member. In this document, you can describe the prototype, summarize its features, and highlight its instructional value and provide references. This presentation may be recorded for the purposes of assessment. <BOOKMARK:paper>

Learning Task #3: Discussion Paper

Due: July 21 (Monday)

Instructions: You will each hand in your own discussion paper. (Max: 15 pages excluding references, abstract, appendices and title page - Appendicies are to be used for supplementary material *only*. The paper must be compete and readable without them.)

In preparation for the discussion paper, you will need to analyze and reflect on readings and research to determine how these do or do not inform your game application or prototype.

It will be important to record your analyses, reflections, criticisms, thoughts and references as you move through the research, the readings and the process. Keep notes as you work through this exercise. Document your decisions around what you are including in your prototype, how you are developing it and why. Decisions about what you did NOT include or do (and why) should also be captured, along with your frustrations, your ideas, and the “ah ha's!

Students are expected to prepare a literature review that draws upon assigned readings from the course and other articles / chapters that the student finds in the literature, but does not merely quote from, or repeat what was found in the literature. Students will use the literature review to support and extend their understanding of the intervention they have designed.

Students are expected to build from and go beyond personal experience by summarizing and interpreting literature from the domain that demonstrates how others scholars have defined and conducted research in the domain. The conclusion should restate the original thesis / problem statement, and offer recommendations for future practice and research in the domain.

A title page, table of contents and reference list are to be included. Following a one line proposal indicating the domain of interest to the student, this paper ideally will be written throughout the semester. An assessment rubric will be provided to guide student writing and research. This is an APA format paper.

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