Monthly Archives: June 2007

Visual-Syntactic Text Formatting

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen anything really new when it comes to presenting text, but this one looks like it has a lot of potential. Here is a link to the original article (the samples below come … Continue reading

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Posted in Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, Visualization | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Software Ethology, a new approach to design and analysis

I have recently been working on a new methodology for the analysis of commercial video games in order to uncover mechanisms used to support learning. I am calling this new approach Instructional Ethology. It combines structural analysis based on black … Continue reading

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Posted in Computer Science, Instructional Design, Methodology, Teaching & Learning | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

On Game Length

On Game Length [started Dec. 4 2006] http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20061201/qotw_01.shtml Talks about the length of games. This is of value to me because [I say] long games are ill-suited to school environments. School learning comes in bite-sized chunks, single lessons; units that … Continue reading

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Posted in Game Studies, Teaching & Learning | Tagged , | Leave a comment

On Wasting Valuable Lesson Time

On “wasting valuable lesson time” We must. When ‘content’ is stripped of its context, which MUST include those pesky extraneous details, it becomes disconnected. No wonder learners can’t remember stuff. Virtually all of the memory tricks we use to help … Continue reading

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The Massively Multi-Player Online School

A typical encounter at a yet-to-be built massively multiplayer online school: Suddenly, Amy realized that unless they all worked together, they wouldn’t get out alive. She wiggles the fuzzy slippers dangling from her swinging feet and glances out the window … Continue reading

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Posted in Game Studies, stories, Teaching & Learning, Virtual Learning Environments | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

There are no wrong answers

I was at a conference recently, at a workshop where we were given an exercise that included a brainstorming activity. Among the guidelines was the now-all-too-common refrain: “There are NO wrong answers!” Poppycock. There are too wrong answers! Plenty of … Continue reading

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Posted in General, Teaching & Learning | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The ID / AI Connection

I’ve noticed that quite a few big names in ID (Instructional Design: Papert, Schank, Merrill,..) have backgrounds in AI (Artificial Intelligence, rather than the other AI) I find this a little disconcerting. In some sense the application of concepts from … Continue reading

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Posted in Artificial Intelligence, Instructional Design | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Great Simulations and a Kitten

Do Animals Play Games? I guess it is always possible to discuss definitions, but if one is willing to accept a common-sense definition of play, then animals absolutely play. Kittens (and almost all adult cats) often ‘play’ when alone, which … Continue reading

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Posted in Game Studies, Play, Teaching & Learning, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment