Play is….

Games generate inspiration

imagination exploration innovation

Why we play

• To feel powerful

• To have control

• To break rules

• To explore a story

Games in libraries

National Gaming Day – November 13• http://ilovelibraries.org/gaming/

Gaming in Libraries Course (Scott Nicholson) http://www.gamesinlibraries.org/course/

The Librarian’s Guide to Gaming• http://librarygamingtoolkit.org/

- Jenny Levine

“Imagine a library not offering chess today because it would draw ‘juvenile delinquents.’ And yet this is one reason cited against offering videogames as a service.”

• Games test our problem-solving skills

• Games are inclusive

• Games create community

• Games facilitate learning

• Games provide fields for practice of leadership and team skills

• Games develop identity

Games teach children about:

Games teach children about:

• Cause and effect relationships• Long term winning versus short term gains• Creating order from seeming chaos• Second order consequences• Complex system behaviours• Counter-intuitive results• The value of persistence.• Using obstacles as motivation

- Marc Prensky

Peggy Sheehy• “Pleasantly frustrating..”• Teaching narrative through WoW gameplay• The Heroes Journey• Teachable moments for emotional intelligencehttp://www.slideshare.net/PeggySheehy/wow-for-education

• Cognitive Dissonancehttp://cognitivedissonance.guildportal.com/Guild.aspx?

GuildID=228854&TabID=1927706

“The great thing about video games is that it puts people in a world where they can connect language to actions, to images, and to talk -- so they don't just get words for words, they get images and actions and dialogue for words.”

- James Paul Gee

Quest to Learnhttp://q2l.org/

4 core principles:

1. Technology is linked directly to the curriculum and learning objectives.

2. Integrated technology adds breadth and depth to educational experiences.

3. Technology integration is done so with purpose and with an eye on pedagogy

4. Technology is a tool.

SNAKS• Strategy

• Narrative

• Action

• Knowledge

• Social

- Scott Nicholson

• Games as storytelling

http://www.thelandofme.com/

• Level editors (eg. LittleBigPlanet)

• Machinima

…the convergence of filmmaking, animation and game development.

• MMPORG (Multiplayer Online Role-play Game)

– World of Warcraft– Lego Universe

http://universe.lego.com/en-us/splash/default.aspx

Serious Games

Jane McGonigal• Games for social change:

Evoke, Superstructhttp://www.avantgame.com/

• Zombie Truth• Peacemaker• The Curfew

http://www.thecurfewgame.com/

• Institute of Play http://www.instituteofplay.com/

• LTS: Consolariumhttp://www.ltscotland.org.uk/usingglowandict/

• Futurelabhttp://www.futurelab.org.uk/projects/games-and-learning/research

• What They Play (The family guide to video games) http://www.whattheyplay.com/

• Joan Ganz Cooney – Advancing Children’s Learning in a Digital Age http://

www.joanganzcooneycenter.org/

Other games resources

Other games examplesScarygirl• http://www.scarygirl.com/ Machinarium• http://machinarium.net/demo/ Scribblenauts (Nintendo DS)Kodu (Microsoft)• http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/projects/kodu/

Scratch• http://scratch.mit.edu/