A multi-player game on development

ISAGA Conf - Interactive Workshop

2009-06-30T00:27:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Ecocity blog.

1) Please identify who you are and where you are from. Briefly, what's your area of work? How is it related to the use/design of games and simulations for learning?

2) Having played the game, could you comment on what you had observed or seen:
i) in terms of the strength or weakenss in the game design
ii) areas of strength or weakness in the pedagogical approach
iii) possible extensions for use in the classroom - to another audience or group of learners

3) We'd like to find out how the use of this game facilitates gains in students' learning. Any suggestions on how to go about doing this?

4) We're dreaming that perhaps one day, there might an inter-linked world - made up of many cities that grow and it's organic in nature... what would you like to see / do in such a world?

Thank you!

Exploration

2009-06-08T19:20:00.000-07:00

Other online games to try:

http://www.electrocity.co.nz/

http://www.3rdworldfarmer.com/

Reflection

2009-06-08T19:19:00.000-07:00

Dear teachers,

We'll need your feedback about the first class.

1) Personal response: How was the overall gaming experience for you? Which part did you enjoy the most? Which part of the game was difficult?

2) From the teacher's view point: Do you see this game as a potential teaching tool for the topic 'Development'? Would you use it? Why/Why not? What is your role like in a classroom where this game is used for teaching? If this game can be used for 'teaching Development' - what concepts or content do you can be grasped by the students?

3) For training purposes: For training workshops - what critical components you think must be included for another teacher to use this game for teaching? What could be some potential challenges that prevents teachers from using this game?

4) Any other comments / feedback you'd like to share?

Post 1

2009-06-08T18:58:00.001-07:00

Please answer this question:

How do you go about teaching the topic ‘Development’ usually? (no right or wrong answers)

9 Jun 2009

2009-06-08T18:05:00.000-07:00

Welcome to how to use Ecocity game in Geography classroom

In this session, you will get to explore why some people think computer games make sense in the classroom. For this, click on these links here:

James Paul Gee
Marc Prensky

But of course, nothing beats trying your hands at a game.

Ecocity was developed with this intention of engaging students in the classroom on the issues surrounding development (which can get rather complicated at times).

Here are two documents to get you started.

Teachers' Tutorial (Click here to download)
Course Handout (Click here to download)

June

2009-06-02T23:40:00.000-07:00

Dear teachers,

We'll need your feedback about the first class.

1) How do you usually teach the topic 'Development'?

2) Personal response: How was the overall gaming experience for you? Which part did you enjoy the most? Which part of the game was difficult?

3) From the teacher's view point: Do you see this game as a potential teaching tool for the topic 'Development'? Would you use it? Why/Why not? What is your role like in a classroom where this game is used for teaching? If this game can be used for 'teaching Development' - what concepts or content do you can be grasped by the students?

4) For training purposes: For training workshops - what critical components you think must be included for another teacher to use this game for teaching? What could be some potential challenges that prevents teachers from using this game?

5) Any other comments / feedback you'd like to share?

Class question

2009-06-02T20:44:00.000-07:00

In the event that you are stuck in the game because of lack of resources, you can search for alternatives.

One such alternative is to request for additional funds and resource provision from external organisations like the World Bank.

Write a 60-100 word proposal why you should be given these resources. Your proposal should include reasons why the city is in such a state, what did you learn from the experience, and how you would prevent such an event from occuring.

Note that your request comes at a cost. This will be told to you by the organisation.

Class 3 Session 2

2009-04-01T23:31:00.001-07:00

Post Session Think Time:

1) What do you like or dislike about working as a team? What are the advantages / pitfalls of working as a team?

2) What did you learn about the possible factors that aided or hampered a city's development, the importance of the different parts of the economy?

3) Consider the possiblities and/ or limitations this game has for enhacing your understanding about a city or a country's development, the variations in development status within a country, the strategies that can be adopted and factors that could have caused these strategies not to work as well as anticipated.

4) Any other comments / feedback.

Class 2, Session 2

2009-03-31T23:31:00.000-07:00

Class 1, Session 2

2009-03-31T02:22:00.000-07:00

Class 3 - Reflections

2009-03-11T23:00:00.000-07:00

Class 2 - Reflections

2009-03-11T00:51:00.000-07:00

Dear teachers,

We'll need your feedback about the first class.

1) How do you usually teach the topic 'Development'?

2) Personal response: How was the overall gaming experience for you? Which part did you enjoy the most? Which part of the game was difficult? Any suggestions on how the game could be improved?

3) From the teacher's view point: Do you see this game as a potential teaching tool for the topic 'Development'? Would you use it? Why/Why not? What is your role like in a classroom where this game is used for teaching? If this game can be used for 'teaching Development' - what concepts or content do you can be grasped by the students?

4) For training purposes: For training workshops - what critical components you think must be included for another teacher to use this game for teaching? What could be some potential challenges that prevents teachers from using this game?

5) Any other comments / feedback you'd like to share?

Handout Link

2009-03-09T23:24:00.001-07:00

This is the link to the Missions and Debrief.

You will need this during the lesson.

https://www.yousendit.com/download/U0d4Z296RndqV0R2Wmc9PQ

Minds-on Question

2009-03-09T21:56:00.000-07:00

How do you go about teaching the topic ‘Development’ usually? (no right or wrong answers)

Mission 2

2008-06-09T23:19:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

Read the following specific mission objectives:

You have 20mins to achieve the following aims.

As a team, you have to reach the next level where the city has alternative ways of making the products for sale.

By the end of the 20min, you should have at least $2500 in the city's cash assets and at least 20% of your labour force should be literate. The pollution should not exceed 50 units.

TEAM RESPONSE:

a) At the end of the game, based on the city's indicators , record how well you had done.

b) Evaluate the improvements your team has made to do city. Is the progress satisfactory? Why or why not?

c) What were the individuals' role in ensuring there was overall improvement?

Mission 1

2008-06-09T23:16:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTION

There two parts to the tutorial. One part explains how to play the game. The other part explains how to start the game. For this round, the player taking on the role of government will have to start the game.

Individual response:

At the end of the tutorial:

a) Please comment on how easy it is to use the tutorial.

b) At the end of the game session, please comment on how the tutorial could be improved upon.

Instructions to posting comments and replies

2008-06-09T23:11:00.000-07:00

Dear all,

When posting your comments and replies, please indicate clearly the city's name, your role and personal name (yes real name):

In this order - City Name/Role/Personal Name

For example:

Alexandria/Farmer/Kenneth Tan

Alexandria/Government/Mickey Soh

Alexandria/Manufacturer/Ang Ling See

Alexandria/Retailer/Rabi'ah Ghazali

Welcome

2008-06-09T23:09:00.000-07:00

Dear all,

Welcome to the blog set up for the trial of the Geography game on development.

There are altogether 2 missions. Each mission brief contains instructions for the team, and questions are posed for individual players as well as whole team.

The aims of the game - be competent, collaborate with each other, be environmentally sustainable.

Hint: The fastest finger may not always win.

Have fun!

Post game evaluation (individual)

2008-05-22T09:30:00.000-07:00

ANSWER INDIVIDUALLY

Comment on the experience and any insights you had gained through this game experience.

For example:
What do you like or dislike about working as a team? What are the advantages/pitfalls of working as a team?

What did you learn about the possible factors that aided or hampered a city's development, the importance of the different parts of the economy?

Consider the possibilities and/or limitations this game has for enhancing your understanding about a city or country's development, the variations in development status within a country, the strategies that can be adopted and factors that could have caused these strategies not to work as well as anticipated.

Team evaluation

2008-05-22T09:26:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS

At the end of the game, based on the city's indicators, record how well you had done.

Indicators and Quantity:

Evaluate the improvements your team made to do city. Is the progress satisfactory? Why?

Feedback on Tutorial

2008-05-22T09:24:00.000-07:00

Please comment on how easy it is to use the tutorial. How useful was the tutorial in explaining how to play the game and what areas could be made better?

Instructions to posting a comment

2008-05-22T09:19:00.001-07:00

23 May 08 Game Trial

2008-05-22T08:51:00.000-07:00

Contact us

2008-05-21T23:19:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for your participation.

The game is yet to be named. Come up with an original game. Give us a good reason why your suggestion should be chosen. The best suggestions will be considered by the game development team. The student whose suggestion is selected will be credited. (This game will be distributed to all schools.)

Contact us at this email address: geography.development.game@gmail.com to let us know if you want to take part in the name the game activity or in the beta testing.

Make sure you identify yourself. Unidentified emails will be ignored.
Use this format when signing off: Name/School/Class/How to contact you (e.g. email/tel)

For students wishing to make a suggestion for the name of the game - use the following heading in the email title:
'Name a Game'

For students wishing to take part in the testing of the game - use the following heading in the email title:
'Beta Testing'

For any other comments - either leave it in the blog under the suitable blog posts or else email it to us.

Thank you!

Game Development Team

Mission Feedback

2008-05-21T23:18:00.001-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS

Reflect on your team's performance.

A) As a team, how well did you fare? What were some of the strategies or approaches that your team took to make sure you do well?

B) Were there instances where you did not do as well as you expected? What was the likely cause?

C) What other game strategy would you want to try if we restart the game?

Mission

2008-05-21T23:16:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

Read the following specific mission objectives:

You have 20mins to achieve the following aims.

As a team, you have to reach the next level where you can have alternative ways of making the products for sale in the marketplace.

By the end of the 20min, you should have at least $2500 in the city's cash assets and at least 40% of your labour force should be literate. The pollution should not exceed 30 units.

Feedback on Tutorial

2008-05-21T23:14:00.000-07:00

Please comment on how easy it is to use the tutorial. How useful was the tutorial in explaining how to play the game and what areas could be made better?

Tutorial & Initial trial

2008-05-21T23:10:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS

The tutorial comprises of two parts - the startup and the game tutorial.

Try the tutorials and familiarise yourself with what the game is like. You can repeat the tutorial anytime during the game if you forget how to play.

When your team is ready - you can proceed with starting the game.

You have about 15 mins to explore.

Instructions to posting a comment

2008-05-21T23:08:00.000-07:00

22 May 08 Game Trial 1

2008-05-21T23:03:00.000-07:00

Game Trial (2)

2008-05-20T22:46:00.001-07:00

Game trial (1)

2008-05-20T22:43:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS:

Read the following specific mission objectives:

You have 20mins to achieve the following aims.

As a team, you have to reach the next level where you can have alternative ways of making the products for sale in the marketplace. By the end of the 20min, you should have at least $2500 in the city's cash assets and at least 40% of your labour force should be literate. The pollution should not exceed 50 units.

Trial (1) - tutorial

2008-05-20T22:38:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTION

The tutorial comprises of two parts. Try both parts.

Please comment on how easy it is to use the tutorial. For those of you who have played the game before, how useful was the tutorial in explaining how to play the game and what areas could be made better?

Teachers - Name the game

2008-05-08T20:19:00.001-07:00

Dear teachers,

The game has yet to be named. Could you think of a suitable name for this game? We will credit you for it!

Contact us at this email address: geography.development.game@gmail.com

Teachers only (part 2/2)

2008-05-08T17:15:00.001-07:00

Dear teachers,

We'll need your feedback about the game.

1) Personal response: How was the overall gaming experience for you? Which part did you enjoy the most? Which part of the game was difficult? How could the game be improved?

2) From the teacher's view point: Do you see this game as a potential teaching tool for the topic 'Development'? Would you use it? Why/Why not? What is your role like in a classroom where this game is used for teaching? If this game can be used for 'teaching Development' - what concepts or content do you can be grasped by the students?

3) For training purposes: For training workshops - what critical components you think must be included for another teacher to use this game for teaching? What could be some potential challenges that prevents teachers from using this game?

Teachers only (part 1/2)

2008-05-08T17:09:00.000-07:00

Dear Teachers,

Could you share about the experiences of teaching the topic 'Development'?
What do you like best? Which part was more challenging for your students to understand?
What were some ways you have tried to engage them in the topic?

Is the topic 'Development' relevant, meaningful or even impactful (perhaps) in students' lives?

Our comments and contact email

2008-04-10T19:09:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for your participation.

We have one final blog about the game that we'd like you to think about - Look at the one titled 'Post Game Evaluation' - you can add your comments as you reflect about the experience you had.

Contact us at this email address: geography.development.game@gmail.com to let us know what you are thinking about and whether you want to take part in the beta testing or in the name the game activity.

Make sure you identify yourself. Unidentified emails will be ignored.
Use this format when signing off: Name/School/Class/How to contact you (e.g. email/tel)

For students wishing to make a suggestion for the name of the game - use the following heading in the email title:
'Name a Game'

For students wishing to take part in the testing of the game - use the following heading in the email title:
'Beta Testing'

For any other comments - either leave it in the blog under the suitable blog posts or else email it to us.

Thank you!

Game Development Team

Give it a shot!

2008-04-09T21:38:00.002-07:00

The game is yet to be named. Come up with an original game. Give us a good reason why your suggestion should be chosen.

The best suggestions will be considered by the game development team. The student whose suggestion is selected will be credited. (This game will be distributed to all schools.)

Contact us. See latest post.

Feedback on technical features

2008-04-09T21:38:00.001-07:00

What features would you like enhanced in the game? Describe the functions you'd like to have as a player that would enable you to be play better. Comments on the graphics, display, functions available, types of levels in the game.

We're looking for people to test the game before release. Contact us by leaving your name and email address on the blog. We will contact you when we are ready.

Contact us. See latest post.

Post game evaluation

2008-04-09T21:36:00.000-07:00

ANSWER INDIVIDUALLY

Comment on the experience and any insights you had gained through this game experience.
For example:
What do you like or dislike about working as a team? What are the advantages/pitfalls of working as a team?

What did you learn about the possible factors that aided or hampered a city's development, the importance of the different parts of the economy?

Consider the possibilities and/or limitations this game has for enhancing your understanding about a city or country's development, the variations in development status within a country, the strategies that can be adopted and factors that could have caused these strategies not to work as well as anticipated.

Mission 2: Team Debrief: Team evironmental strategies

2008-04-09T20:55:00.000-07:00

[Team’s environmental strategies]

ANSWER INDIVIDUALLY
• When presented with the alternative options to produce via capital-intensive or environmentally friendly methods , which option did you take? Why?

ANSWER AS A TEAM
• How many in the team opted for the environmentally friendly method in reaching the next level of play?

To what extent does that reflect society's response to the management of natural environment and the issues surrounding it today?

Mission 2 - Team Debrief: Team achievements and experience

2008-04-09T20:50:00.000-07:00

[Team achievement and experience]

ANSWER AS A TEAM:
Q1a
Record the results shown in the city's indicators panel.
Tax rate: $
Total population:
Total healthcare coverage: %
Total literacy rate: %
Total pollution: Units

Q1b
Did your team manage to attain the objectives set out in the mission objectives for session 2? What were the strategies that your team used in trying to meet those objectives? How effective or successful were those strategies?

Q1c
Other than cash assets, labour force literacy and pollution levels, what other indicators could be used to assess how well is your team doing? Were the pre-set indicators a fair assessment of how well your team played or understood about the issues? Why? Or why not? If your team could choose how you'd like your team to be assessed in your performance, what would you choose?

Q1d
Pen down how you'd prefer your team's performance to be assessed:
Indicators/ Variables:
Quantity:

Q2
Was there a 'choke point' in the game where the team could not proceed any further? What was a probable cause of the 'choke point'? Was any particular role responsible? How did the team resolve the problem?

Mission 2

2008-04-09T20:48:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS

Read the following specific mission objectives:

You have 20mins to achieve the following aims.

As a team, you have to reach the next level where you can have alternative ways of making the products for sale in the marketplace. By the end of the 20min, you should have at least $2500 in the city's cash assets and at least 40% of your labour force should be literate. The pollution should not exceed 50 units.

Mission 1 - Team Debrief

2008-04-09T20:44:00.000-07:00

ANSWER AS A TEAM:

As a team, describe the roles and functions of the government, and the other parts of the economy. How important is each player to the game?

Mission 1 - Individual Debrief

2008-04-09T20:42:00.000-07:00

ANSWER INDIVIDUALLY:

• What type of feedback/information do you receive from the game? What did you do with that feedback/information?

• Describe your observations about the impact of your actions. Propose what could have caused the city's indicators to rise and/or fall.

• For the players who are taking the government role only, describe the differences you observed about the role that you play compared to the other players. What features are available only to you but not the rest? What type of decisions do you have to make in the game?

Mission 1

2008-04-09T20:39:00.000-07:00

INSTRUCTIONS

Read the following specific mission objectives:

You have 10mins to explore the features of the game.

As you explore, find out who are the producers of resources that are being sold in the marketplace. What are the different products that you are able to make? Find out who is/are buying or using the products that you have made. What does the ‘thrash bin’ icon represent? What could you do to reduce the quantity shown?

Instructions to posting comments and replies

2008-04-09T19:46:00.000-07:00

Welcome

2008-04-09T18:13:00.000-07:00

Dear all,

Welcome to the blog set up for the trial of the Geography game on development.

There are altogether 3 missions. Each mission brief contains instructions for the team, and questions are posed for individual players as well as whole team.

The aims of the game - be competent, collaborate with each other, be environmentally sustainable.

Hint: The fastest finger may not always win.

Have fun!