Secretary s NCLB e Learning Summit July 13 2004

Serious training in a game environment © 2004 Marc Prensky

I am speaking to you today… © 2004 Marc Prensky

…from the point of view… © 2004 Marc Prensky

Naturally, we’ll be going at (slides available) © 2004 Marc Prensky

WHAT CAN YOU [Educational Policy Makers] DO FOR US? [The Millennials] © 2004 Marc

“Give us st 21 Century Tools!” © 2004 Marc Prensky

We are growing up during a VERY DIFFICULT TRANSITION © 2004 Marc Prensky

“For the first time in history, we are no longer limited by our teachers’

Sadly, YOU are LIMITING US © 2004 Marc Prensky

So we ask you, as Policy Makers To please SET US FREE ! ©

BY GIVING US THE TOOLS WE NEED © 2004 Marc Prensky

Today, you are so focused on CONTENT ( testing, etc. ) © 2004 Marc

FOR MOST OF US, OUR BIGGEST NEED IS NOT BETTER CONTENT © 2004 Marc

WE NEED BETTER UNDERSTANDING & 21 st CENTURY SKILLS © 2004 Marc Prensky

E. G. Knowledge filtering Using our connectivity Maximizing computer cycles Speaking in game, etc.

OUR TEACHERS CAN PROVIDE US WITH BETTER UNDERSTANDING © 2004 Marc Prensky

BUT WE CAN’T GET 21 ST CENTURY SKILLS from our TEACHERS © 2004 Marc

THEY DON’T HAVE THEM! © 2004 Marc Prensky

E. G. Knowledge filtering Using our connectivity Maximizing computer cycles Speaking in game ©

EVEN IF YOU “RETRAIN” THEM! © 2004 Marc Prensky

• • • 10, 000 hours Video Games 250, 000 emails 10, 000

• 2 billion ring tones per year • 2 billion songs + movies

Conventional Speed Step-by-Step Linear Processing Text First Work-Oriented Stand-Alone

Our Communicating email, IM, chat Sharing Blogs, webcams Buying & Selling ebay, papers Exchanging music, movies, humor Creating sites, avatars, mods Meeting 3 D chat rooms, dating Collecting e-Life Coordinating Projects, workgroups, MMORPGs Evaluating Reputation systems– Epinions, Amazon, Slashdot Gaming Solo, 1 -on-1, small & large groups Learning About stuff that interests them Evolving Peripheral, emergent behaviors Searching Info, connections, people Analyzing SETI, drug molecules Reporting Moblogs, photos Programming Open systems, mods search Socializing Learning social behavior, influence Growing Up Exploring, transgressing mp 3, video, sensor data © 2004 Marc Prensky

OUR TEACHERS, HOWEVER, ARE MOSTLY… © 2004 Marc Prensky

TO US THEY HAVE A DIGITAL IMMIGRANT ACCENT © 2004 Marc Prensky

AND MOST OF THEM DON’T UNDERSTAND THE NEW TECHNOLOGIES OR EVEN THE LANGUAGE ©

• Quantum entanglement • Search technologies • Texture mapping • Steganography • 3

FOR A LOT OF WHAT WE NEED OUR DIGITAL IMMIGRANT TEACHERS CANNOT HELP US

and DIGITAL NATIVE teachers WILL NOT TRULY BE THERE © 2004 Marc Prensky

UNTIL WE GROW UP AND BECOME THEM! © 2004 Marc Prensky

WHAT CAN YOU GIVE US? © 2004 Marc Prensky

WHAT DO WE DESPERATELY NEED FROM YOU? © 2004 Marc Prensky

WHAT YOU CAN, AND MUST, PROVIDE US WITH IS: © 2004 Marc Prensky

THE UNDERSTANDING & SKILLS © 2004 Marc Prensky

THAT WILL E-NABLE US © 2004 Marc Prensky

TO GO BEYOND OUR TEACHERS’ ABILITY AND KNOWLEDGE © 2004 Marc Prensky

AND TO SUCCEED IN THE 21 ST CENTURY © 2004 Marc Prensky

E-LEARNING E-NABLEMENT © 2004 Marc Prensky

Out of School we are EMPOWERED © 2004 Marc Prensky

“Whenever I go to school I have to ‘power down’” – a high school

GOOD TOOLS EMPOWER US AS LEARNERS © 2004 Marc Prensky

“On the Internet you can play games, you can check your mail, you can talk to your friends, you can buy things, and you can look up things that you really like. ” – A High School Student Yahoo Born to be Wired Conference © 2004 Marc Prensky

The Communicating email, IM, chat Sharing Blogs, webcams Buying & Selling ebay, papers Exchanging music, movies, humor Creating sites, avatars, mods Meeting 3 D chat rooms, dating Collecting e-Life Coordinating Projects, workgroups, MMORPGs Evaluating Reputation systems– Epinions, Amazon, Slashdot Gaming Solo, 1 -on-1, small & large groups Learning About stuff that interests them Evolving Peripheral, emergent behaviors Searching Info, connections, people Analyzing SETI, drug molecules Reporting Moblogs, photos Programming Open systems, mods search Socializing Learning social behavior, influence Growing Up Exploring, transgressing mp 3, video, sensor data © 2004 Marc Prensky

POWERED By Our INTERESTS © 2004 Marc Prensky

What’s different about our new technology is that it is programmable. – Alan Kay

What we put into the Internet is much more important to us than what

We are producing as much as we are consuming – perhaps more. – JC

If we don’t make it ourself, it’s not fun. – Stuart Bonn, Former VP

The most important things to remember are: multi-player creative collaborative challenging competitive – a

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN EMPOWER US © 2004 Marc Prensky

1 GIVE US THE HARDWARE TOOLS THAT WILL EMPOWER US © 2004 Marc Prensky

EMPOWERMENT MEANS HAVING OUR OWN COMPUTER © 2004 Marc Prensky

BE SURE THERE IS CONSISTENCY AND MINIMUM STANDARDS! © 2004 Marc Prensky

SCHOOL COMPUTERS NOT RANDOM BUSINESS COMPUTERS © 2004 Marc Prensky

WITH BASIC MINIMUMS FOR RUGGEDNESS POWER GRAPHICS SCREEN SIZE ETC. © 2004 Marc Prensky

Help us take advantage of the computers we already have… © 2003 Marc Prensky

DON’T BAN OUR CELL PHONES © 2004 Marc Prensky

MAKE THEM LEARNING TOOLS © 2004 Marc Prensky

CELL PHONES ARE: • • • Always in our pocket Powerful and inexpensive Communication-first devices Full-featured e. g. Cameras, GPS, internet Easy to download content into Open to external input & output Missing: Imagination & Funding © 2004 Marc Prensky

2 GIVE US THE SOFTWARE TOOLS THAT WILL EMPOWER US © 2004 Marc Prensky

YOU SHOULD BE DOING INFINITELY MORE FOR SOFTWARE © 2004 Marc Prensky

IT IS A NATIONAL SCANDAL THAT WE HAVE NOT DEVELOPED SOFTWARE THAT… © 2004

…TEACHES ALL KIDS TO READ BEFORE THEY ENTER FIRST GRADE © 2004 Marc Prensky

…TEACHES ALL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ALGEBRA © 2004 Marc Prensky

WE CAN’T RELY ON THE MARKETPLACE TO PROVIDE THE BEST EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE © 2004

We need a “MANHATTAN PROJECT” For KEY EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE TOOLS © 2004 Marc Prensky

EXAMPLES: Tools for: • Teaching the basic subjects • Creating persuasive arguments • Enabling

EMPOWER US TO BUILD THEM © 2004 Marc Prensky

TOOLS MUST BE NOT ONLY POWERFUL BUT ALSO ENGAGING © 2004 Marc Prensky

WE ARE NOT “ADD” BUT “EOE” © 2004 Marc Prensky

ENGAGE ME Or ENRAGE ME © 2004 Marc Prensky

HOW CAN YOU MAKE OUR SOFTWARE TOOLS ENGAGING? © 2004 Marc Prensky

DUH! (A TECHNICAL TERM) © 2004 Marc Prensky

3 GIVE US GAME-TOOLS ENGAGE US TO © 2004 Marc Prensky

WE KNOW GAMES PRODUCE LEARNING WITH ENGAGEMENT © 2004 Marc Prensky

WE WANT TO LEARN WITH ENGAGEMENT ALL THE TIME © 2004 Marc Prensky

WE WANT GAMES NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE GAMES, BUT BECAUSE THEY’RE THE MOST ENGAGING

…AND WE KNOW HOW MUCH WE LEARN FROM THEM! © 2004 Marc Prensky

IN FACT, LEARNING IS THE BIG SECRET REASON WE PLAY GAMES! © 2004 Marc

Why Games Engage Us Fun Play Rules Goals Interactive Outcomes & Feedback Adaptive Win states Conflict, competition Problem solving Interaction with people Representation & Story Enjoyment and Pleasure Intense involvement Structure Motivation Doing Learning Flow Ego Gratification Adrenaline Creativity Social Groups © 2004 Marc Prensky Emotion

Why We Learn From Games (James Paul Gee: What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy 19. Relating information 1. Doing and reflecting 20. Meshing information from multiple media 2. Appreciating good design 21. Understanding how knowledge is stored 3. Seeing interrelationships 22. Thinking intuitively 4. Mastering game language 23. Practicing in a simplified setting 5. Relating the game world to other worlds 24. Being led from easy problems to harder ones 6. Taking risks with reduced consequences 25. Mastering upfront things needed later 7. Putting out effort because they care 26. Repeating basic skills in many games 8. Combining multiple identities 27. Receiving information just when it is needed 9. Watching their own behavior 28. Trying rather than following instructions 10. Getting more out than what they put in 29. Applying learning from problems to later ones 11. Being rewarded for achievement 30. Thinking about the game and the real world 12. Being encouraged to practice 31. Thinking about the game and how they learn 13. Having to master new skills at each level 32. Thinking about the games and their culture 14. Tasks being neither too easy nor too hard. 33. Finding meaning in all parts of the game 15. Doing, thinking and strategizing 34. Sharing with other players 16. Getting to do things their own way 35. Being part of the gaming world 17. Discovering meaning 36. Helping others and modifying games, 18. Reading in context in addition to just playing.

What We Learn from Games Areas various researchers claim are improved by Playing Video Games visual selective attention multiple task processing rule understanding strategy morality ethics identity flow traditional literacy digital literacy new media literacy concentration social skills stress relief scientific thinking intellectual development affective development social development transfer comprehension skills academic skills strategies & procedures use of symbols problem solving sequence learning deductive reasoning Marc Prensky © 2004

What We Learn from Games (simplified) • • • How (to do things) What

“…after Joan of Arc’s victory, the entire myth of English invulnerability was destroyed. ”

“I don’t want to study Rome in high school. Heck, I build Rome every

WE KNOW WHAT WE LEARN FROM OUR GAMES IS VALUABLE © 2004 Marc Prensky

“Objectionable” Learning: < 7% Valuable Learning: 93% + • • History Professional Skills Resource

Commercial-off-the-Shelf (COTS) Games Job Simulation History Resource Mgmt Gettysburg The New World Civilization III Pharaoh Medieval Total War Viking Invasion Rampage Across Britain Stronghold Crusader Caesar III The Age of Kings The Age of Empires The Rise of Nations Shogun Qin Emergency Room Emergency EMT Vet Emergency Roller Coaster Tycoon Airport Tycoon Cruise Ship Tycoon Big Biz Tycoon, Roller Coaster Tycoon Mall Tycoon Startup Theme Park Tycoon Zoo Tycoon Restaurant Empire Math-Science Physicus Chemicus Green Globs and Graphing Equations Business Virtual Leader Trader Objection! Strategy Co-Pilot Marketing Co-Pilo Sales Co-Pilot Virtual U © 2004 Marc Prensky

Custom Games Job Simulation Social Studies Revolution Eyewitness Spanish Inquisition Qin Making History Tropical America Mass Balance City Planning Corporate Greed Power Politics The Political machine President Forever Quandries (Ethics) Sim Health Balance of Power Resource Mgmt Building a Home Entertech Rea. L Lives Virtual U. Incident Commander Road Quiz Streetwise Flood Ranger Park Ranger Waterbusters Math-Science The Algebots The Monkey Wrench Conspiracy Environmental Detectives Supercharged Rapunsel Kinetic City Mission Max National Geographic Space Station Sim Project Connect Nitrogenius Episims Language English Taxi Listening Skills Achieve Now Slide Prospero’s Island © 2004 Marc Prensky

AND WE WANT SOME CREDIT and RECOGNITION FOR IT! © 2004 Marc Prensky

WE THINK ALL OUR LEARNING SHOULD BE AS ENGAGING AS OUR GAMES © 2004

WHEN IT ISN’T, WE EITHER “PLAY SCHOOL” © 2004 Marc Prensky

“We have learned to "play school. " We study the right facts the night

…OR WE JUST TUNE YOU OUT © 2004 Marc Prensky

MOTIVATION IS MORE IMPORTANT FOR US THAN CONTENT! © 2004 Marc Prensky

“[The Millennials] call the shots. Anyone who bores them will be getting blocked, zapped and tuned out for years to come. ” – Business Week, July 12, 2004

WE CAN GET MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT… © 2004 Marc Prensky

GAME DESIGN IS CRUCIAL TO MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT © 2004 Marc Prensky

KEY THINGS ABOUT GAME DESIGN: • FOCUS IS ON THE USER’S ENGAGEMENT • DECISIONS

includes • Continuous decision making • Good pacing • Complexity • Important choices •

Focus • Engagement • Content Mode • Gameplay • Presentation Decisions • Frequent and

WHAT WE DON’T YET LEARN IN GAMES IS THE CURRICULUM, © 2004 Marc Prensky

CURRICULAR GAMES ARE COMING © 2004 Marc Prensky

AND YOU CAN HELP US! © 2004 Marc Prensky

BY SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF CURRICULAR GAME-TOOLS © 2004 Marc Prensky

MAKING THESE TOOLS IS NOT EASY © 2004 Marc Prensky

It’s ART, NOT SCIENCE © 2004 Marc Prensky

We CAN’T USE TRADITIONAL PEDAGOGY © 2004 Marc Prensky

“Whenever you add an instructional designer, they suck the fun out” – A Game

GAME DESIGNERS HAVE ALREADY INSTINCTIVELY INCORPORATED THE MOST EFFECTIVE, PRAGMATIC, PEDAGOGY © 2004 Marc

James Paul Gee: “What Video Games Have To Teach Us About Learning and Literacy”

OUR JOB IS TO COMBINE GAME PEDAGOGY WITH THE CURRICULUM © 2004 Marc Prensky

Today: TOOLS AND GAMES CAN ENRICH OUR CLASSES © 2004 Marc Prensky

Very Soon: TOOLS AND GAMES WILL REPLACE CLASSES AND TEACHERS in many situations ©

“Beat the Game, Pass the Course” © 2004 Marc Prensky

Elementary: Logical Thinking “Logical Journey of the Zoombinis” In Stores. Also: “Lemmings” “The Incredible

Elementary: Programming “Rapunzel” From NYU www. maryflanagan. com/rapunsel © 2004 Marc Prensky

Middle School: Keyboarding “The Typing of the Dead” In Stores © 2004 Marc Prensky

Middle School: Language “The ESP Game” From Carnegie-Mellon http: //www. espgame. org/cgi-bin/login © 2004

Middle School: Language (ESL) “English Taxi” From Desq http: //www. desq. co. uk/ ©

Middle School: Algebra “The Algebots” Coming, from Games 2 train. com and Digital. Multiplier.

Middle School: Science “Space Station SIM” (NASA) Coming, from GRS Games http: //www. grsgames.

High School: Social Studies “Revolution” From The Education Arcade at MIT http: //www. educationarcade. org/modules. php? op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=9&page=1 © 2004 Marc Prensky

High School: Social Studies “Tropical America” Available Online http: //www. tropicalamerica. com/ © 2004

High School: Social Studies “Making History” Coming, from Muzzy Lane Software http: //www. muzzylane.

High School: Social Studies “Eyewitness” (Nanking Massacre) Coming (free download) http: //www. mic. polyu.

High School: Social Studies “Under Siege” (Palestinian Freedom Fighters Game) Available for download http:

HS: Mechanical Design “The Monkey Wrench Conspiracy” GAME 3 levels, save station TASKS 30 graded, w/self-evals Demo Copy Available http: //www. games 2 train. com/site/html/tutor. html © 2004 Marc Prensky

High School: Biology, Virology Immune Attack (NIH) Coming Replicate (MIT) Design Only http: //www.

High School: Ethics “Corporate Greed: Names, Faces and Deeds” Avaliable Online. From Games 2

High School: Law “Objection!” Online demo available http: //www. objection. com/ © 2004 Marc

High School: Business “Virtual Leader” (Interpersonal Relationships) For Sale at http: //www. simulearn. net/Simu.

High School: Business “Airline Tycoon” In Stores (along with Casino Tycoon, Cruise Ship Tycoon, Big Biz Tycoon, Roller Coaster Tycoon, Mall Tycoon, Railroad Tycoon, School Tycoon, Theme Park Tycoon, Zoo Tycoon, and Restaurant Empire. ) © 2004 Marc Prensky