Introductions

To be completed during the first week of class (1/22-1/27).

 

Please answer the following questions in a brief post:

What is your first (preferred) and last name?

What’s your educational background? Professional background? Where do you currently work, and/or where have you worked?

What are some of your hobbies and interests that make you happy, curious, and an engaged learner?

What city and state do you currently live in? What time zone is that? (This is important to document as we organize some collaborative activities.)

Link to/embed a picture of you, your family, your pet, a favorite place… something that expresses a bit about who you are… and please tell us why you chose to include this picture!

 

Got something to say to a peer?

 

Remi Kalir

Greetings everyone! My name is Remi (pronounced “Ray-me”) Kalir, and I’m excited to learn alongside you this semester. This is my 13th year as a public educator. I began my career as a middle school math teacher in the South Bronx. While teaching at MS 22, I helped to found and administer the Voice is Power academy. I then spent a few more years in New York City directing civic engagement programs for high school students. I earned my PhD in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and am now in my fifth year as an assistant professor of Learning Design and Technology at CU Denver. As for my hobbies, I enjoy running, cooking, watching films, reading the New Yorker, and following (as much as I can) the NBA (Dub Nation!). I live in Denver (Mountain Time). You’re very welcome to learn more about me via my professional website. Here’s a fun picture of me with two dear friends and colleagues – Maha Bali (@Bali_Maha) and Chris Gilliard (@hypervisible); you should follow them both on Twitter and learn from these incredibly creative and critical educators.

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Shawna Stushnoff

Shawna here, Stushnoff is the surname I was born with and the name I returned to a few years ago.  I got my BA in Communications and Business back in 1987, I guess I’m telling my age with that one.

I have worked primarily in corporate America for most of my career, starting with Northwest Airlines, owning a title and mortgage business for a while until I was back on my own with my “two” boys and found myself doing taxes and accounting data entry acting as trainer and office manager for the owner.   I found a job at a foreclosure law firm and oversaw the team who solved title issues while I was there.  The threat of layoffs with the boys still at home bounced me to the Executive Assistant for a CFO, before I packed up and came to Colorado to find my position at the University of Colorado Boulder where I finally started asking myself what I wanted to do with my life.  It was always about someone else, now it was time for me to chart my own course.  I had been teaching classical piano for the Royal Conservatory of Music for some time and had embarked on a project to teach music theory exam prep courses online, the funny part was that I had no idea how to do that, or what I was doing.  That experience, however, spiked my interest in pursuing my masters and led me to ILT.

I have a hard time sitting still with “learner” as one of my top five strengths.  For me that means if I have five minutes of spare time I’m figuring out which one of the 500 things I’d like to learn I am going to tackle next.  A snowy day might find me knitting, scrapbooking, quilting, refinishing furniture, or fixing something in my house if I’m not busy at the books.  Outside to me means skiing, skating, hiking, kayaking, gardening, or some project that needs to be done around the house.  To be engaged this learner needs to be feeling like she’s adding to her professional or personal tool bag, and since I’m a hands on learner I like things that I can do, or things that challenge my brain.  Puzzles with the family or on a winter/rainy day are the best!

After 27 years in Florida I took a leap of faith in 2014 and moved to Colorado with no job, I moved back in with my parents, and landed a job at CU Boulder within a month of being out west.   So here I am in Mountain Time and actually living in the mountains now as well.

The picture below was taking on a fishing trip last summer in Northern Saskatchewan.  I chose this one because it reminds me of that perseverance and determination can get you where you want to go.  It’s also full of amazing memories of a great time with my Dad and brother on a trip I had wanted to take for a very long time.

An Ecology of Games (Cycle 2)

A time is marked not so much by ideas that are argued about as by ideas that are taken for granted.—Jonathan Letham

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Read & Annotate

A reminder that all readings may also be accessed via Canvas (see Home/Modules) and will automatically open in a new window for Hypothesis annotation.

Everyone reads and contributes to annotation discussion of:

1. Salen (2008)

Everyone reads both of the following and also contributes to one annotation discussion of:

1. Horst et al. (2010)
2. Gee (2018)

Notes about Annotation Discussion

• • Participate in annotation-as-discussion via our private Hypothesis group atop all course readings (in other words, don’t annotate on the public layer)
  • Grad students begin facilitation, thank you!
    • Read about Facilitating Annotation Discussion
    • Consult facilitation schedule via Our Info (see the second tab)
  • For a summary of our course’s collaborative annotation activity, use the INTE 5320 CROWDLAAERS dashboard (please keep link private), plus instructions on how to access private group layers
  • Still getting comfortable with Hypothes.is? Read Remi’s Essential Guide to Hypothesis and Web Annotation

• Facilitators: please add any additional notes here

Write

1. Play Journal 2
2. Two responses to peer Play Journals (from Cycle 1)

Course Admin

1. Selection of book for Book Review (submission info noted via Canvas message, please email Remi) and Book Review partners
2. Assess your learning and participation by completing Self Assessment 2

Other notes

Anything else we should know about? If so, please add here!

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Players determine how they learn. The productivity of gaming environments lies in the fact that kids among themselves are free to figure out and create learning and teaching arrangements that work for them. P10

Will Wright gave a talk where he pointed out two key moments that determined if a game was well designed. 1. Reaching for the controller and asking “can I try”? The player understands what to do and is confident in their ability to do it. p11 2. Can I save it? I’m invested in this… Players feel ownership p12. then also step 3. Want me to show you p12. And step 4, community play/engagement.

 

Pitaru notes that with games kids get to act on their own ideas through independent or mediated play, which improves self-reliance and self-esteem. P11

Kate, an occupational therapist writes, that even if playing alone there is a social element because they’ll be talking about it tomorrow in school. And eventually sharing with others. p12

Sexism & Gaming

 

 

Families  ( Cycle 3)

A time is marked not so much by ideas that are argued about as by ideas that are taken for granted.—Jonathan Letham

 

Read & Annotate

A reminder that all readings may also be accessed via Canvas (see Home/Modules) and will automatically open in a new window for Hypothesis annotation.

Everyone reads and contributes to annotation discussion of:

1. Stevens et al. (2008)

 

Everyone reads both of the following and also contributes to one annotation discussion of:

1. Roopnarine & Davidson (2015)
2. Siyahhan & Gee (2016)

Notes about Annotation Discussion

• Facilitators: please add any additional notes here
• And for a summary of our course’s collaborative annotation activity, use the INTE 5320 CROWDLAAERS dashboard (please keep link private), plus instructions on how to access private group layers

 

Write

1. Play Journal 3
2. Two responses to peer Play Journals (from Cycle 2).
3. Informal Book Review update and feedback from Book Review partner.

Course Admin

1. Assess your learning and participation by completing Self Assessment 3

Other notes

Anything else we should know about? If so, please add here!

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Designs  ( Cycle 4)

A time is marked not so much by ideas that are argued about as by ideas that are taken for granted.—Jonathan Letham

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Read & Annotate

A reminder that all readings may also be accessed via Canvas (see Home/Modules) and will automatically open in a new window for Hypothesis annotation.

Read & Annotate

A reminder that all readings may also be accessed via Canvas (see Home/Modules) and will automatically open in a new window for Hypothesis annotation.

Everyone reads and contributes to annotation discussion of:

1. Fizek (2014)
2. Richard (2014)
3. Resonant Chapter 1 (2018)

Everyone reads the following and also contributes to one annotation discussion of:

1. Nicholson (2014)
2. Clark et al. (2014)
3. Resonant Chapter 2 (2018)

Notes about Annotation Discussion

• Facilitators: please add any additional notes here
  • Resonant Chapter 1 opens with the following quote, as you read consider why the authors would open the chapter with this.

 If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t

 assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless

immensity of the sea.  -Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

• Resonant Chapter 2 readers – Last week we saw an introduction to the value of a social aspect in family games.  As we continue to see an emphasis on this what are your thoughts?   Especially from a “do your own work” vs “cheating” standpoint, which was the era I grew up in!
• And for a summary of our course’s collaborative annotation activity, use the INTE 5320 CROWDLAAERS dashboard (please keep link private), plus instructions on how to access private group layers

Write

1. Play Journal 4
2. Two responses to peer Play Journals (from Cycle 3)
3. Grad students: Reading Reflection 1 & Reading Reflection 2 due by 3/24
4. Grad students: Sharing My Learning Publicly 2 due by 3/24

Course Admin

1. Assess your learning and participation by completing Self Assessment 4

Other notes

Anything else we should know about? If so, please add here!

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School  ( Cycle 5)

A time is marked not so much by ideas that are argued about as by ideas that are taken for granted.—Jonathan Letham

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Read & Annotate

A reminder that all readings may also be accessed via Canvas (see Home/Modules) and will automatically open in a new window for Hypothesis annotation.

Everyone reads and contributes to annotation discussion of:

1. Shapiro et al. (2014)

Everyone reads both of the following and also contributes to one annotation discussion of:

1. Saunders & Kalir (2016)
2. Corwin & Danielson (2016)

Notes about Annotation Discussion

• Facilitators: please add any additional notes here
• And for a summary of our course’s collaborative annotation activity, use the INTE 5320 CROWDLAAERS dashboard (please keep link private), plus instructions on how to access private group layers

Write

1. Play Journal 5
2. Two responses to peer Play Journals (from Cycle 4)

Course Admin

1. Assess your learning and participation by completing Self Assessment 5

Other notes

Anything else we should know about? If so, please add here!

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Book Reviews  ( Cycle 6)

A time is marked not so much by ideas that are argued about as by ideas that are taken for granted.—Jonathan Letham

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Read

1. Peer Book Reviews
   1. Access via “Our Book Reviews”
   2. And if you haven’t already done so, please add and link your Book Review via “Our Book Reviews,” thanks!

Notes about Book Review Commentary

 

1. Visit “Book Review Commentary” for all the details regarding peer-to-peer commentary.

Write

1. Two responses to peer Play Journals (from Cycle 5) in addition to peer Book Reviews.

Other notes

Anything else we should know about? If so, please add here!

Please note that there is NO self assessment due at the end of Cycle 6. Your participation in peer-to-peer book review commentary is evidence of your sustained engagement in course activities during Cycle 6.

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Conclusion  ( Cycle 7)

A time is marked not so much by ideas that are argued about as by ideas that are taken for granted.—Jonathan Letham

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Write

1. Final Games and Learning Portfolio due by 5/12
2. Grad students: Reading Reflection 3 & Reading Reflection 4 due by 5/12
3. Grad students: Sharing My Learning Publicly 2 due by 5/12

Course Admin

1. Faculty Course Questionnaire (FCQ)
2. Summative Participation Reflection due by 5/12

Other notes

Anything else we should know about? If so, please add here!

 

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Play Journals

Play Journals are reflective essays about your ongoing game play. Each Play Journal will draw upon course readings to analyze the social contexts situating your game play, the physical locations that inform play, the game’s rule systems and intended goals, and other features and affordances that support engagement, motivation, and learning. Your play journal entries will consist of five essays (approximately 1000 words each) – and for five different games – based upon your own interests (i.e. board, card, video, augmented reality, sport). Play Journal entries will be authored via Google Docs, linked via your individual Learner Portfolio, and are due at the end of each of our first six cycles (Cycles 1 through 5). Additional information about play journals will be included online.

I saw Play Journals as a deeper look at the things we do for fun, how they relate to learning, and how they might relate to the future.  Each cycle required completion of a Play Journal and I found this activity to be highly engaging and not only a great deal of fun but very thought provoking.  Thinking of how to repurpose something has become somewhat second nature as I purchased and restored many items from the Restore and Habitat when I built my house.   Working with Surplus Property at CU Boulder was also an exercise in repurposing items and helping children see value in things as we repurposed old computer disks into fish, keyboard keys into necklaces and old computer disks into pencil holders during Bring your kid to work days.    However, I cannot say that I had ever thought to repurpose an everyday game into a learning opportunity!  These assignments became one of my favorites as it was yet another opportunity to think outside of the box!

So each cycle I pushed myself to tackle more and more complex games, playing them with family and friends and really trying to dive into what it could mean with a new twist.  I even jumped into MMORPG’s during the last cycle and for me that was a big leap.  Yet I see so much value I truly wish I had the programming skills to make a multitude of these types of games that would lend themselves to learning.  I can think of so many!

Not quire sure what I’m rambling about… Check out some of my play journals by clicking the links below.

Play Journal #1 – Escape From Alcatraz

Play Journal #2 – Oyez

Play Journal #3 – The Pocket Monsters in Your Backyard

Play Journal #4 – Traveling Through Time

Play Journal #5 – Run, E-scape

Readings, Theory, & Discussion

Each Cycle you will participate in reading annotation-as-discussion using the web annotation tool Hypothesis.  Your participation in these activities will be graded holistically, and you are required to actively contribute to discussion-as-annotation activities in multiple ways. Our annotation discussions will draw upon these comment guidelines for students (please read carefully). These discursive activities are important for producing knowledge with and through our course community as we engage with new and challenging content; please take our annotation-as-discussion activities seriously and make your contributions count. Remi will model annotation strategies during Cycle 1, and we will all collectively and collaboratively annotate this syllabus as practice, too. Starting in Cycle 2, graduate students will facilitate these discursive activities through Cycle 5 (as noted below). Annotations should be both substantive, exploratory, and also informal (i.e. rough-draft thinking, playful, featuring multimedia, links to related resources, etc.). Annotation is both a social and interest-driven activity, ultimately contributing to shared insight, knowledge creation, and constructive debate.

Archives for me, potentially interesting information for you!

Toward an Ecology of Gaming 

Book Review

Students will author a Book Review about a contemporary issue related to games and learning, and will submit the review for commentary from peers (Cycle 6). The book review will be approximately 2,000-3,000 words. The book topic will be interest-driven, should concern a contemporary issue related to games and learning (i.e. identity, instruction, Minecraft, etc.), and should be a relatively new publication (within the past five years). Students may access their book from the Auraria library, find a book that is openly accessible online (i.e. a PDF is fine), or purchase a book. During Cycle 2, we will discuss this assignment in further detail, including a book share and exploration of possible topics. Additional information about the assignment will be included online.

So many books, so little time.  Little did I know how many books are out there on effective use of games for teaching and how varied they can be.  However based on the number of people, yes people young and old alike, that play one type of game or another or watch them it is obvious that we are truly hooked on them.  As a learning tool they offer that place where you can make mistakes, try again, learn, and grow.  A true reflection of the concept of a First Attempt In Learning (FAIL) where failing is actually motivating.  I can this, I can do better, we think as we jump right back in!  Isn’t that what learning should be?

So here, are a few of my favorites and a link to my review of Resonant Games, the book I chose for a deep dive and in depth book review.

Facilitating annotation-as-discussion

Graduate students will facilitate a cycle’s reading annotation and discussion activities at least once. At least four facilitators will lead each cycle (five people is OK, too). Responsibilities for annotation-as-discussion include posting thoughts and questions, asking follow-up questions during annotation activities, referencing additional readings and resources, respectfully challenging lines of argumentation, and generally “moving the conversation forward.

Reading Reflections

Graduate students will write four (4) Reading Reflections this semester. Reading Reflections will take the form of a 1,000+ word document shared via Google Docs. Reading Reflections will draw upon, and synthesize across, select readings from one or more cycles, including interest-driven scholarship selected by students. Students are also encouraged to embed media in their Reading Reflections, and to include hyperlinks to related resources or research. Additional details, scaffolding questions, and guidance about due dates (two due before 3/24, two due by 5/12) will be included online.

Game Proposal

A proposal about how to design a learning experience using a game to support specific learning outcomes.

Personal Reflection

Self-assessment will play a key role in evaluating student learning and participation in Games and Learning, and will contribute to determining course grades. Self assessments will occur during each of the first five cycles via a Google Form embedded via Canvas. Self assessment will provide students the opportunity to evaluate their:

• Engagement in annotation-as-discussion activities
• Quality of play journals and peer responses
• Overall progress in course assignments
• Grade (A-D) for a given cycle based upon overall quality and participation

In addition to five self assessment, students will author a sumative Participation Reflection (i.e. a reflective essay authored via Google Docs, approximately 500 words) to be submitted during Cycle 7 (by 5/12). Collectively, these self assessments and the reflective essay and will be used as a baseline for assigning students’ course grade. Additional details will be shared online.

Sharing learning with public networks

On at least two occasions, graduate students will share their learning with public networks. For example, you might publish a Play Journal to your blog and share via Twitter, including relevant hashtags (#GBL for “game-based learning”). You might publish a Reading Reflection to your blog and share via Twitter, tagging key individuals such as the article author. Once shared publicly, students will update their individual Learner Portfolio with the shared publication and date (one instance of sharing before 3/24, the second by 5/12). Additional information about sharing learning publicly is included online.