June 16, 2011
Gaming workshops offered this summer and fall
Game-based learning is gaining momentum in higher education with the promise of making learning more engaging and motivating for students. The potential of games to create learning experiences that are goal-oriented, problem-based and often very complex is undeniable. Whether using paper-and-pencil games, traditional games, massively multiplayer online games, serious games, or even transmedia experiences, games let players explore, experiment and test their understanding of the material they are learning.
Last week the instructional game design workshop led by Ben Ward, an instructional designer from iTAC with more than a decade an a half of experience in game design and gaming, gave 18 faculty/staff the opportunity to experience this first-hand through both game play and exploration of the fundamentals of game design. Social games, traditional off-the-shelf games and even role playing were used as a backdrop to explore the formal elements of game design and the underlying iterative process needed to create functional, playable games. The workshop generated much enthusiasm and provided participants creative and innovative ways to approach their teaching.
The instructional game design workshop lets instructors discover the basics of game design and game-based learning. Upcoming workshop opportunities will be offered to assist interested K-State faculty in developing fully functional instructional games. To reserve a spot for future instructional game design workshops, email Ben Ward.