Cil2008 – Learning From Gaming
Posted by Miriella on 9 April 2008
Presented by Chad Boeninger, Ohio University Libraries
Libraries:
What do we do now? borrow ideas from facebook, myspace, youtube, amazon, ebay.
Provide services with blogs, wikis, im, video, podcasts, SL, more.
We need to understand games – what makes them so engaging, why do we play them? how do games change players’ views of their environment.
April 29 – Grand Theft Auto IV comes out!
Giles Whittel: Video games, I’ll never buy one.
Video gamers can perceive reality much more differently than non gamers do.
From Steven Johnson: Everything Bad is Good for You: “what you never hear about mainstream coverage of video games is that it’s hard! How much time do you spend and you don’t have fun – you may be confused, disoriented, you may be stuck? If this mindless escapism, it’s a strangely masochistic version. Who wants to escape to a place where you are frustrated 90% of the time?”
What’s our Job as librarians?
Figure out: Who plays games, what are they playing? what can we learn? how can we apply gaming concepts to library services and functions.
Who plays games: more male – 62%. Age of gamers – 18-49 (large pie slice!)
Average gamer: 33 years old, has been playing for 12 years. Women over the age of 18 represent 30% whereas younger males under 18 are only 23%.
Lego Star Wars Video! Princess Leia and Chewbacca – Encourages exploration and to test things out – touching switches opens doors or drops cash! – rescuing Han Solo. Lego Star Wars – using the movie – a concept that we already know to apply and to defeat rancors – you know 3PO and R2D2 can control machines. Use that knowledge to accomplish the missions.
Ohhh God of War looks like fun.
Games are immersive environments, encourage learning while doing.
Libraries have always been places to explore information – how can we encourage more exploration in libraries? We need new nonmenclature: information literacy, reference, catalog, periodicals, reserves, databases, stacks, bibliographic instruction. We need consistent interfaces across libraries!
What do we expect from our users? Users are accustomed to exploration, exploration in games yields feedback – positive or negative – gamers learn through tiral and error. What does exploration in libraries yield? We need to expect that they have “tried and died” so they come to us on the ref desk.
Immersion in libraries: How do we create environments that attract, engage, and retain our users? The library as immersive space: Learning/Information Commons – make it more inviting to users. Add a cafe. Lots of technology. Movable furniture encoruages customization of the workspace. Does your library have wireless? Do we offer laptops for use? Wireless connectivity allows users to go to the spaces they prefer.
Customizable interfaces – make it your own. My EbscoHost, MyYahoo, Facebook, My Library. Customizable search interfaces. Allow users control of their virtual library environments.
Learning While Doing: Practice Makes perfect. Games encourage mastery – multiple difficulties w/unlockable content – how can we take advantage of this in libraries? Library Instruction: Must incorporate hands-on experiences. immediate application of content. Relevant and timely – no more generic orientations. Try experimenting with different methods for different subjects and classes.
Flickr – displays tagging in use – helps them to understand (sorta) library subject headings. We need smarter systems in catalogs. In the absence of smarter systems, we need point-of-need help – screencasts, like in games – they often have quick tutorials on how to accomplish something you’re on.
People want interactivity – not just be spoken to. People want instant help. Libraries’ best options for Instant help: embed chat and widgets all over the place on your site! Email just isn’t good enough – it’s not quick enough, and maybe you’ll get an answer back some day….maybe you won’t. Must also provide ways to help them to help themselves!
Leveraging games in libraries – why haven’t we talked about designing video games for libraries? Do we have time and money? is a game scalable to what we try to teach? would they really want to play? what would this game look like?
Second LIfe – low initial investment, easy to start. But do your patrons even care about virtual worlds? – In his survey – not really.
Librarians make great gamers:
1. We enjoy great fetch quests! What? You want this? Here’s 37 ways to retrieve this article!
2. When we level up, we face another boss! Vendors, new ways of getting what you need with new versions.
3. We like trial and error approaches to solving problems!
Suggested Readings: The kids are alright by John Beck.
What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy by James Gee.
Everything bad is good for you by Steven Johnson.
“Don’t bother me mom, I’m learning!” by Marc Prensky.
