The potential of tablets to game-based learning.
Cork, Ireland 4th October ‘12
Simon Egenfeldt-Nielsen, PhD
CEO, founder Serious Games Interactive
My Background
• MA Psychology
• PhD Games & learning
• Between industry & research
• Founder of Serious Games Int.
• Cofounder DIGRA
• Cofounder of Game Centre
Developing games
• Three series for education
• +80 client projects
Background
Who are we...
• Research-based company
• Using games for more than entertainment
• Won several awards for our productions
• First company starting with Unity3
Current research projects
• Gala – Network of Excellence for Serious Games
• SIREN – Conflict resolution for children & Adults
• VISTRA – virtual game-driven assembly line training
• ETREES – Advanced narrative work-place training
• C2Learn – Creative learning environment through games
9 Nationalities | 24 Employees | +80 Projects | 20 Products
Agenda
What is this talk about?
Can tablets solves fundamental problems?
How to go beyond current praxis?
What is the sweetspot for game-based learning?
Goal
Get you to reflect on how we as researchers facilitate a
new viable and sound market with game-based on
tablets in schools.
Still room for scepticism but I believe we have seen that
game-based learning can work - now we need to figure
and when and how. Here tablets are interesting!
Tablets are interesting
Graphics - Interface – Gameplay - Business
Most importantly
’Less is more’
&
’a channel’
Agenda
What is this talk about?
Can tablets solves fundamental problems?
How to go beyond current praxis?
What is the sweetspot for game-based learning?
“Media will never influence
learning”
Historically there has been a tendency to state just that
also supported by Cuban in 'Oversold and underused'.
I think the truth is that it takes a loooong time.
“Teachers – the new black
is black”
Teachers maturity level towards computers
Entry
Teachers novice users of computers.
Adoption
Teachers tend to take a traditional approach to instruction but
do provide some explanation on computer use.
Adaptation
Traditional approaches to instruction prevail but some class
time is allowed for students to use computers for homework
and daily class work.
Approriation Teachers integrate technology regularly into the curriculum
Invention
Teachers find new ways to connect students and use projectbased and interdisciplinary approaches to instruction.
Source: Cuban, 2001
“Reduced complexity is
key”
Complexity
Computer
Laptops
Netbooks
Smart boards
Tablet
Video
Tape
Books
Boards
Time
First time schools charge
ahead
The success of a new technology relies on the fact that
it can be used to conserve existing praxis while offering
new opportunities to the dedicated…
That is the success of Smart Boards and Tablets - that
seems to roll out much more quickly than past
educational technology.
“Game-based learning has
boring problems..”
Top 6 – categories barriers (top1)
Practical: Software, hardware & setting
7%
6%
My own lack of knowledge about games
6%
Learning games not on a par with other games
Limited relevance to the syllabus of my subject
11%
58%
Difficult to control the learning process
12%
Difficult to evaluate what pupils actually learn
N= 275
Source: Egenfeldt-Nielsen, 2011
New channel is unique
- The long tail
“What teachers see..”






Stable & robust vs. buggy & difficult to maintain
Intuitive interface vs. complex mouse/key board
Active interface vs. passive interface
Transportable vs. stationary
Consumption oriented vs. production orienteered
Lots of free content vs. costly packages
A very interesting road that ‘promise’
to solve 58% of problems.
Agenda
What is this talk about?
Can tablets solves fundamental problems?
Getting into the praxis of teachers?
What is the sweet spot for game-based learning?
“Diffusion struggles in
educational system”
Five attributes can explain 49-87% of the variation in adaption of
an innovation.
Relative advantage: How much is the innovation perceived as
being better than what already exists.
Compatibility: How well does the innovation match existing
norms, values, needs, expectations and previous experiences?
Complexity: How easy is the innovation to use and understand for
users?
Observability: How easy is it to observe the advantages achieved
from adapting the innovation?
Trialability: How easy is the innovation to try out and experiments
with without going all in?
Source: Rogers, 2003
“But tablets may change
this”
Relative Advantage: A lot of teachers embrace the devices. It’s a
new opportunity to get on the wagon.
Compatibility: They can fit into classroom very nicely compared to
other ICT:
Complexity: They are very simple to use and maintain.
Triability: Try it out with a few devices in a class with a few apps.
Observability: Bring it to the next-door teacher in the break.
Agenda
What is this talk about?
Can tablets solves fundamental problems?
How to go beyond current praxis?
Future game-based learning on tablets
“Research is practically nonexistent”
Don’t know if tablets really do improve things as there is
pretty much no research.
 Does the touch interface really help kids learn better,
more efficient, more engaging?
 Do interface transform into new gameplay that help
kids learn better?
 Does the tablet really improve learning effect
compare to other instructional methods and
platforms.
 Does the tablet really make it easier for teacher to
use in class?
“Developers are trying quite
hard”
What is your average development time for a project in working days (total time for code,
graphics, music, testing etc)?
1.8%
3.6%
1.8%
7.1%
7.1%
48.2%
21.4%
+120 days
90-120 days
60-90 days
45-60 days
30-45 days
15-30 days
7-15 days
< 7 days
8.9%
N= 57
Source: Egenfeldt-Nielsen, In review
“But a lot lose money…”
Did you get Return on your investment?
28.3%
22.6%
I recouped my money within 6 months
20.8%
N= 57
28.3%
I recouped my money but took more than
6 months
I haven’t recouped my money but expect
to within 6 months
I haven’t recouped my money and do not
expect to.
Source: Egenfeldt-Nielsen, In review
“Designing for tablets”
Unforgiving market. Developers have to work hard and
constantly update. Otherwise they will have a low star
rating sitting. The feedback loop is much more close
with users. Less crashing software and quick response.
The device affordance is towards smooth interface with
high usability that is quick to get started with and get
into. No waiting for things to boot in 5 minutes.
“Designing for tablets”
Golden age of computer games in the 1980s where
developers and content experts were often the same
guy. We see this with a lot of the start-ups now that
there is a closer affinity. Not just nerds but educators.
+
=
“Designing for tablets”
”Mass merchants wanted to deal with no more than 20
suppliers and carry a maximum of 300 titles"..
Carly Shyler, 2012
Compared that with maybe 3.000 titles in the market.
We now know that the promising 1980s with
edutainment games failed because we failed to build a
sustainable market place that could ensure continued
innovation and research.
Contact info
Company details
Serious Games Interactive
Ravnsborggade 2-4, 2. floor
DK - 2200 Copenhagen N
www.seriousgames.dk
My details:
Simon Egenfeldt-Nielsen
sen@seriousgames.dk | +45 40 10 79 69
www.egenfeldt.eu
© Serious Games Interactive