Applying The Principles of Games To Learning

Books to Read:

Here are the authors/books I’ve read recently that influence me (these links take you to Amazon and no, I don’t get a kickback):
What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy – by James Gee – this is foundational, academic work, but an easy read.
Don’t Bother Me Mom — I’m Learning by Marc Prensky – this is the book I’d give to parents, administrators, and fellow educators as a starting point.
Reality is Broken:  Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World – by Jane McGonigal – explores taking the passion that gamers bring and applying it to solve real-world problems.
Got Game:  How the Gamer Generation Is Reshaping Business Forever – by John C. Beck and Mitchell Wade – in-depth discussion of how gamers will change corporate America.
Fun, Inc.:  Why Gaming Will Dominate the 21st-Century – by Tom Chatfield – explores the components that make video games compelling as models for business and education.
A Whole New Mind:  Why Right-Brainers Will Rule The Future by Daniel Pink – this book really hits at the heart of what needs to change in our education system.

Teaching Digital Natives:  Partnering for Real Learning – by Marc Prensky – in this book, Marc shares tips and strategies for using a partnering model for classroom instruction that capitalizes on students’ passions.

Tribes by Seth Godin – a very interesting (and short) read about how the connectedness of the ‘Net has allowed people with similar interested to form community.  I’ve seen so much of this in the gaming community.  Your students are part of these “Tribes.”
Everything Bad Is Good for You by Steven Johnson – a very interesting look at how media consumption has likely altered how we think and work.  Maybe playing video games and watching LOST isn’t so bad after all.

Sites to Visit:

WoWinSchool Project Wiki – home of the WoWinSchool Project.

MinecraftinSchool Project Wiki – home of the MinecraftinSchool Project.

3DGameLab Community Site – possibly the most compelling learning management system.  It allows you to apply the principles of game design to any curriculum.

Eight Myths About Video Games Debunked – Dr. Henry Jenkins

Educational Games Research

2011 Horizon Report (K-12) on Game-Based Learning

Research and Resources – lots of academic research and white papers here.

Sources to Explore:

Game industry statistics – http://www.theesa.com/
Publishing industry statistics – http://www.publishers.org/press/
Movie industry statistics – http://boxofficemojo.com/yearly/