Interview:

S. CRAIG WATKINS: THE PROMISE OF CONNECTED LEARNING 

Project information literacy: http://projectinfolit.org/smart-talks/item/143-craig-watkins-smart-talk

Craig: The idea of "gamification" is perhaps a bit more controversial today that it was just two or three years ago. I'm not a big proponent of "gamifying" life, though we certainly still see elements of it today.

I think the main attraction to games in the education space is driven by three factors. First, games are widely viewed as a powerful medium because they are so immersive, that is, they are able to build worlds and experiences that encourage focus and tenacity. Before you can teach someone anything, you must engage them first, and game-based platforms, or at least good ones, tend to be able to do that effectively. Part of the immersive allure of games is the fact that game players are actively involved in problem solving (i.e., navigating their way through the game and toward a desired goal). Schools suffer, first and foremost, because they tend to be alienating rather than immersive. Students often feel disempowered, isolated, and not in control of what is usually happening to them in the formal learning experience.

Second, games can enhance the design of more robust learning environments by creating learning experiences that are more personal. Learning is a complex phenomenon and game-based platforms offer the opportunity to collect real-time and rich data about how students navigate a learning challenge. If a teacher can access data and find support to conduct the analytics, that teacher can begin to offer more relevant feedback and instruction.

Finally, game-based learning platforms, in theory, create learning pathways that can be accessed anytime/anywhere. As a result, learning can happen across time and spatial barriers. That means learning can happen in-school and out-of-school, across different social and peer networks, and in ways that are social and collaborative. I think that we are just beginning to learn how to make game-based learning truly social, experiential, and impactful, but this is certainly a challenge worth pursuing.