Book review
E-learning Games
Author: Kathleen M. Iverson
Publisher: Pearson (2005)
Review by Donald Clark, Epic
If you’re after a book on computer games and
e-learning, don’t buy this. Although an excellent book, the
title is so misleading that it could be challenged under the Trades
Description Act! There are no ‘games’ in this book other
than online activities, that could only be described as games if
we stretch its meaning way beyond the norm. It should really have
been called e-activities. I guess the editors saw a clash with ‘E-tivities:
The Key to Active Online Learning’ by Gilly Salmon published
in 2002.
Iverson attempts to ground her many examples and the book is largely
a set of suggested activities in learning theory. Unfortunately
it’s a curious mixture. She’s polygamous in her choice
of partners in instructional design, yet monogamous in her loyalty
to constructivism. It’s one of those books that is strong
on practical ideas but weak on coherent learning theory, really
a book for practitioners.
After concentrating on constructivist theory i.e. the construction
and reconstruction of knowledge and skills through personally meaningful
tasks, Chapter 3 hauls in Keller’s ARCS theory of motivation:
- Attention strategies
- Relevance strategies
- Confidence strategies
- Satisfaction strategies
We then get Gagne’s nine instructional steps and seven other
instructional strategies and models. Now Gagne actually calls himself
an objectivist and not a constructivist but now’s not the
time for this debate. This is further complicated by seven other
instructional theories - it all gets a bit messy.
The bulk of the book is then taken up with concrete examples all
written to the same format. These are really worth having. Especially
if you’re stuck with an online tutoring model that is sinking
under the weight of administrative effort or dozing along with some
minimal mentoring.
Her overall chapter categories are useful:
- Ice breakers
- Scenario learning activities
- Peer learning activities
- Content review and practice
- Group discussions
- Closers
Ice breakers (Chapter 4) are designed to create a sense of collaboration
before the introduction of content. The 13 exercises are well thought
out although one ‘asking stupid questions about technology’
seems to be asking for trouble.
- Design electronic business card
- Describe first job
- Formal invitation
- Personal weblog
- Favourite pictures
- Spend $1,000,000 (virtually!)
- Ask stupid technical questions
- Get to know you
- Three personal facts, two true, one false
- Interview each other
- What do you ‘know for sure’?
- Guess job
- Share experience
The scenario learning activities in Chapter 5 clearly owes a lot
to Roger Schank, although he’s not mentioned.
- Realistic scenario
- Create interactive story
- Create characters and roles
- Synchronous role play
- Seven jump method
- Online case study
- Research leader/theorist
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Peer learning activities appear in Chapter 6. These are peer-shared
problems and challenges designed to connect learners with each other
and the instructor.
- Pairs
- Evaluate others’ solutions
- Personal ad
- Research useful links on the web
- Summarise partner’s material
- Secret mentor
- Construct narrative
Content review and practice (Chapter 7) takes learners to higher
tasks of analysis, synthesis and evaluation. It challenges the learner
to engage in real practice.
- Given answer, identify question
- Review questions
- Search for key terms
- Jumbled email message
- Describe and visualise
- Photo interpretation
- Hotlist of web links
- Blog of content
- Inspiring quotes
- Fill in blanks with links
- Mindmap content
- Multimedia scrapbook
- Treasure hunt
- True/false questions
- Yes/No guessing game
- Virtual field trip
- Webquest
Group discussions (Chapter 8) allow learners to construct knowledge
based on interaction with peers. This one’s a little short
on ideas.
- Home team versus learning team
- Role driven discussion
- Course problems discussed
- Course topics discussed
Idea generation (Chapter 9) is about new and fresh ideas, a series
of brainstorming techniques.
- Brainwriting alternatives
- Definition of excellence
- Group idea generation
- Top 10 list
Finally, Chapter 10 has some closers to reinforce learning, say
goodbye, provide feedback and create a place for the future.
- Electronic yearbook
- Goals for future
- Virtual time capsule
- Cruise ship game
- Report transfer in workplace
As you can see, this is a rich resource and with any resource book
there’s variability in the ideas. Some are excellent, others
very good and a few clichéd. If you’re involved in
e-activities as an e-tutor, e-mentor or e-coach, the book will save
you time in thinking up activities of your own. Highly recommended,
but remember it has absolutely nothing to do with games.
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