Does too high a skill threshold mean too high expectations?

The things we do as teachers eh? I remember spending hours upon hours in 1997 locked away in my classroom and study room at home learning how to use Adobe PageMill teaching myself how to create webpages so that I could then teach my P.5/6 class how to do the very same (poetry example). I also remember taking the school Archimedes home one weekend so that I could practise and in doing so enhance my ability to use Fireworkz spreadsheet and database. My commitment to this was such that I didn’t go with my friends to see my team Dundee United play Hearts in Edinburgh. What made it worse was that we one for the first time in years at Tynecastle that day, 2-1!

What’s the point of this you may ask? Well, I was just thinking about the nature of some teachers in terms of the commitment that they bring in terms of developing their own skill set with new technologies. There will also be a very keen and committed minority of teachers who will, out of their own interest in many ways, take the time to engage with new ideas, news approaches and new technologies. These folks will no doubt always take care of themselves and will continue to push the barriers of what they do in their particular classroom or local authority contexts. The ones who are reading this blog post are probably identifying themselves as members of this group.

In relation to games and learning I have been thinking about this very issue, particularly in relation to games design contexts. When I was a teacher and a lecturer at Dundee University I used the branching stories books by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone as the context through which we could create a dynamic, multimedia laden branching adventure story. This task had a low technical skills threshold and every pupil and student managed to create a finished artefact that could be shared, played and enjoyed by others. The beauty of this approach was that it developed technical skills but the real focus was on the imaginative writing. I often hear PowerPoint being talked about in disparaging terms but I feel that it has the facility to support imaginative and dynamic learning contexts…if you used appropriately and I’d like to say that I like it. (That’s better I’ve said it, this is may become a forum for PowerPointers Anonymous) The important point here is that there was low threshold level in terms of technical skill development that allowed the real focus on the writing to occur.

At this moment I am looking at more complex game design contexts such as MissionMaker, Thinking Worlds, Gamemaker and Neverwinter Nights and I am asking questions like:

• How low are the technical skill thresholds here?
• What training is required to support teachers in their ability to learn how to use software like this?
• How can we identify teachers who will run with and be committed to spending time outwith allocated training time to develop the necessary skill set to support teaching and learning with games design software?
• Where do class teachers include time to develop pupil skills in the use of games design software?
• What do we do when the expert trainer goes home….?

I recently held a training day for one of these games design applications and even after that day I still needed to spend quite a bit of time going over the rules so that I could make  a series of basic things happen within my game. I am maybe one of the perceived ‘nerdy’ guys that would be prepared to invest the time necessary to make this work for me but what about the wider teaching body? How do we impact on them in terms of taking low to medium through to high threshold new technology applications? Shouldn't we first focus on low threshold ideas/approaches that will enable a wider group of teachers to engage with particualr contexts such as the idea of creating a games based multimedia artefact?

I hope that this does not sound like defeatist post because I am really up for trying out these new games design applications within a variety of educational contexts in Scotland but I think that this is a question we must address. Yes we must be aspirational and aim for excellence but our dreams must also be attainable by the many and not just the few…

Mind you, we can't not support a small community of nerdy guys (I mean this cross gender and affectionately) who will really run with applications such as this and make it work in their classrooms.

Comments

[AB]

For what it's worth Derek, I think quite often we have to stand back and look at what we can achieve. When too high a standard is set, then many will immediately switch off. That said, for the small number who are able, then not trying to move forward leaves them in the cold.
Pehaps it's a question of one step back to take two forwards - creative things can be done with PowerPoint, and if this wets the appetite, then there is motivation to learn new things?

[Kenneth...]

I have 2 questions for you Derek: Is the skill in manipulating a pencil sufficient to write a story? Is the skill in using game design software sufficient to create a computer game?

PowerPoint is a good example. To often teachers (people) believe that by typing text and choosing clip art and following a wizard you can create a good/effective presentation. That by learning to use the features of the software makes us expert in creating a high standard of presentation. The truth is there is knowledge and understanding about presentations that is needed along with the skills of using PowerPoint to do a good job.

Think of it like a pupil learning to cut a piece of wood. They may have gained the skill but they are a long way from being able to create a piece of furniture. Or a child can write his name on a bit of paper but is a long way from being able to write a novel.

In response to the question in the title of your posting: no & yes.

No, if you only expect those teachers with an interest to develop the skills. Yes, if you expect all teachers to develop the skills in game design.

[Kim Pericles]

Very thought provoking ...I'm definitely not a nerdy guy, probably more a techno-moron, but I put in the hours (and it is hours - it don't come easily or quickly! ;) ) into exploring new technology applications because of the educational possibilities. It's the educational possibilities of games and Web 2.0 that pushes me into spending the time to find out more.
Don't forgt tho, there are many paths to the one goal - some will travel the low threshold path (PowerPoint) whilst others jump into games based programs and some will take a middle path. Maybe we need to get people moving, having a go and seeing new possibilities along the way.
Just as games allow for different user levels/skills/and abilities shouldn't our expectations allow for these as well?

[Derek]

Kim,
I share your point of view. I made that post because of a discussion I had with a colleague about a particular games design application. He felt the skill threshold was too high for the vast majority of teachers within that particuklar framework. I think there may be something in that but it would not stop me from targeting more challengin games design applications in the direction of teachers who will run with it. Anyway, are you coming to BETT in January? If so, I hope that we can meet up.

[Neil Winton]

Derek,
Sometimes the simplest ideas can be as powerful as the most difficult. I have a challenging 3rd year class, and as coincidence would have it, we are working on our own very basic 'Fighting Fantasy' a la Jackson and Livingstone. To keep it simple, we are using a wiki to provide the tech end... each 'Chapter' is a separate wiii page, with each pupil being responsible for one page...

It is shaping up well, but (due to the nature of the class) is a bit like pulling teeth. I will send you a link when it is either completed or is as finished as it is ever going to be!

The point I'm trying to make here, is that there are technology/tools available now that are actually very straight-forward to use. When you say "There will also be a very keen and committed minority of teachers who will, out of their own interest in many ways, take the time to engage with new ideas, news approaches and new technologies." I think you are failing to appreciate just how easy and straightforward some of the tools are. As you note, it is the content that matters (actually, I might argue that point later!), and if there are simple tools that allow pupils to express themselves in new and appropriate ways, then why not use them?

This is a cracking set of questions you've asked us! I'll need to think more on them and will reply more fully later!

[hotmilkydrink]

Neil,