Quislings and Rogue Collaborators

Collaboration, an easy on the ear term that permeates educational discussions. I wonder though if we might mistake co-operation with collaboration.  Peggy Sheehy was talking in Warcraft this weekend about the dynamics of collaboration in the Alliance citadel of Stormwind. A striking conversation worth sharing. It again highlights why studies show gamers make better collaborators [...]

iPad – first few days

When i saw the trailer for Avatar, I thought the movie would be unimpressive. When kids in high school nagged me to play Warcraft, I decided it was a waste of time. When I read about the iPad, I knew it would be a ‘big iphone’. I am consistent in being wrong. Two days in [...]

The Metaverse: An infographic to represent our world

I seem to spend and extra-ordinary amount of time exemplifying what ‘the metaverse’ is. I am not a futurist or philosopher — but felt like trying to visualise my interpretation of the metaverse interchange in this infographic. I confess I do subscribe to the discourses around connectivism. Some of society today gathers at this interchange. [...]

Wrestling for student attention in 2020.

While many are thinking about the future of education, the mutli-billion dollar games industry is thinking about the future of games. We might need to pay attention. They have mega-kongbucks to throw at technology and innovation, despite recent sales figures showing that the current line up of titles, especially on consoles isn’t making as much [...]

Neptunes Pride

Neptunes Pride is an multiplayer strategy game played over a number of weeks. It’s is packed with statistics and maths, as you try to conquer half the galaxy. This is the kind of game that requires thought and planning. Its free to play and lets you complete the whole game without needed to put your [...]

It’s a wonderful Second Life

Just stunning in HD. What is Second Life for? – creativity and imagination. Please don’t build classrooms. build experiences.

Leave your masks on please

London, 1812. A group of industrialists, politicians and religious leaders meet to discuss how they might use technology in the educmation of boys and girls. These men decided no matter what was to be done in the future, special equipment would be needed for teachers. They erected a building on land rented by the Earl [...]

eLearning Enjoyment – Oxymoron

A nice few minutes explaining how enjoyable eLearning is more likely if it paid more attention to in games and virtual worlds (goal orientation) that to linear (information) orientation.

Parent Projects – WTF?

There are days when I feel as though there is no bottom. Today is yet another example. The 4th Grade home research project. Many of you probably did this one about 20 years ago, and it seems not much has changed. Its still crap. Here’s the assessment task – verbatim. “You are to do research [...]

Why exploring Virtual Worlds is a goal, not information driven

I often receive emails from higher degree research students asking me about games and virtual worlds. Most of the time they are seeking ‘information’that  can I give them as they research their thesis. Usually I suggest to take an entire week off, download Warcraft, Aion or Final Fantasy – put the local pizza shop on [...]