How has it gone?

 

The class have been using adventure Author to make landscapes and props for a game.  Some got onto including characters with conversations and plot items with sign-posts with writing.  21 pupils responded to the questionnaire with 26 having taken part in the project.  Below are my thoughts on the pupil comments arranged under the questions I asked them.

1. What did you think of the making games in schools project?

The majority of comments were positive with the main themes being it was fun and enjoyable and a change from normal reading and writing.  Some of those who thought it was a positive experience felt this was because they were learning about computers/game design. Some comments referred to it being ‘hard’ or ‘challenging’ which is a reminder that ‘fun’ does not mean ‘easy’ and some pupils are mature learners who enjoy challenge.  Some didn’t like the experience and this was linked to not liking computers and computer games.  My favourite comment was:  “I thought it was a once in a lifetime opportunity.  Great chance to see what designing a game was like”

2. What were the best bits?

Responses to this question were in two categories: testing the game in Never winter Nights (with 5 responses) and making the game itself with the majority of responses.  The most popular response was making the landscape with adding buildings, adding creatures and characters also getting a mention.   A couple of interesting reasons for enjoying making the landscapes was because the pupils felt they were allowed to do what they wanted to do which reflects the more open learning opportunity created by the software.  The sense of choice came through in the comments about creatures and characters as well.

 3. What were the worst bits?

These responses covered a variety of aspects including software failure when the computer crashed or screen froze.  There were some comments about the area the character could move around in being too limited and not having sound in the game.  Other comments surrounded people finding it difficult to use the software including making hills and putting in water as well as more difficult aspects like changing the properties of objects.  My experience in the classroom was that this was the most difficult for some pupils to grasp and the most difficult to teach.  Some comments concerned the conversation writer.  Due to not having the correct plug ins enabled on 5 computers some couldn’t write conversations.  It was unfortunate that 2 out of these 5 got far along and were ready to write conversations.  There was one comment about not liking playing the game another about fridge magnets.  3 comments are particularly interesting.   “The worst bit was trying to find my landscape for the first time after I saved it”.  When learning something new and going back after a break to start off again is such a crucial part of learning.  Especially in this situation where so much work had gone into it and you might not be able to find it again.  The second interesting comment was “Not being able to work it out and how to find things and use them as fast as everybody else”.  I so relate to this comment when learning a variety of things.  When everybody around seems to be ‘getting it’ it is not fun feeling left behind.  I think the large class and spread of skills by the end were factors in creating this experience.  But part of learning in groups nonetheless which the proponents of the recent emphasis on group work need to consider.  The last comment I liked was: “The worst bit was the end when we never got to finish it”.  Oh to have every lesson with the students wanting it to go on!

 4. What have you learned?

Many of the comments were general about learning about making games or making landscapes.  A few comments listed specific functions which could be done now using the software.  Some of the comments were less general and more reflective such as: ”I have learned making game is not easy” or the more geography ones such as, “How landscapes look”.  If pupils go away with more of a sense that landscapes are different and they can start seeing these differences then as a Geographer I will be happy.   The second geography one links games and landscapes: “Landscape has a lot to do with games”.  This idea of a sense of place and that everything happens somewhere is fundamental to geography but also links with creating scenes in story writing as well.  Lastly: “I learned about the good and bad bits of design a game”.  This shows that learning at a more meta-learning level has been taking place and the learning has moved beyond the technical abilities to evaluating the learning experience.

I’ve enjoyed it too. I think the idea of creating landscapes lets you see the pupil’s mental image and the software could easily be used to try and understand how they ‘see’ different landscapes and in making them more aware of different landscapes.  The importance for geography teachers to encourage pupils to see the world so that they make sense of it has been emphasised for me.  The challenge to help form mental images which are helpful and reflect the earth around pupils has also been emphasised.  But how to take this forward?  Thats for another time after I’ve had more time to think about it.

The end …nearly

Last week the s1 class who have been creating landscapes using Adventure Author started on plot items and some got on to characters.   I found that the class really divided out in terms of what they were getting done.  Some ignored the introduction of plot items and changed their landscapes and developed their scenery.  Others were really inspired by the creation of a plot and were soon asking me about characters and conversations.  These last two periods were the most difficult to manage because of the wide separation in skills in using the software.  Also it was difficult to support so many pupils – I had 27 in the class with one pupil causing difficulties and displaying behavioural problems.    I was grateful for Mr McAlpine coming in for 5-10 minutes every period to help out.  

Many of those who were developing their plots  knew the answers to some of the difficulties other pupils were having but didn’t want to stop and help because they wanted to get on with their own tasks.  Some of the pupils found changing properties difficult.  Some opted out and went back to landscape alterations.  Some started new landscapes.  With some items in properties I couldn’t find how to make the item so you could pick it up but some pupils seemed to successfully manage this. 

At the start fo the week I got all pupils to stop and take screen shots of a map view, a landscape view and their fridge magnets and paste them into a power point.  This was an interesting exercise which dragged on for a whole period.  I had anticipated 20 minutes!  The problems were ICT and geographical.  Many didn’t know how to manipulate pictures in power point, nor how to do anything other than produce bullet points.  I was shocked at this so-called ICT literate year group who have been using power point through primary school.  I had to show them how to get text boxes in order to label their maps.

The geographical problem was that some pupils didn’t know what a map view was.  Which is worrying for me because I am supposed to have taught them map skills unit!  With one pair I showed them the map view because they kept producing landscape views. My explanations such as directly from above or birds eye view made no difference.   Their comment was that the castle was now gone: It was in fact a plan view.  This has given me food for thought for teaching map skills. 

The other powerful learning about geographical  learning was the mountains that some pupils produced: Individual peaks; really pointy; very-small -children’s-story-book style.  OK, this was also about fantasy landscapes but I came to realise through questioning them that this reflected their mental image of  ‘a mountain’ and I had introduced the project initially as making a landscape and a realistic one at that.  In my teaching I think I will need to use more images to help form the mental images pupils have of landscapes.

I have yet to look at the labelled maps of pupils or to do any fiend of project self-asessment with them.  Hopefully I’ll get a chance in the next couple of weeks.

the plot thickens

I used fridge magnets today to get the class thinking about developing a plot and quest.  Some of them had really detailed ideas with 10 magnets after 20 minutes.  A couple of girls who had gone in a pair and who weren’t that interest have been really drawn in and especially with the whole plot development today there was real collaboration going on. 

I was going to show them how to add text to placeables but the teachers computer wasn’t working.  I started them off and did a lot of  1:1 helping anyway but not being able to show them made it difficult.  Not ideal but they continued to get into it.  I’m aiming to add one character and one conversation next week and that will be the end for my trial – but I think some of them might go to the lunch time club to continue.

Mr McAlpine came and had a look and helped out with some minor problems.  He overheard some lads talking about their quest.  They had were developing some complicated ideas but had really got hold of the idea of having to achieve one task before being able to achieve another which would let them achieve a further one.  I’ll be watching this one to see how it develops.

making games is happening

After being all set up for one class of S1s after the Easter Holidays I was delayed in getting started.  The software took some time to load up after new computers were installed during the Easter holidays.  We played about looking at landscapes on national geographic and describing and labelling landscapes pics for a few periods (all good geography).  The class ended up with only 3 periods to play around with the adventure author software.  They got to the stage of testing a character in their landscape.  I was impressed how intuitive some of the pupils found the software.  I found they set their own class challenges like  – ‘are there boats? ‘ or ‘how can you delete placeables? ’ I liked the learning that was going on between them.  They were helping each other, asking questions ‘can anyone…?’  My knowledge of the software I still feel is limited but I feel confident that someone in the class will work something out or the very helpful computing teacher Mr McAlpine comes to  my rescue. 

Some problems included the computational pre-test being longer than I thought so I didn’t get it completed on time and had to start again the next period.  some of the areas created by pupils didn’t save properly (or they didn’t save them in the right place) and were lost forever! No-one was too bothered and they were able to make quick progress next time having benfited from playing with the software already.

 I’ve decided, due to only trialling for 3 days to do 2 weeks with my next class.  That’s one period for pre testing and 6 periods for using the software.    I started on Monday and they’ve already made landscapes and trialled a character running around on them.  Its great to see them going through the problem solving cycle without telling them to do so.  They go back into adventure author and flatten land or remove water to allow greater areas that are accessible to the characters.   I’m going to try some story development with the fridge magnets tomorrow.

started at last..

Finally got some time to get my head round the MGIS project. After coming back from the course it was head to the grind-stone to get exam courses finished.  I’ve chosen a S1 class and we start next week. I’ve managed to re-organise the weather unit by ditching some lessons and I’ve now got a couple of weeks of nothing but adventure author. I’ve got time in the computing room all 4 periods for the next week and the same for the following week. I’ve managed with help to set up this blog and lesson 1 is waiting….. the permission letters & the surveys are all poised to go.  I’ve got 28 in the class and only 20 computers so some will have to double up.  Can’t be helped.

i’ve decided to focus on landscapes – being a Geographer – ans the class have been looking already at different desert landscapes and they’ll continue to look at different landscapes on the national geographic website on Monday. The plan is to get them onto adventure author after that and get them desiging landscapes. They’ll have the option to join the optional lunchtime club if they want to take things further. If it goes well the next block of S1s will be getting a go as well.

Here’s hoping the software all gets loaded up OK on Monday… and I remember enough to be able to demonstrate it!  I’m sure it’ll be fine after the superb training.   I’ve got my handbook ready,  just in case.