Thank you to everyone who has expressed interest and support for using fantasy sports to help teach information literacy to students. As I discussed in the C&RL News article, not only do fantasy sports require information literacy skills, but they also create a foundation for librarians and educators to build on.

I want to help those interested in applying fantasy sports to information literacy in any way I can. The lesson plan in the article was one tool to help other librarians succeed in connecting fantasy sports. Here are links to the power point slides I used in the lesson and the evaluation the students completed. I hope you find these useful as well.

Fantasy Football & Info Lit Slideshow
Fantasy Football Student Evaluation

I welcome any questions or feedback on the lesson or future applications.

Since there has been some recent blog discussion and coverage of Carnegie Mellon’s Library Arcade by the LibrarianinBlack and other blogs here and here. I want to share some of my discussions with Daniel Hood, one of the librarians who worked on Carnegie Mellon University’s library game. Donna Beck and Rachel Callison were two of the other librarians heavily involved in the creation of the game. I talked with Dan at LOEX last spring and again in September right before the release of their games. The following is a summary of those conversations.

While the game project released as “The Library Arcade” in the fall of 2007, it was not how it was originally envisioned. The game was designed with an over-arching narrative very similar to what I described back in September:

Max has some work to do and he needs your help. Max is ordinary student who has procrastinated his research paper until the last day but before he can get started on his paper his needs to help his fellow students and the library.

Max was created as the main character to provide a story to connect and drive each of the minigames forward. The game and story was designed with five separate mini games, two of which are playable in “Library Arcade.”

“I’ll Get It” uses questions generated from subject specialist librarians based on reflections from actual student questions. A variety of disciplines were planned to be included (Music, English, Math, Business) and every discipline / department that supported the project by providing questions was included in the game.

“Within Range” was designed at a time when the library was undergoing the process of changing over from Dewey call numbers to Library of Congress. The game served multiple purposes of helping students understand subject organization within LC, practice reading LC call numbers, and help their students understand the transition from one call number system to another.

The game was envisioned with five minigames, with specific learning objectives for each game. The four members of the design committee had envisioned Max’s narrative tying each of the minigames together, but budget and time constraints led to the decision to release “Library Arcade” as stand-alone games. The project had a $50,000 dollar budget. The programming was initially done as part of a student project for a gaming / programming course. Unfortunately the dependence on a student project created a number of conflicts. The librarian design team had disagreements in direction and gameplay with the student group. While these design disagreements were good learning experiences for both the librarians and students the cost vs. benefits of using students eventually tipped in the favor of costs. As the semester came to a close and the assignment was due, the programming of the game slowed down and eventually drew to a standstill. The design committee used a good portion of the remaining budget to hire a Flash programmer to complete the work.

The game was designed to be incorporated into a first semester freshmen course as part of a library introduction. The course is a required one-credit class where the library has about 50 minutes to present material. Traditionally the librarians focused on databases and resources, but over the past few years have focused on creating an atmosphere by introducing people and some initial information literacy concepts. The game was designed to continue to help put a positive, public face on the library. Unfortunately the game was not ready for the fall 2007 semester.

The library opened up the “Library Arcade” in its beta phase at the end of September 2007. They team’s goal was to get feedback from other librarians on the games in order to help determine if they should continue to develop the project or leave it public as it is now. Fortunately, a variety of librarian blogs and even the ALA newsletter covered the games and raised awareness within the library community.

Back at the time of release in September, the committee members and the administration were happy with the results. Daniel stated that eventually the goal was to open up the XML files so that people could create new questions. While some on the committee like Dan have moved on to other projects, new members like John Fudrow are actively working on the project. John’s a great librarian and a gamer himself. He has continued to respond to blogs and questions about the games since there release.

I’m glad that people are still talking about these games even on gaming sites like Joystiq. It’s too bad their coverage was so negative and focused on the game that was less like a “game.” But that’s another topic.

Congrats again to Dan, Donna, Rachel, John and anyone involved in the project.

Palgrave MacMillan recently released a revised and updated edition of James Paul Gee's essential work, "What Video Games have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy." As I've made way through the book looking for updates, I was struck by this statement in the revised conclusion:

"Having given now a great many talks about video games across the world, I know that many people who have read this book take it to be an argument for using games in schools or other educational settings. However that is not the argument I have tried to make in this book. I have first wanted to argue that good video games build into their very designs good learning principles and that we should use these principles, with or without games, in schools, workplaces, and other learning sites."

For over five years, Gee's work and advocacy for video games and education has opened doors and opportunities in libraries, schools, and campuses around the country. Gee's quote above rightfully suggests that Gee's work is important for instruction librarians, teachers, and educators at all levels to consider for teaching strategies and instructional design. Games are important for how they teach players, not simply because they teach within an electronic or virtue experience.

Video game strategies including Gee's principles provide us, as educators, a guideline for how to plan, structure, and implement engaging classroom instruction.

I said it before, and will continue to, video games are good teachers and we can use their strategies to improve our own teaching. As Gee states, "we should use these principles, with or without games..."

image from Palgrave MacMillan

I spent time over this long weekend playing Spectrobes for the Nintendo DS. Last spring, a family friend raved about the game and how he and all his middle school friends were playing it. They continued to play the game, exploring, collecting, and battling even after Pokemon was released last spring. Since junior high boys were choosing this game over Pokemon, I wanted to try the game for myself (now that it’s at a reduced price).

THESE ARE STUDENTS I WANT IN MY RESEARCH CLASSES

The game is an exercise in patience and persistence. Spectrobes is similar to Pokemon in that a player finds, trains, evolves, and breeds creatures to advance through the game. In addition to this, Spectrobes requires players to find their creatures by digging up fossils and “awakening” them. The game make good use of the DS by allowing players to chip away rock layers. Players drill, brush, or blast the fossils out of the rock. The creatures gain experience in battles and by eating minerals, which are also buried. Excavating these fossils and minerals is an exercise in patience and persistence.

Fossils and minerals could be found anywhere on the ground. The game allows the player to “scan” the ground to see if there is anything there. Once an item is found, the touch screen excavating begins. Because the maps and game areas are large, there is a lot of scanning to be done. I easily spent a few hours simply scanning, walking a few steps, scanning, walking a few more steps outside of the scanned area, and scanning again. This process rewarded me with a variety of minerals and fossils and was strangely satisfying. After playing through the first three areas the scanning began to get tedious.

The amazing thing is, the scanning didn’t get old for the junior high students. They diligently scanned each square inch of the game. The thoroughness of these players is exactly what could make them successful in research. The idea that if I just keep digging, I’m going to find something really good is a great way to look at research. Spectrobes players are not satisfied with the results on the first page or the first ten. They will keep digging. They have the patience to know that quality doesn’t always happen on the first search. Searching takes time and research takes time. Spectrobes players are aware of this and willing to give a search time to be successful.

How many students in our classrooms are willing to do this?

How many have the patience and persistence?

As a generation raised with Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Spectrobes, and others enter our classrooms and libraries, how can we use their experiences for academic success?

images from 1up.com

In addition to spending my gaming time playing minigames with coloring book graphics, I spent some time saving the universe. Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron for the Sony PSP is a 3^rd person action game with a limited single player mode and a solid 16 player online mode. The story campaign provided a side story that occurred during after “A New Hope” and up to the conclusion of “Return of the Jedi.” Most Star Wars would enjoy the, short and easy campaign. There is also a strategy mode where the player tries to control planets for either the Rebellion or Empire. While this mode was fun, it too was over quickly (a little over an hour on normal, and about 2 hours on hard).

The 16 player online matches were fun and provide a large amount of replay value for those looking for a portable online action experience. Players can battle on foot or in space. Both require some strategy and teamwork in order to be successful. In addition, the list below provides specific information literacy outcomes and examples from within my gaming experience.

ACRL Info Lit Outcome - Star Wars Battlefront Gameplay

1.1. The information literate student defines and articulates the need for information

Where are the bases located? How defended are they? What routes can a player take? What weapon combination works best on this map?

1.3. The information literate student considers the costs and benefits of acquiring the needed information.

What is the cost of time and/or life to explore the map? Will rushing into the fight get a character killed?

1.4. The information literate student reevaluates the nature and extent of the information need

Okay, after not being successful and having to respawn, what went wrong? What strategies can be adjusted?

2.1. The information literate student selects the most appropriate investigative methods or information retrieval systems for accessing the needed information.

Does the player use specialized equipment (jet pack) to investigate the opposition?

2.5. The information literate student extracts, records, and manages the information and its sources.

Objectives are recorded in-game for a player to refer to during the course of gameplay.

3.3. The information literate student synthesizes main ideas to construct new concepts.

Based on what was learned, what is the best strategy to be successful on a given map / situation.

4.1. The information literate student applies new and prior information to the planning and creation of a particular product or performance.

After knowing where the opposition is, what goals are included, and the layout of a map, the player takes action in the hopes of being successful.

4.2 Reflects on past success, failures, and alternative strategies

After any given match, a player reflects and revises what strategies, weapons, teamwork was successful and what to try next time.

images from 1up.com

Over the semester break I spent many hours wrapped up in the world of Sid Meir’s Pirates for the PSP. The game puts the player in the role of young man in the 1600 who turns to piracy to rescue his family from an evil baron. The player can choose to align with the English, French, Dutch, or Spanish at the start of the game, but after that the world is wide open. Like any good game, Pirates drew me into it’s world and made me want to clear the seas of other pirates, claim ports for my nation, and win the heart of a governor’s daughter. While playing though, I’m learning through procedural literacy. I’m learning about a variety of ships and sailing requirements during that timeframe. I’m learning about the simplified political dynamics of the exploration and settlement of the “new world.” While the game is male centric (no female pirates and an overemphasis on bar maids) it is an engaging and thought provoking experience.

Thanks to Sid Mier’s and Civilization, I’ve played educational video games for the last 15 years. One of my high school history teachers was using video games to teach with the first Civilization. As a freshmen and sophomore in high school, I didn’t see the value in using it to teach. Friends at school talked about how great the class was because all you did was play the game. And that was and still is my concern with games that teach… the need for reflection and discussion. While my friends were excited to just play the game, the teacher did incorporate discussions about strategy, tactics, technology, and civilization building into class. Combing the game with discussion and historical lectures and readings created a much deeper understanding than just traditional textbook based teaching.

Not only was the game useful within the classroom, it also created enough investment and excitement that students went to the library during study halls and lunch hours to keep playing. The game was an experience that grew outside of class. And this is still a strength and a goal of educational games today – players that keep playing & learning long after the class period is over. As a testament to my learning (or loneliness) there were many Saturday nights during high school that I spent playing and replaying historical maps and writing new histories with Civilization.

I returned to the Civilization series in 2003 while I was student teaching. I spent many long nights preparing lesson plans and playing Civilization II. I was the one now teaching freshmen in high school about world history. But I missed the opportunity to learn from my own experiences. Playing Civilization created a deeper meaning for me in high school, but I didn’t bring that into my student teaching. While I was playing and creating histories at night on my computer, I didn’t bring the game into the classroom. Looking back on it now, I wish I had.

The procedural literacy that students build through games is important for making a subject feel more alive and developing a deeper understanding. While I brought other technologies (laptops and palm pilots) into the classroom I didn’t bring video games. I played things conservatively and stuck with the status quo. I missed my chance in a high school classroom, but I’m working to create those opportunities within college classrooms. I hope that the continued discussion, research, and experiments will encourage others to take advantage of opportunities to enhance our students learning and understanding through games.

Thank you Sid Meirs’ for creating games that helped me learn and encouraged me to explore. Video games create a deeper understanding through procedural literacy… as long as we as educators are willing to apply them.

Images of Sid Mier's Pirates from Gamespot
Images of Civilization from Wikipedia
Images of Cilvilzation II from Gamespot

Over the past few weeks I’ve invested most of my gaming time into two distinctly different games: Final Fantasy Fables – Chocobo Tales by Square Enix and Rebellion’s LucasArts published Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron. Besides being games with unnecessarily long titles, they both incorporated some good educational lessons.

Chocobo Tales features a unique mix of minigames and card battling with a RPG story that ties them together. Any game where the bad guy is an evil book (well at least an evil spirit trapped inside a book) is a must play for librarians. The game itself is not revolutionary and really is a mixed bag with a focus on winning minigames to gain cards in order to battle against the evil book. Reviewers docked it points for not being enough of one or the other.

I agree that it struggled to hold together during some of the minigames, but there was enough variety to enjoy almost all the games. The mix of 3D and a “pop-up book” like cel shaded graphics had enough charm to keep me playing. While the game is intended for a younger audience it was an enjoyable play.

This was my first experience with a card battling video game. Playing online against others in America and Japan was a good learning experience. Although there is some randomness to the battles, I was doing probability calculations constantly.

Both of my boys continue playing through the minigames, and now my oldest has played some of the card battles as well. He’s started to learn the “rock-paper-scissors” elements of the card battles. The logic skills he is building are a good start to the type of “if / then” associations he’ll do later in school and life.

images from 1up.com

One week into our second semester and our information literacy program has already taught 24 sessions. Not a bad start to what should be a record setting year for the number of information literacy sessions taught. With all these sessions, the four librarians are finding ways to keep video game strategies part of out planning discussions and classroom sessions. We are doing so, not by “forcing the fun.” Video game strategies do not need a lesson plan that includes a game to work. The strategies stand on their own and work well integrated into existing classes.

During the fall semester, our instruction program came up with a few creative ways to integrate gaming strategies (the APA Stump the Expert session is one example). But more than focus be creative in the classroom, gaming strategies shaped the way we talked about classroom instruction. Regardless of what class we met about, or what assignment we brainstormed on, the strategies below always factored into our instruction design.

As the Spring 2008 semester begins at colleges and universities around the country, I encourage everyone reading to keep these teaching strategies in mind when creating instruction sessions. The list is simple, and while not as detailed as Gee’s work or the analysis of others, it’s a place to start.

For librarians wanting to try these, but face reluctance and skepticism over “video games” – shhh – don’t tell anyone this are video game strategies. Remember games work because all of these strategies are going on during gameplay. Do not limit instruction design to only one or two of these. Apply the strategies together.

For those interested in getting started, do not force the fun. Creativity will come.

After the local coverage of a video game tournament at my local public library, there were two negative letters to the editor criticizing the library for providing video games for kids. Granted, they've held gaming events before but they've never been covered by the local newspaper. Given the beating the librarians and the library were taking locally, I wanted to defend their program and gaming in libraries in general. Below is my letter to the editor:

In the January 12^th and 13^th editions of the TH, both Mr. Doughty and Ms. Patterson “shamed” the Dubuque Public Library for their recent video game event. As a parent of two young children and frequent user of the children’s library, I am excited by library’s efforts with video games.

Gaming events like the one the library held not only create a safe community environment; they also help youth develop an interest in the library and a connection with the staff. Events like these break down barriers for young people who may not see the library as inviting or relevant for them. While those attending the event may not immediately check out something, they are now more aware of the books, movies, games, comics, and music the library has to offer. In time and in need, they will use the library.

The library is not an “arcade” as Mr. Doughty suggested, nor is it a movie theater even though the library shows movies and checks them out. A library is a place of information for a community, whatever form that information takes.

There is research showing that video games are connected to learning by helping youth develop literacy, social communication, and critical thinking skills. I’m thankful the library’s taking part in helping build these skills in our community and I’m looking forward to bringing my child to the next gaming night.

The process of playing a game creates a learning experience beyond the content communicated on screen. Videogames create opportunities for players to understand and empathize with real-world situations. Games help players learn through doing. Bogost describes this learning experience is described as procedural literacy. Videogame players learn by actively taking part in a process. Players make decisions based on information, experience the results of those decisions, and adjust future strategies based on those results. Videogames are an active learning experience.

Looking back on what I wrote about the top 10 list of educational games that John Rice created, almost all of the games teach through procedural literacy:

Revolution – puts the player into the world of colonial America and requires them to make decisions and adjust to the decisions of others. It teaches, not through cut scenes but through conversations. Players learn naturally through the very act of playing.

River City – players explore and use the scientific method to solve the problem plaguing the city.

Arden – encourages players to explore the world during Shakespeare’s time, learning about the content and people through interactions

The History of Canada uses the Civilization III engine allowing players to player through historic events.

America’s Army puts players into the roles of different military positions; a recent story shows the power of procedural literacy when a man responded to a crash and dressed the wounds based on his training in the game

Sim City is, well Sim City. Enough said.

The majority of the titles on Rice’s list use procedural literacy to teach and help players learn.

What other games use procedural literacy well?

My article in College & Research Libraries News just went online. It recaps the teaching of information literacy through fantasy sports and the University of Dubuque's experience doing so. I am always interested in feedback (especially constructive or negative since one can always improve), so please let me know your thoughts.

Librarians' sport of choice: Teaching information literacy through fantasy football

That title applies to most of my work on this blog. Now that I've finished my draft of a publication on this topic I wanted to share part of my conclusion. As spring semesters start across the country over the next few weeks, a hope this provides some librarians a little extra push to try something new and experiment with video game strategies.

Writing the chapter and this passage helped refocus me for the coming semester and reminded me to keep trying even when things don't work out. I hope it can do the same for some others.

Starting the process of “leveling up” an information literacy program does not need to be intimidating or daunting. When applying any new strategies or technology, it is best to start small by setting limited goals and focusing on smaller content (King, 2007). King’s advice is sound, and while not revolutionary, it is practical. Existing information literacy classes provide jumping off points for those looking to get started with using games and game strategies in the classroom. The University of Dubuque used this message of starting small to place emphasis on success and build upon it. Start small, target a few gaming strategies, include traditional outcomes and do not be afraid of initial failure. These strategies will enhance the learning experiences of students across campus.

Videogames require information literacy to be successful. The skills involved within games create a unique foundation to build future academic success. Librarians are in an excellent position to build that bridge between students, videogame literacy, and traditional information literacy. Creating successful information literate students with videogames goes beyond treating games as a metaphor. Applying videogame strategies created exciting learning opportunities for students at the University of Dubuque, and furthermore, can provide engaging opportunities for any academic library. Videogames can teach a player the research process, and videogame strategies can help librarians teach students.

As I begin a new semester and finish some writing for publication, I'm looking backward to some of the instruction sessions with video game strategies and looking forward to what our information literacy program can improve on.

While I've posted lesson plans before, I have not posted the first gaming strategy session I attempted. Now, the first time I tried it - it failed. But not because of the lesson. It failed because created too open of an assignment and the students were confused with what to do after each step. But like most teaching, it improves with practice and the successive times that I taught this musical period web exploration and evaluation it was successful.

I hope that it can provide others with ideas about how to structure information literacy sessions that incorporate video game strategies.

Lesson Plan

Introduction to Music Time Period Research

Goal: Students will identify a variety of quality resources from each musical period.

Objectives:

- Selects efficient and effective approaches for accessing the information needed

- Examines and compares information from various sources in order to evaluate reliability, validity, accuracy, authority, timeliness

- Determines probable accuracy by questioning the source of the data

- Maintains a log of activities related to the seeking and evaluating process.

- Participates in peer workgroups

Activity: Identify one internet source on a given time period; verify the quality of the source; identify one subject from the period (artist, style, composition) with both a print and online source.

Class Period:

- Introduce the session, goals, and Internet Evaluation (10 min)

o Handout web evaluation worksheet

o Clarify content and terms of worksheet, using example

- Students organize into groups of two & receive objective worksheet

o Worksheet describes goal (as listed in the “Activity” above) and the criteria needed to achieve each goal

o Each group is given a musical period to research

- Students work together to complete each goal (25 min)

o Goal 1: Locate 1 internet source on your time period

§ Use the Web Evaluation worksheet to determine the quality of the source

§ Record the search strategy used (terms, search engine, different sites viewed, etc…)

o Goal 2: Identify 1 focused subject from that period based on the information discovered through Goal 1

o Goal 3: Locate 1 internet source on your focused subject from Goal 2

§ Use the Web Evaluation worksheet to determine the quality of the source

§ Record the search strategy used (terms, search engine, different sites viewed, etc…)

o Goal 4: Locate one print resource on the focused subject of Goals 2 & 3

§ List any differences you observe

- Review results of Goals 1, 3 & 4 from selected groups (15 min)

o Each group will describe their results for one of the Goals

§ Using the lab software, a group will be selected to describe the results

§ The software will push the groups screen onto the rest of the class

§ The selected group will described why they choose the website/material they did

As I continue to finish my draft of ACRL chapter on using videogames to help teach information literacy, I wanted to share more about what type of classes the University of Dubuque has applied gaming strategies in and how they mapped to information literacy.

EDIT: sorry about the table formatting, I'm having trouble setting up the table in Blogger

Library Instruction Session	ACRL Information Literacy Outcomes	Videogame Strategies	Assessment
Music period research – Introduction to Music	· Selects efficient and effective approaches for accessing information · Examines and compares information from various sources in order to evaluate reliability, validity, accuracy, authority, timeliness · Determines probable accuracy by questioning the source of the data · Maintains a log of activities. · Participates in peer workgroups	· Scaffolding / Telescoping · Personalization · Monitored progress · Goal orientation	Website evaluation worksheet
Resource Review – Introduction to Research Writing	· Identifies purpose and audience of resource · Investigates scope & content of systems · Assesses the quantity, quality & relevance of results · Identifies gaps in information · Determines if information satisfies needs · Communicates search process	· Decision making · Adaptation · Clear goals · Practice of skills · Personalization	Presentation Rubric
Multiple-path scholarly source search – Speech and Language Barriers	· Identifies key concepts & terms · Identifies the value and differences of potential resources · Identifies keywords, synonyms, and related terms · Selects controlled vocabulary specific to the discipline · Repeats search using revised strategy	· Clear goals · Monitored practiced · Adaptation · Continuous feedback · Individual adjustment · Personalization	Email evaluation and assessment

ARCL Information Literacy Performance Indicator	Final Fantasy	Halo	Madden
1.1. The information literate student defines and articulates the need for information	X	X	X
1.2. The information literate student identifies a variety of types and formats of potential sources for information.	X	X	X
1.3. The information literate student considers the costs and benefits of acquiring the needed information.		X	X
1.4. The information literate student reevaluates the nature and extent of the information need	X	X	X
2.1. The information literate student selects the most appropriate investigative methods or information retrieval systems for accessing the needed information.	X	X
2.2. The information literate student constructs and implements effectively - designed search strategies	X	X
2.3 The information literate student retrieves information online or in person using a variety of methods.		X	X
2.4. The information literate student refines the search strategy if necessary	X	X	X
2.5. The information literate student extracts, records, and manages the information and its sources	X		X
3.1. The information literate student summarizes the main ideas to be extracted from the information gathered.	X	X
3.2. The information literate student articulates and applies initial criteria for evaluating both the information and its sources.		X	X
3.3. The information literate student synthesizes main ideas to construct new concepts	X	X
3.4. The information literate student compares new knowledge with prior knowledge to determine the value added, contradictions, or other unique characteristics of the information.	X	X	X
3.7 The information literate student determines whether the initial query should be revised	X	X
4.1. The information literate student applies new and prior information to the planning and creation of a particular product or performance.	X	X	X
4.2 Reflects on past success, failures, and alternative strategies	X	X	X
4.3. The information literate student communicates the product or performance effectively to others	X	X	X
5.2. The information literate student follows laws, institutional polices, and etiquette related to the access and use of information resources.		X	X

I've written before about how these games require the application of information literacy skills, but I've combined it into a similar table for my chapter and wanted to share it here as well. Seeing all these skills in one place provides more evidence about the connection between IL and video games. Granted these are only a few game franchises but it provides a short snapshot of IL skills used in different video game genres.