Learning Online with Games, Simulations, and Virtual Worlds: Strategies for Online Instruction (Jossey-Bass Guides to Online Teaching and Learning) [Paperback]

Clark Aldrich (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0470438347 | ISBN-13: 978-0470438343 | Publication Date: September 22, 2009 | Edition: 1

Higher education institutions are increasingly delivering content online, but the content is often not sufficiently engaging. Learning Online with Games, Simulations, and Virtual Worlds provides a simple and practical guide to identifying when and what kind of games, simulations, and virtual environments should be used, how to get them, how to deploy them, and how to measure their effectiveness. Using frameworks, tips, case studies, real examples, and resources, this cutting-edge tool will help faculty members and instructional designers comfortably use games, simulations, and virtual environments to enhance learning.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“What I like most is that Aldrich does not oversimplify. Using (online) games etc. for learning is not easy, but can be very rewarding. This new book is highly recommended for anyone who wants to give it a go. It is a very helpful and practical guide for teachers and instructors.”
—Igor Mayer, associate professor in Public Administration/Gaming-Simulation,

Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands “Clark Aldrich is to simulations what Elvis Presley is to rock and roll, and this book is his ‘Hound Dog.’”
—Daniel M. Siegel, Course Director for Game Strategies and Motivation, Full Sail University

From the Back Cover

Jossey-Bass Guides to Online Teaching and Learning

Learning Online with Games, Simulations, and Virtual Worlds

Strategies for Online Instruction

Clark Aldrich

Learning Online with Games, Simulations, and Virtual Worlds

The infusion of games, simulations, and virtual worlds into online learning can be a transforming experience for both the instructor and the student. This practical guide, written by education game expert Clark Aldrich, shows faculty members and instructional designers how to identify opportunities for building games, simulations, and virtual environments into the curriculum; how to successfully incorporate these interactive environments to enhance student learning; and how to measure the learning outcomes. It also discusses how to build institutional support for using and financing more complex simulations. The book includes frameworks, tips, case studies and other real examples, and resources.

Praise for Learning Online with Games, Simulations, and Virtual Worlds

"Clark Aldrich provides powerful insights into the dynamic arena of games, simulations, and virtual worlds in a simultaneously entertaining and serious manner as only he can. If you are involved with educating anyone, from your own children to classrooms full of students, you need to devour this book."
— Karl Kapp, assistant director, Institute for Interactive Technologies, Bloomsburg University

"At a time when the technologies for e-learning are evolving faster than most people can follow, Aldrich successfully bridges the perceptual gap between virtual worlds, digital games, and educational simulations, and provides educators with all they really need to use this technology to enhance and enrich their e-learning experiences."
— Katrin Becker, instructor, Department of Computer Science and Information Systems, Mount Royal College, and adjunct professor of education, University of Calgary

"I consider this a must-read for anyone engaged in or contemplating using these tools in their classrooms or designing their own tools."
— Rick Van Sant, professor of learning and technology, Ferris State University

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 148 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (September 22, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470438347
• ISBN-13: 978-0470438343
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 0.4 x 9.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #78,712 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #16 in Books > Computers & Technology > Games & Strategy Guides > Internet Games

More About the Author

Clark Aldrich is a global education thought leader, labeled a guru by Fortune Magazine. His experience ranges from spending years working with children at a leading environmental education foundation to serving on boards of universities, of companies, and in the intelligence community.

As well as being an award-winning analyst, speaker, and writer, Clark Aldrich is one of the top five active educational game designers in the world. His educational games have been patent winning, generated millions in revenues, are market leaders in their categories, have been rigorously proven to drive long term desired changes in behavior, and have been translated and deployed in dozens of countries and languages.

Aldrich is also the author of five books, Simulations and the Future of Learning, Learning By Doing, The Complete Guide to Simulations and Serious Games, Learning Online with Games, Simulations, and Virtual Worlds, and Unschooling Rules.

Aldrich's work has been featured in hundreds of sources, including CBS, ABC, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, CNN, NPR, CNET, Business 2.0, BusinessWeek, U.S. News and World Reports.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classroom Instructors-Please Read!, October 15, 2009

By 

Jon Aleckson (Madison, WI. USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Learning Online with Games, Simulations, and Virtual Worlds: Strategies for Online Instruction (Jossey-Bass Guides to Online Teaching and Learning) (Paperback)

Many educators from K -16 believe that computer based simulations/games are the future. Many of us endorse moving away from the "learning to know" and promoting a "learning to be" and "learning to do" goal of education. The Internet has enabled this potential exponentially. Now the question teachers ask is: How do I incorporate meaningful simulations/games into my syllabus? Clark's book provides the answer with "a one night read" that will inspire. Here is what I appreciate about this book:
*Includes definitions and justification for the game-based learning phenomena
*Explains the various degrees of interactivity and what that means for learner engagement
*Includes explanation of the important role of the instructor/coach
*Provides ideas of how to use simulations in the classroom
*How to sell the importance of "learning to do and be"
Professors,Teachers,Educators! This book is worth purchasing! What more of my thoughts about Clark Aldrich and his work see my blog: [...]

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I have two copies, February 19, 2010

By 

S. Thiagarajan "Thiagi" (Bloomington, IN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Learning Online with Games, Simulations, and Virtual Worlds: Strategies for Online Instruction (Jossey-Bass Guides to Online Teaching and Learning) (Paperback)

I have two copies of Clark's book, one a dead-tree version and the other a Kindle version. This is because Clark's books keep disappearing from my bookshelves. I cannot find one of his previous books, "Learning by Doing".

Clark's book is the best introduction to learning from highly interactive virtual environonments. I strongly recommend it to beginners -- and to experienced practitioners. Clark blends practice with the right amount of theory. His conceptualization is sound. His levels and his concept of sims as a new model of content are pragmatic and provocative. Clark's style is highly readable. He is a storyteller and a journalist. But he does not compromise the accuracy of the information and clearly separates fantasy from reality.

Many of Clark's ideas are applicable to teaching and learning in general. They are not limited to geeks.

Buy this book -- and Clark's previous books. No, you may not borrow them from me.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Contents could be taken just as that: a game and a simulation for the reader., April 11, 2010

By 

Enzo Hernandez (Mexico) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Learning Online with Games, Simulations, and Virtual Worlds: Strategies for Online Instruction (Jossey-Bass Guides to Online Teaching and Learning) (Paperback)

At the beginning of every Wiley's book you can see in fine print: "Limit of liability/ Disclaimer of warranty" and then a specific phrase: "The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation". In a nutshell, this limit applied to me with the contents of this book: No solid strategies, online issue just taken by the side, and meager approaches to instruction.

Final message feels like: HIVEs are an emerging issue in education, in most cases expensive, or, at least, you are strongly adviced to pay money to get something decent. HIVEs are complicated to manage, so it is better to pay for someone to coach you.

The preface reads: "My goal in writing this book is to be more practical than theoretical [...]"; "I want to be as specific as possible [...]";"[...]this text is also aimed at helping instructors meet specific challenges[...]".

Author fails to structure ideas and contents clear enough to follow them (at least in what I consider "accessible" should be). Titles in most of the chapters are quite ambitious and remain incomplete when "developed". It seems that being "specific" just cannot fit with his "practical" good will.

Contents in this book really feel as a "simulation" (a trick that deludes) of what the title and "authorities" recommendations at the back cover declare.

A pretentious "coffe-table" book appropriate to borrow form a friend or local library, but not worth to buy.