Friday, August 19, 2011

Hemp Tycoon Stokes Game-Based Learning

The inevitable blend of advergaming, game-based learning and self-parody gets fired up at [adult swim] Online, which Cartoon Network has grown into a lifestyle brand that includes a record label, clothing and merchandise, and an ever-expanding library of games.

Hemp Tycoon is the game with the highest current user rating. As the name suggests, this game parodies Roller Coaster Tycoon and also salutes Farmville. It's depth and its alignment to CN brand are an example of taking the platform to a new level. Stay tuned, man. Visit this great blog for more to feed those late night intellectual munchies.

Meanwhile, tune into SXSW and vote for the latest tract under consideration: Play Time? Kids and Game-Based Learning. Vox Populi says 'sounds like fun'.

Sara DeWitt of PBS KIDS and Drew Davidson of Carnegie Mellon University will weigh in on games in Austin. Their agenda:

There is a lot of talk at the government, industry, and producer level about the promise of games in education, but has anyone really proven true educational outcomes from informal gaming? In this presentation, Sara and Drew will share some of the most effective gameplay mechanics for teaching kids, discuss how challenges and rewards influence outcomes, showcase video of kids engaged in gameplay, present some of the latest theories for skill-scaffolding within games, and share outcome data from real educational gaming evaluations.

Questions
Answered How can games help with learning?
What are the characteristics of a good learning game?
What are good learning gameplay mechanics?
Why are games and learning similar?
How can you design a strong learning game?










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