December 2nd, 2010

Consolarium Advent Calendar for Glow

charlielove

Comments: 2 Comments » Tags: Tags: Glow Scratch JavaScript Glowbetter
 : Categories Consolarium, Glow, games design

We’ve just finished creating an Advent Calendar web part for Glow. The calendar will remember the windows you open, won’t let you open windows in advance and has a “gift” of a new Scratch game in each window for you to play.  You can download the web part from here and import it into your MyGLow or your own Glow Group.  You can see what it looks like at http://glo.li/fPrquI.

The code for the web part is fully commented so you can load it into a text editor and play with it if you wish! There is a non-Glow version of the calendar for you to view at http://www.glo.li/advent/ if you’d like to get an idea of how it works.

For the technical amoung you, it uses a cookie set by Javascript, to remember which windows you’ve clicked on.  The windows clicked on are written into the cookie as a string of text separated by a comma.  When the calendar is loaded it looks for the cookie and loads the values into an array.  The links, positions of windows and alternative text for the window images are all held in arrays and can be customised.

It uses a nested for loop to created the 3 rows and 8 columns of windows. As it sequences through the loop it checks the date and the array of already clicked windows. Windows have there states: open, available to open and not available. It uses a Window.Onload event to run the loop and build the calendar.

When you click on a window, a Jquery ColorBox opens containing a page which links to a Scratch Game as a Java Applet, while a call is made using Javascript to update the contents of the window to show the image and the alternative text within.  We hope everyone enjoys our calendar and the games within (all games made using Scratch).

December 1st, 2010

A Snow Day Resource from the Consolarium

Brian Clark

Comments: 2 Comments » Tags: Tags: cfe, Consolarium, curriculum for excellence, LTS, Scratch, snow, snowday, tutorials
 : Categories Consolarium, Glow, game based learning, games design

It’s cold out there. Really cold. And snowy.  

With many of Scotland’s schools remaining closed due to bad weather, a large number of teachers, schools and authorities are trying to deliver some engaging snow related learning experiences for learners via Glow.

We have just created a short Snow Globe animation task using Scratch that can be accessed by all Glow users here.  It’s also more than suitable for using with your classes in school too!

Learners with access to Glow will be able to follow the video tutorials to create the animation shown below.  Click the green flag to see the animation!

UPDATE! Tutorial Videos Now On YouTube

The video playlist is embedded below, or you can access on YouTube directly here

November 29th, 2010

Scratch – itching for more?

Brian Clark

Comments: 5 Comments » Tags: Tags: build your own blocks, byob, cfe, computing, Consolarium, curriculum for excellence, game design, games design, GBL, LTS, network games, Scratch
 : Categories Added Value, Consolarium, Glow, games design

Build Your Own Blocks

MIT’s Scratch program has become a firm favourite in Primary and Secondary schools all over Scotland.  It is a great tool to create a variety of interactive media resources such as games, art, simulations and stories.  You are only limited by your imagination!

However, as more and more pupils are experiencing Scratch in their Primary classes or through their own curiosity at home, many secondary subjects that currently use Scratch (usually Computing departments) may be wondering how to build on these skills gained pre-secondary school.

One opportunity for extending the learning opportunities with Scratch lies with the BYOB mod of Scratch.  BYOB has all the features of the regular Scratch program, but has a couple of very exciting extras.  Including:

1. the ability to build custom blocks 
2. use recursion
3. create first class lists and procedures
4. ability to share sprites over a LAN
5. ability to pass variables over a LAN

For the purpose of this post, I would like to demonstrate points 4 and 5 – the ability to pass information between 2 or more computers.  Lets look at an example:

The BYOB software, used in this way, provides us with a tool for learners that immediately promotes, and indeed requires, cooperative working and discussion.  Charlie and myself have been demoing this implementation with Computing teachers at CPD events over Scotland in the last month or so.  We have been delighted to see the discussion and cooperative working that needs to take place in order for learners to create what is,essentially, a multiplayer networked game.

Using the technique above of hosting a mesh and reading in variable data using the sensing option, user can quite quickly create a 2 player tennis style game as illustrated below.

These videos are a little rough around the edges, but I intend to re-do them as a set of tutorial videos to be hosted within our game design Glow group. This tutorial set will take users through the steps to make the tennis game.

Please get in touch if you have already been using BYOB with your classes and share your experience with us.

November 22nd, 2010

Microsoft Kinect in Education (first thoughts)

obray

Comments: 2 Comments » Tags: Tags: Kinect, xbox
 : Categories Consolarium, exergaming, game based learning

Unless you have been asleep for the last few weeks you will have heard that the latest development to the Microsoft xBox platform has been released. Its called Microsoft Kinect (code named Project Natal until fairly recently).

Kinect is a webcam-style add-on peripheral for the Xbox 360 console (in fact it contains three cameras!). It enables users to control and interact with their Xbox 360 without the need to touch a game controller.

Instead your entire body is scanned and digitized in real time by the camera in the Kinect sensor, and whatever movements you make, your on-screen character can mimic. You can also control your xBox by speaking to it or holding up objects that the sensor recognizes. It is surprisingly accurate and actually quite magical.

I was lucky enough to pick up a Kinect on launch day and after a quick go in the shop I was convinced that I just had to have one. We have also now received our delivery for the Consolarium and we hope to have a few of these devices out in schools soon.

I love some of the little features that are built into game play. For example I like it that you can collect accessories for your xBox Live avatar (I have a sweat band and a baseball cap already!) and that the Kinect camera takes pictures of you at different times.

Games for Kinect are a little bit limited at the moment but the ones suitable for education include:

Kinect Adventures (comes with Kinect)

Kinect Adventures uses full body motion to allow you to play a variety of minigames, all of which feature jump-in / jump-out multiplayer play.

Each minigame lasts about three minutes and titles include 20,000 Leaks, River Rush, Rally Ball, Reflex Ridge and Space Pop.

Kinectimals

In Kinectimals you can interact with virtual wild cat cubs after you adopt one in fur town. Once you have adopted your cub you can do a variety of things with it including teaching it tricks, guiding the animal around an obstacle course, feeding and caring for your animal.

I really can’t wait to explore this game more and I’m also interested in how it utilizes Microsoft Tag as an additional game play feature.

Kinect Dance Central

Dance Central comes from the creators of Guitar Hero (so it was always going to be a hit with the Consolarium Team) and considering our recent efforts on Just Dance for the Wii we have all be practicing hard!

In Dance Central gameplay involves performing set dance moves which are tracked by Kinect and represented on the screen by one of eight game characters. The game features over 650 different dance moves spanning over 90 dance routines.

I love the fact that it tracks your feet and hands and not just your legs (dance mats) and hands (wii).

Kinect Sports

Kinect Sports allows multiple players to engage in six different motion-controlled sports. The sports included are Bowling, Boxing, Track and field (Includes Hurdles, Sprint, Javelin, Discus Throw and Long Jump), Table Tennis, Football (Soccer) and Beach Volleyball.

As well as competing against a partner you can also play the game in ‘Sports Party’ mode and this allows you to rally a whole room (or class!) full of players into teams.

I’ve had an opportunity to spend a little bit of time with all of these titles now and they are great fun with loads of potential. I also think that one of the interesting things that the Kinect will do is change the location of the xBox in the home by bringing it from the bedroom into the family room. In the same way that you find Nintendo Wii’s in many people’s living rooms.

One of the reasons for this is space – you do need a lot of space to use Kinect. But the other reason is that lots of the games are really playful and will encourage inter-generation gaming and good honest family fun!

Really can’t wait to get this into a few classrooms.


November 21st, 2010

New version of Kodu Game Lab

charlielove

Comments: 2 Comments » Tags: Tags: Consolarium, game design, games design, Kodu, microsoft
 : Categories Consolarium, games design

Those clever people at Microsoft’s Fuse Labs have released a fantastic new build of the Kodu Game Lab software which we have been using throughout Scotland.  There are many new features and fixes in the software but the main ones to draw your attention to are:

• New tutorial systems which makes it even easier to get started using Kodu
• New shortcuts to allow easier use of the keyboard in games
• New “fabric” terrain (so no more blocky terrain – unless you want it)
• Must faster rendering and performance overall

The new tutorial system makes it much easier than ever before to follow a tutorial as the instructions now appear in an overlay pane at the top of the screen.  These instructions very clearly direct the learner as he/she begins to use Kodu for the first time. The new tutorials take a learner right from adding his/her first character and programming it through to building worlds, scoring and adding filters to Kodu programs.

Kodu's new tutorial system

The new terrain system allows you to create blocky and smooth terrain in the same world. So a game which looked like this…

Previous "Blocky" terrain in Kodu

Now can look like this…

New smooth terrain in Kodu

Visually, it makes quite a difference and it’s possible to mix the terrain types so you can have blocky “cubic” look and the smooth “fabric” look in the same world! It’s also easier to add keyboard controls as support for using the arrow keys and the WASD key combination are built into the new version.  This means that you can add control using these keys using one command instead of four.  Exporting your programs is easier now (in windowed mode) as you get a standard windows file dialogue and can save your exported game files where you want on your computer. So no more hunting around to see where they are! And if you want to print your program you can just press Ctrl+P in the edit mode and it will print to your default printer.  You can now also create games which shoot at the Kodu cursor (so missle command fans will be happy).  The launch command can now launch objects towards characters as well!

There are lots of great enhancements to the software and we recommend that you upgrade to it if you can.  You can download Kodu Game Lab from here and read the full list of changes on the Kodu Team Blog. Remember, you can follow the Kodu Team on twitter using the tag @koduteam for great updates and information.

November 16th, 2010

Happy Birthday Windows – COMPETITION!

Brian Clark

Comments: 4 Comments » Tags: Tags: Competitions, computing, Consolarium, Glow, infographic, LTS, operating systems
 : Categories Consolarium, Glow, Literacy, rich tasks, writing

On 20^th November 1985, Microsoft released Windows 1.0.

This year is the 25^th anniversary of Windows 1.0.  In the 25 years that have followed, Operating Systems have evolved. A lot.  Windows 7 mobile, Mac OS X, iOS, Android and Linux are all commonly used Operating Systems today.  And there are many more!

To celebrate this event, we are running a competition for you to create an InfoGraphic about operating systems.  The winning InfoGraphic will turned into a poster and sent to all schools who take part.

Competition Details

Can you create an Infographic to chart the development of Operating Systems over the last 25 years? Here are some ideas….

• You could look at the features that have evolved over this time for a particular operating system
  
• Look at the range of operating systems currently available
• Compare features of 3 common operating systems
• The difference between operating systems for desktop computers and portable devices
• Show how the user interface operating systems have evolved over time, from text based to touch
• Perhaps you are studying computing and want to illustrate your knowledge of Operating Systems
• Or something else that you feel is appropriate
• All entries should be done through the Glow Group

Hold on, what’s an InfoGraphic?

An InfoGraphic is representations of information, data or knowledge. These graphics are used where complex information needs to be explained quickly and clearly.  Information is conveyed by graphic elements, including charts, graphs, text, dates and images.

Some examples of infographics are shown here …

Reasons To Get Involved

• Creative commons image searching
• Image file format
• Investigate graphics applications
• Presentation style – contrasting colours, use of font etc
• Curricular links to SG, Int 2 and Higher Computing in timely context
• Opportunity for collaboration

Important Information!

Closing Date has been extended to 17th January 2011

• Winners will be announced early in the new year
• Teachers must register their school on the Glow Page
• Pupils are responsible for uploading their finished InfoGraphic to the entries page in an appropriate format
• Glow Group Short Link – http://glo.li/oscomp

November 6th, 2010

Consolarium Toolbars and Glow URL Shortening Service

charlielove

Comments: 1 Comment Tags: Tags: Firefox, Glo.li, Glow, Internet Explorer, Toolbars
 : Categories Consolarium, Glow

At the Consolarium, we often consider how to use new technologies to help learners and teachers.  We had an innovative idea to create toolbars to help users access content in Glow and elsewhere on the web such as the Consolarium YouTube Channel, LTScotland Online service etc.  The idea expanded, as you can see from the list below, and we’ve created the first release of the toolbars, which you can download  for Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox web browsers.  Our toolbar provides you with the following options:

• Search Glow from the toolbar
• Shorten long web links using the integrated Glo.li service
• Access Consolarium, Glow and LTScotland online content
• Remember your Glow username and password for quick login (Internet Explorer Only)

The Mozilla Firefox version can be installed from the web installer at http://www.glo.li/consolarium/toolbar/firefox/install.html

The Internet Explorer version can also be installed from the web at http://www.glo.li/Consolarium_webinstall/install.html.

If you would like to download an installer program, an optional dual installer for both toolbars is available at http://www.glo.li/consolarium/toolbar/ie/Consolarium.zip for Windows operating systems (XP and above).

The Consolarium Team has also created a URL shortening service, similar to bit.ly, tinyurl and others, to shorten all those long urls for Glow services.  Using Glo.li you can shorten a long url such as https://portal.glowscotland.org.uk/establishments/nationalsite/Consolarium/default.aspx to http://glo.li/baErCw.

The Glo.li service is available as an integrated part of the Consolarium Toolbar, just click on the glo.li button and a short url for the current web page will appear in the toolbar.  You can then highlight and copy it.  You don’t have to install the toolbar to use glo.li, you can shorten long urls online at http://www.glo.li and you can also download this Web part for Glow which will automatically generate a short url for any Glow page it is imported into.

And if that wasn’t enough, if you have your own WordPress blog you can add the glo.li service to your blog to generate short urls to your posts.  Download glo.li for WordPress here.

October 26th, 2010

Consolarium comes to Norway

Derek Robertson

Comments: none Tags: Tags: Consolarium, game based learning, games based learning
 : Categories Aberdeenshire, Conferences, Consolarium, game based learning

As a result of presentation about the work of LTS’ Consolarium initiative in Strasbourg last year we were kindly invited to present a keynote talk about the place and value of game based learning in Scottish schools at a teacher technology conference in Bergen.

A few weeks back we received a call from a journalist from the Bergen Times whose interest in what was happening with the Consolarium in Scotland was sparked by his reading of the forthcoming conference’s programme. He told us that he had carried out a bit of research and would really like to see this for himself. A date was duly arranged and his flight to Aberdeen from Bergen allowed us to call on out colleagues in Aberdeenshire to showcase the GBL work that is happening in their schools.

A programme was duly organised and the Norwegian journalist and his photographer spent a day visiting schools who were using a range of computer games in the classroom.

It appears that the game based learning approach that we employ in Scotland is new to Norway and as such it merited a real splash in the Bergen Times Weekend supplement, including a feature on the front cover! It appears that the journalist was somewhat taken aback by the power of what he witnessed in the classrooms he visited and as such he has written a very positive article about GBL in Scotland and what questions Norway can begin to ask itself about how the Consolarium’s ideas, practice and approach might begin to be developed over there.

The article is not online as yet so in the meantime please find attached .pdfs of the article:

Bergen Times Weekend Saturday Supplement main article

Bergen Times front cover

Page1: Photograph of kids playing Guitar Hero

Page2: Article begins

Page3: Article

Page 4: Article continues

Page 5: Article continues

Page 6: Article continues

Page 7: Article continues

Page 8: Article ends

There was also a piece following on from the main article that focused on asking schoolchildren from Bergen what they thought about having game based learning in school.

Page 1: Bergen schoolchildren and GBL

Page 2: Bergen schoolchildren and GBL

Finally, there was also a piece in the Sunday edition of the Bergen Times that included comments from  prominent Norwegian educationalists about the work of the Consolarium in Scotland.

Bergen Times Sunday edition article

In order for you to make sense of these article we have attempted to use Google Translate so that you can make some sense of the stories featured in the Norwegian press. The translation has worked well although we do think that some meaning has been lost in translation.

Bergen Times Translation

There are also some errors in detail in the article that need to be highlighted and corrected:

• The Consolarium is not situated in the University of Dundee but within Learning and Teaching Scotland’s offices in Dundee.
• The figure of £30million was used in reference to the cost of Glow, Scotland’s national intranet, not the cost of the Consolarium!
• We are not saying that books, movies and newspapers are no longer of use in school. That is definitely not our message. Games can be used to complement and enhance the media that is on offer to help learners progress.

It appears that the input that we gave at the conference has been well received and has at least started a discussion about the place of game based learning in Norwegian schools. The Bergen Times article has certainly helped!

October 20th, 2010

Unity 3 Game Development

charlielove

Comments: none Tags: Tags: Android, cfe, cross-curricular, game design, games design, Glow, iOS, Unity
 : Categories Consolarium, Glow, Nintendo, cross-curricular, games design

Unity 3 is a cross platform development environment (PC or Mac) which provides users with a set of tools to create games for PC, Mac, Wii, iOS devices (such as iPodTouch, iPhone and iPad) and Google’s Android Mobile operating system.  It’s a jack of all trades system and the core software is free for all to download and use.  This video shows just a few of the games that have already been created with Unity.

We’ve been spending some time at the Consolarium looking at Unity 3 and we’ve been very impressed with what is possible with the software.  The level of support available online from the Unity site and from the developer community (including the great game tutorial videos at 3DBuzz) is excellent and this wealth of quality resources can really support learners as they take their first steps with this software.

Our plans to support game design in the senior phase require quality tools which provide learners with opportunities to produce games similar to the ones they play.  Also, game design in the senior phase must build on the CfE experiences and outcomes and our work on game design at level 2/3 with Scratch and Kodu. Given the recent developments in game design qualifications, it is important that we look for and develop resources which support learners undertaking these new courses.  Unity provides a versatile platform which can help us achieve all of these things.

With practicalities in mind, Unity will run on a variety of computer systems including those which are getting a bit old.  It requires Windows XP Service Pack 2 OR Mac OS “Leopard” 10.5 as a minimum spec and a graphics card with a minimum of 64MBs (which should cover any graphics card made in the last  6/7 years).  Other demands on your computer system just depend on how complex your game project becomes.

One of the really great features that we hope to make use of is Unity 3′s ability to create browser based games which play from the web.  Have a look at blurst.com to see some of the great web based games created with Unity.  Jetpack Brontosaurus is my personal favourite.

Moving forward our plan is to make the best of these resources available in the Consolarium Game Design Glow Group and to develop further resources and support for schools which adopt Unity as a development platform.  Already in our Glow group are resources for Scratch, Kodu, Blender and Microsoft XNA Game Development.  There are also a number of background resources which deal with the game development process and were filmed at the Denki Studio in Dundee.

October 19th, 2010

EA Create: New Game, New Opportunities?

Brian Clark

Comments: none Tags: Tags: cfe, Consolarium, cross platform, ea, ea create, educational games, game based learning, game design, mac, pc, pic, ps3, Wii, xbox
 : Categories Added Value, Consolarium, Multi-player games, cross-curricular, game based learning, games design, writing

At the Consolarium, we are always eager to look for new games to add to our Game Based Learning projects. In mid November 2010, Electronic Arts will release EA Create.

Create Game Info

In Create, use your creativity and imagination to unlock a world of play!

Create tracks your creativity and rewards you for it. The more you create, the more you unlock rewards and exciting challenges to play, opening a world of fun as you go.

Let your imagination run wild, as you create cool environments with easy-to-use tools, including animating objects, textures, and designs that bring your scene to life!

It’s a limitless experience of creative expression paired with exciting and even wacky challenges that have you thinking on your feet to come up with creative solutions.

EA Create seems to have more than a couple of similarities to Little Big Planet for the PS3, but with one big difference – Create will be available for Wii, Xbox, PS3, Mac and PC. With an internet connection, users on any platform will be able to upload their creations and download any other creation and remix it – regardless of what platform they are using, with the exception of the Wii.

This particular game seems to offer a number of opportunities for Game Based Learning projects and indeed may be a great tool to close the gap between game players, game based learners and game creators.  A few reasons we are hopeful for this particular game include:

1. The terminolgy used in the game is the same terminolgy used in a number of game design tools – eg brushes, textures etc.
2. The cross platform sharing option.
3. A tool to create environments to stimulate writing.
4. Use  to inspire creativity and invention, particularly within science and design and technology.  Like Little Big Planet, you can pretty much make anything you want and it wil act like real life objects do. Let me expand on this a little….

I was thinking that schools could use this game to  engage with probelm solving and creativity. Then, set groups of pupils a challange to build a crazy contrapation like a Rube Goldberg machine, just like they can do in create – solve a simple problem by creating a complex solution.  Have a look at OK Go’s video for their song ‘This To Shall Pass’ to see such a machine in operation.

A project like this could be a great way to build teamwork, cooperation, environment/recycling, not to mention inter disciplinary links. Look out for an update in the new year once we’ve had a chance to get creating ourselves!