Interactive Design/Game Studio II Thesis Research Journal By: Jon Chung
Table of Contents Thesis Research Checkpoint 1 ......................................................................................5 "How One Teacher Turned Sixth Grade Into An MMO." Kotaku Australia. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Apr. 2012. <www.kotaku.com.au/2012/03/how-‐one-‐teacher-‐turned-‐sixth-‐grade-‐into-‐an-‐ mmo/>............................................................................................................................................................................ 5 "The Education and Gamification Combination | ." Summer in Smallywood: Essential Skills Learning Series. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Apr. 2012. <http://summerinsmallywood.ca/2011/07/06/the-‐education-‐and-‐gamification-‐ combination/>. ........................................................................................................................................................... 6 "TEDxKids@Brussels -‐ Gabe Zichermann -‐ Gamification -‐ YouTube ." YouTube -‐ Broadcast Yourself. . N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Apr. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2N-‐ 5maKZ9Q>. ................................................................................................................................................................... 6 "Education Levels Up! – A noObs guide to Gamifying your Classroom | MrDaley.com." MrDaley. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Apr. 2012. <http://www.mrdaley.com/wordpress/2011/07/27/education-‐levels-‐up-‐a-‐newbs-‐guide-‐ to-‐gamifying-‐your-‐classroom/>.......................................................................................................................... 7 Jivotovski, Susannah. "Gamification of Education." Program in Education, Inquiry, & Justice, Georgetown University. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Apr. 2012. <https://blogs.commons.georgetown.edu/programineducationinquiryjustice/2012/01/30 /gamification-‐of-‐education/>. ............................................................................................................................. 8 Sinha, Shantanu. "Shantanu Sinha: Motivating Students and the Gamification of Learning." Breaking News and Opinion on The Huffington Post. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Apr. 2012. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shantanu-‐sinha/motivating-‐students-‐and-‐ t_b_1275441.html>. ............................................................................................................................................... 10
Thesis Research Checkpoint 2 ....................................................................................11 "What is Blended Learning? — Web Learning @ Penn State." Home — Web Learning @ Penn State. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://weblearning.psu.edu/blended-‐learning-‐ initiative/what_is_blended_learning>. .......................................................................................................... 11 "Chapter 11. Designing Blended Learning Space to the Student Experience | EDUCAUSE." What is EDUCAUSE? | EDUCAUSE. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://www.educause.edu/learningspacesch11>. ............................................................................... 12 "Gamification « Strategic Synergy." Strategic Synergy. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://stratsynergy.wordpress.com/category/gamification/page/2/>. ................................... 13 "Education in Bulgaria: Gamification « Start up an e-‐Bulgaria." Start up an e-‐Bulgaria. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://startebulgaria.com/2012/02/13/education-‐in-‐bulgaria-‐ gamification/>.......................................................................................................................................................... 14 "Chore Wars :: Claim Experience Points for Housework." Chore Wars :: Claim Experience Points for Housework. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://www.chorewars.com/>........... 15 " Gamification of Data Analysis | Immersive Intellegence Colleagues." Immersive Intellegence Colleagues | ...exploring collaborative virtual spaces to solve hard problems. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://im-‐tel.org/2011/08/31/gamification-‐of-‐data-‐ analysis/>................................................................................................................................................................... 16
Thesis Research Checkpoint 3 ....................................................................................17 2014, a gamified service for consumer goods marketing, and customer retention will become as important as Facebook. "Gamification: How Competition Is Reinventing Business, Marketing & Everyday Life." Social Media News and Web Tips – Mashable – The Social
Media Guide. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 May 2012. <http://mashable.com/2011/07/28/gamification/>. .......................................................................... 17 Bogost, Ian. "Ian Bogost -‐ Gamification is Bullshit." Ian Bogost. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 May 2012. <http://www.bogost.com/blog/gamification_is_bullshit.shtml>..................................................... 17 "Articulate -‐ Word of Mouth Blog -‐ Using Gamification To Transform Your Learners from Angry Birds into Learning Ninjas." Articulate -‐ E-‐Learning Software and Authoring Tools. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 May 2012. <http://www.articulate.com/blog/using-‐gamification-‐to-‐ transform-‐your-‐learners-‐from-‐angry-‐birds-‐into-‐learning-‐ninjas-‐2/>. .......................................... 19 OB. "Combining gaming and social networking might just get you that new job." Connected Digital World. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 May 2012. <http://connecteddigitalworld.com/2012/03/27/combining-‐gaming-‐and-‐social-‐ networking-‐might-‐just-‐get-‐you-‐that-‐new-‐job/>. ..................................................................................... 20 "hr meet up." hr meet up. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 May 2012. <www.hrmeetup.be/wp-‐ content/uploads/2011/11/gamification.png>. ........................................................................................ 21
Thesis Research Checkpoint 4 ....................................................................................22 "Metro style design principles." MSDN – Explore Windows, Web, Cloud, and Windows Phone Software Development. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2012. <http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-‐ us/library/windows/apps/hh781237.aspx> ............................................................................................ 22 "Jeff Wilcox – Jeff Wilcox’s “Metro” design guide for developers, v1.00." Jeff Wilcox. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2012. <http://www.jeff.wilcox.name/2011/03/metro-‐design-‐guide-‐v1/>.... 22 "Going full Metro. | RIAGENIC.com." RIAGENIC.com | Where technology + design intersect. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2012. <http://www.riagenic.com/archives/493>.................................... 23 "What is metro design & what are its principles." Internet Marketing Agency | Progressive Digital/Online Marketing Agency. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2012. <http://www.elevatelocal.co.uk/blog/what-‐is-‐metro-‐design-‐what-‐are-‐its-‐principles-‐ 07036316>. ............................................................................................................................................................... 23 "Metro – Design Inspiration ." ubelly. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2012. <http://www.ubelly.com/2012/02/metro-‐design-‐inspiration/>. .................................................. 24
Thesis Research Checkpoint 5 ....................................................................................25 "What Storytellers Can Teach You About How to Learn Faster." Your daily digest on productivity and life improvements -‐ Stepcase Lifehack. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May 2012. <http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifehack/what-‐storytellers-‐can-‐teach-‐you-‐about-‐how-‐ to-‐learn-‐faster.html>............................................................................................................................................. 25 "Want to do a WoW-‐Based Project in Your School? Here’s Everything You Need… » edurealms.com." edurealms.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May 2012. <http://edurealms.com/?p=392>................................................................................................................... 25 Jann, Maureen. "Business Level-‐Up: Gamification Infographic -‐ Intrepid Learning." Intrepid Learning -‐ Consulting, Research, Technology, & Outsourcing. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May 2012. <http://intrepidlearning.com/blog/business-‐level-‐up-‐gamification-‐infographic/>............... 26 "Gamification: Toeing the fine line between Flirting with your Hot Cousin and Kissing your Sister!." India Business Blog | Finance Telecom Stock Market. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May 2012. <http://trak.in/tags/business/2011/06/27/gamification-‐framework/>. .................................. 27 "50 Excellent Icon Design Tutorials." Six Revisions -‐ Web Design Articles, News, Tutorials. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May 2012. <http://sixrevisions.com/graphics-‐design/50-‐excellent-‐icon-‐ design-‐tutorials/>. ................................................................................................................................................. 27
Thesis Research Checkpoint 1
"How One Teacher Turned Sixth Grade Into An MMO." Kotaku Australia. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Apr. 2012. <www.kotaku.com.au/2012/03/how-‐one-‐teacher-‐ turned-‐sixth-‐grade-‐into-‐an-‐mmo/>. Summary:
Class realms shares 4 of the major 5 traits that I think a successful implementation of gamification of education needs to have. It has universal access, instantaneous feedback, competition and constant rewards for progress. The only thing that I feel it is lacking is a clear narrative structure. The game itself seems pretty straightforward, I like how modular and adaptable the game system is.
"The Education and Gamification Combination | ." Summer in Smallywood: Essential Skills Learning Series. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Apr. 2012. <http://summerinsmallywood.ca/2011/07/06/the-‐education-‐and-‐gamification-‐ combination/>.
Summary: “To increase attendance and encourage participation from youth-‐at-‐risk enrolled in a 10-‐week career exploration program at The Centre for Skills Development & Training, staff from the Get in Gear program created a gamification system in which they handed out virtual badges upon the completion of different employability-‐themed workshops.
Not only were program participants asking facilitators if they had successfully received their badges at the end of each workshop, the Get in Gear program has been handing out more “Perfect Attendance” awards upon program completion than ever before.” This is another example of a good implementation of gamification of education. The game shares 4 of the major 5 traits that I think a successful implementation of gamification of education needs to have. It has universal access, instantaneous feedback, competition and constant rewards for progress. The only thing that I feel it is lacking is a clear narrative structure.
"TEDxKids@Brussels -‐ Gabe Zichermann -‐ Gamification -‐ YouTube ." YouTube -‐ Broadcast Yourself. . N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Apr. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2N-‐5maKZ9Q>.
Summary: “Points, badges, challenges, leaderboards and levels are being used by organizations large and small, in industry, government, education and healthcare to create stakeholder engagement and virality.” Great TED talk about the future potential and emerging role of gamification in education systems.
"Education Levels Up! – A noObs guide to Gamifying your Classroom | MrDaley.com." MrDaley. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Apr. 2012. <http://www.mrdaley.com/wordpress/2011/07/27/education-‐levels-‐up-‐a-‐ newbs-‐guide-‐to-‐gamifying-‐your-‐classroom/>. Slideshow: http://portal.sliderocket.com/AERNY/Edmodocon2011
Summary: Great presentation on various ways to implement gamification in the classroom. I loved the attempt to gamify the presentation itself with the progress bar on the bottom; this reinforces the narrative and pacing aspect of the experience.
Jivotovski, Susannah. "Gamification of Education." Program in Education, Inquiry, & Justice, Georgetown University. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Apr. 2012. <https://blogs.commons.georgetown.edu/programineducationinquiryjustice/2 012/01/30/gamification-‐of-‐education/>.
Summary: “Many individual teachers have already gamified their classrooms on a small scale. My eighth grade math teacher, Mr. Gunn, gave out paper slips called “Gunn Bucks” if the entire class completed their homework, for particularly good attitudes or good behavior, or if a student completed extra assignments. Gunn Bucks could be redeemed for small prizes, bonus points on homework, etc. This is an example of micro-‐gamification (also, see the youtube video at the bottom of the article for a much more in-‐depth and technology-‐based example) because it’s unique to a single classroom, but some schools are considering implementing game-‐like elements for an entire school. For example, students could earn special badges on their uniforms, receive points for attendance, or receive rewards for completing
various tasks during the school day. Some supporters maintain that gamification could vastly improve students’ cognitive, emotional, and social skills. In their article, “Gamification in Education: What, How, Why Bother?”, Lee and Hammer use the popular game Angry Birds as an example of cognitive skill building. Players “launch birds, observe the results, plan their next moves, and execute those plans… One critical game design technique is to deliver concrete challenges that are perfectly tailored to the player’s skill level, increasing the difficulty as the player’s skill expands.” Games provide multiple routes to success, and often the reward for completing a task is receiving a harder task. In the context of learning, this cognitive approach “gives students clear, actionable tasks and promises them immediate rewards instead of vague long term benefits” (Lee and Hammer 3). In contrast to many grading systems in schools, games create a positive relationship with failure. In many games, the only way to learn how to play the game is to fail repeatedly, building strategy and learning how it works in the process. Games make feedback cycles rapid (you can try again until you succeed) and they keep the stakes low (there is little risk in trying again). In schools, students have few opportunities to try (ex: tests, quizzes), while the stakes are high and feedback takes a long time. “Gamification can shorten feedback cycles, give learners low-‐stakes ways to assess their own capabilities, and create an environment in which effort, not mastery is rewarded” (Lee and Hammer 4). Finally, gamification may provide social benefits such as developing an identity as a scholar and learner. Students can self-‐identify and identify others as scholars within the game, taking pride in these new roles by allowing teachers and even other students to reward each other for achievements. Some potential risks to gamifying a school might be that kids lose the idea of learning for learning’s sake. Kids might think they should only learn when provided with external rewards. Additionally, game systems that are compulsory may start to feel just like rules in school, and kids may fall back to disengagement. Creating a gamified classroom makes a lot of extra work for teachers, potentially absorbing their resources and budgets. Game mechanics cannot be blindly applied to every school or classroom, and I think a lot of research and trials would have to be conducted in order to determine whether a school is fit for a game-‐like program. Gamification has the potential to increase motivation and engagement in the classroom, give teachers better ways to guide and reward students, and it can help students change their attitude about school, “blurring the boundaries between informal and formal learning” (Lee and Hammer 4) to help kids learn in lifelong ways. Gamification will certainly be a part of our lives for years to come, and hopefully, we can use it to our advantage by implementing it effectively in education.” This article provides a good overview of some of the commonly accepted pros and cons of gamification. A criticism that I will definitely need to address is the possibility of disengagement from the area or subject once the game system is no longer present.
Sinha, Shantanu. "Shantanu Sinha: Motivating Students and the Gamification of Learning." Breaking News and Opinion on The Huffington Post. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Apr. 2012. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shantanu-‐sinha/motivating-‐ students-‐and-‐t_b_1275441.html>.
Summary: “The game industry has figured out a slew of techniques that really drive human behavior. The list of effective game mechanics is extensive and I won't go into them here. However, let's think about a few of the implications of applying some of the basic gaming concepts into learning. Most games are fairly non-‐judgmental. You feel good when you progress, regardless of how old you are or how long it took you. Imagine if education was the same, and a 9th grader who struggles with fractions wasn't chastised for not understanding algebra. Instead of threatening to fail him, suppose we made him feel proud to actually learn fractions. Most games give you a sense of immediate success and progress. Instead of waiting for the end of the year to get your grade, imagine if you accumulated a sense of progress with every action you did every single day. Progress shouldn't be measured by cramming the night before and passing the final; it should be measured by your actions and good work habits every single day, and how well you retain and apply your knowledge. Most games encourage you to push your own personal boundaries. They provide users a sense of improving themselves, and they provide challenges perfectly suited for them. Imagine if students (or even adults) were always encouraged to improve themselves incrementally. You aren't done after you secure an 'A,' that's just one phase of a never-‐ending journey of learning and discovery.”
Thesis Research Checkpoint 2
"What is Blended Learning? — Web Learning @ Penn State." Home — Web Learning @ Penn State. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://weblearning.psu.edu/blended-‐learning-‐ initiative/what_is_blended_learning>.
Summary: “A blended learning approach combines face to face classroom methods with computer-‐mediated activities to form an integrated instructional approach. In the past, digital materials have served in a supplementary role, helping to support face to face instruction. For example, a blended approach to a traditional, face to face course might mean that the class meets once per week instead of the usual three-‐session format. Learning activities that otherwise would have taken place during classroom time can be moved online. As of now, there is no consensus on a single agree-‐upon definition for blended learning. The Resources page contains cites to several articles that provide definitions. In addition, the terms "blended," "hybrid," and "mixed-‐mode" are used interchangeably in current research literature. For the purposes of the Blended Learning Initiative at Penn State, the term "blended" is preferred.” This was a concept that I learned about recently. Its one of the fastest growing trends in education right now and incidentally it pertains directly to my thesis project. This might be something that is worth mentioning in both my thesis paper and 45 hour presentation.
"Chapter 11. Designing Blended Learning Space to the Student Experience | EDUCAUSE." What is EDUCAUSE? | EDUCAUSE. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://www.educause.edu/learningspacesch11>.
"Gamification « Strategic Synergy." Strategic Synergy. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://stratsynergy.wordpress.com/category/gamification/page/2/>. Summary:
I really liked how this article made links between game mechanics for gamification and the bartle personality types. A lot of the mechanics are just presented to users in different ways to appeal to their particular personality types and tastes. Choice architecture plays a large part in how to modify certain game mechanics to be effective to particular Bartle personality types.
"Education in Bulgaria: Gamification « Start up an e-‐Bulgaria." Start up an e-‐ Bulgaria. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://startebulgaria.com/2012/02/13/education-‐in-‐bulgaria-‐gamification/>.
Summary: “Firstly, at the beginning of the term, the teacher defines the goals of this term (or school year) and what level should be reached (well-‐known mark). Every student has to increase the skill points (on every skill) in order to reach the desired level. Then come the armory and weaponry to help them increase those skills. Armory includes the main sources of knowledge the kids need to use. Every armor unit can be relevant to one or more skills and can help them in a different way. Weaponry is the extra stuff to help them create their assignments or to use the skills – MS office can help you write your essay or answer the test in a google doc. Of course, gamification can include different skills; every category could be called anyhow. It doesn’t matter. What matters is the kids to start using all the tools Internet and computers give them for preparing great stuff, learning and getting ready for the real life.”
"Chore Wars :: Claim Experience Points for Housework." Chore Wars :: Claim Experience Points for Housework. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://www.chorewars.com/>.
Summary: “Chore Wars lets you claim experience points for household chores. By getting other people in your house or workplace to sign up to the site, you can assign experience point rewards to individual tasks and chores, and see how quickly each of you levels up. Experience points are tracked both as weekly high-‐score charts, and as ongoing character sheets -‐ every time you rack up 200XP of chores, your character gains a "level", and their class changes to match the type of chores that they've been doing.” Chore wars is an attempt to gamify doing tedious chores by rewarding players with XP for completion of chores. It uses mechanics typically found in role-‐playing games to do this.
" Gamification of Data Analysis | Immersive Intellegence Colleagues." Immersive Intellegence Colleagues | ...exploring collaborative virtual spaces to solve hard problems. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://im-‐ tel.org/2011/08/31/gamification-‐of-‐data-‐analysis/>.
Thesis Research Checkpoint 3
2014, a gamified service for consumer goods marketing, and customer retention will become as important as Facebook. "Gamification: How Competition Is Reinventing Business, Marketing & Everyday Life." Social Media News and Web Tips – Mashable – The Social Media Guide. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 May 2012. <http://mashable.com/2011/07/28/gamification/>.
Summary: “Game and product design, as Zichermann sees it, is an important science. Design, he argues, needs to be centered around the customer’s needs and wants and should determine the mechanics that companies use.” “One troubling observation is the obscene amount of energy that goes to the one bad driver who speeds. Police, courts, fines, traffic school, points (the bad kind), increased insurance, and on and on,” Richardson writes of the speed camera conundrum. “And where is the reward for people doing the right thing? What happened to that? Obeying the law is a pretty lonely endeavor.” Eventually, Richardson’s thoughts materialized into an idea and he submitted the following to Volkswagon’s Fun Theory contest (see video above): “Can we get more people to obey the speed limit by making it fun to do? The idea here is capture on camera the people who keep to the speed limit. They would have their photos taken and registration numbers recorded and entered into a lottery. Winners would receive cash prizes and be notified by post. Better still, the winning pot would come from the people who were caught speeding.” Great article that highlights a potentially life saving application of gamification. It also shows how simple and subtle game system can make a huge difference. Gamification does not need to completely overhaul existing systems, sometimes it can be equally effective to reframe and make minor alterations to an existing system.
Bogost, Ian. "Ian Bogost -‐ Gamification is Bullshit." Ian Bogost. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 May 2012. <http://www.bogost.com/blog/gamification_is_bullshit.shtml>. Summary: “More specifically, gamification is marketing bullshit, invented by consultants as a means to capture the wild, coveted beast that is videogames and to
domesticate it for use in the grey, hopeless wasteland of big business, where bullshit already reigns anyway. Bullshitters are many things, but they are not stupid. The rhetorical power of the word "gamification" is enormous, and it does precisely what the bullshitters want: it takes games—a mysterious, magical, powerful medium that has captured the attention of millions of people—and it makes them accessible in the context of contemporary business. Gamification is reassuring. It gives Vice Presidents and Brand Managers comfort: they're doing everything right, and they can do even better by adding "a games strategy" to their existing products, slathering on "gaminess" like aioli on ciabatta at the consultant's indulgent sales lunch. Gamification is easy. It offers simple, repeatable approaches in which benefit, honor, and aesthetics are less important than facility. For the consultants and the startups, that means selling the same bullshit in book, workshop, platform, or API form over and over again, at limited incremental cost. It ticks a box. Social media strategy? Check. Games strategy? Check.” This is an interesting criticism on gamification. I do think that his argument is somewhat flawed if not just simply outdated. His argument also feels to address the fact that gamification has produced valuable real world results in fields outside of marketing and commerce.
"Articulate -‐ Word of Mouth Blog -‐ Using Gamification To Transform Your Learners from Angry Birds into Learning Ninjas." Articulate -‐ E-‐Learning Software and Authoring Tools. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 May 2012. <http://www.articulate.com/blog/using-‐gamification-‐to-‐transform-‐your-‐ learners-‐from-‐angry-‐birds-‐into-‐learning-‐ninjas-‐2/>.
Summary: Great interactive presentation that highlights how learning has evolved over time.
OB. "Combining gaming and social networking might just get you that new job." Connected Digital World. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 May 2012. <http://connecteddigitalworld.com/2012/03/27/combining-‐gaming-‐and-‐social-‐ networking-‐might-‐just-‐get-‐you-‐that-‐new-‐job/>.
"hr meet up." hr meet up. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 May 2012. <www.hrmeetup.be/wp-‐content/uploads/2011/11/gamification.png>.
Thesis Research Checkpoint 4 For this research checkpoint, I chose to focus primarily on the visual component of my project. I am in the process of converting my wireframes into something more fully cohesive.
"Metro style design principles." MSDN – Explore Windows, Web, Cloud, and Windows Phone Software Development. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2012. <http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-‐us/library/windows/apps/hh781237.aspx>
Summary: This site offered a great overview of the principles, logic and basics of metro style design principles. This a direction that I am considering taking my game management component of my thesis project in. My current layout is laregely modular so this should be an easy switch. The 5 principles of metro style design are: Show pride in craftsmanship, be fast and fluid, be authentically digital, do more with less and to win as one
"Jeff Wilcox – Jeff Wilcox’s “Metro” design guide for developers, v1.00." Jeff Wilcox. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2012. <http://www.jeff.wilcox.name/2011/03/metro-‐design-‐guide-‐v1/>.
Summary: “If metro was inspired by transportation, just remember that there’s some awful looking transit out there. A few misaligned margins and your app’s going to look like a rusty bus. Just a little maintenance every time you create a page, check-‐in a page, or look over your app before submitting to the Windows Phone Marketplace will not only yield a good-‐looking app – but will probably get you some good recognition, too.” This site provides a great introductory tutorial to some of the basic do and don’ts of metro style design. This covers both technical and conceptual concepts.
"Going full Metro. | RIAGENIC.com." RIAGENIC.com | Where technology + design intersect. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2012. <http://www.riagenic.com/archives/493>.
Summary: “It seems that when you show someone large monochrome simple shaped designs, folks often gravitate towards them over some of my other usual gradient filled drop shadow filled designs. At first, I am shocked if not appalled at how they could dismiss one design which takes me much longer for a design that essentially looks like a colored in Wireframe mockup. Metro simply put feels like I am shoplifting design. It’s not a lot of work and the main focus I have is controlling myself from adding too many elements to the screen or keeping the typography unbalanced. Color selection is also important as you have to keep that tightly controlled otherwise it ends up being a rainbow pixel barfing.” Great article on how metro style design is bridging gaps between designers and developers. The article states that “Metro’s secret is that it creates a way in which designers and developers can finally reach a compromise on design.” I definitely feel that metro style design is how the direction I want to feel my design in after reading this article.
"What is metro design & what are its principles." Internet Marketing Agency | Progressive Digital/Online Marketing Agency. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2012. <http://www.elevatelocal.co.uk/blog/what-‐is-‐metro-‐design-‐what-‐are-‐its-‐ principles-‐07036316>.
Summary: “What is Metro? Metro is a term used by Microsoft to describe one of its key “design languages”. This means that although each product designed using Metro is individual and has its own specific appearance, there are common themes that mean there’s a consistent look and feel. A great example of what’s meant by a design language is a chess set: although a bishop is obviously different to a pawn, there will be a similarity in style that clearly unites them and distinguishes them from pieces in another chess set.” “Microsoft has listed four main principles that help unify interfaces that follow the Metro design: Content not Chrome: This means that both the background of the page and the background of a tile (behind the text) are kept plain, usually with a solid color, to avoid distracting from the text. Honesty: This means that when a designer is using Metro, they should pay specific attention to the device the software will appear on, for example by intentionally
designing Windows Phone 7 for a small touch-‐screen rather than simply scaling down a style from PCs. This principle may have made designing Windows 8 more difficult as it will be used on both traditional and touch-‐screens of a variety of sizes. Motion: This means that the way screens change, for example when swiping through icons, or when opening a new screen when an icon is clicked of pressed, should be done in a consistent manner. This is intended to make the experience of using the interface much smoother. Typography: This means having text that is both visually attractive and functional. As well as using the consistent typeface, Metro designers are asked to think carefully about where to place the text, and how to use different sized text or bold text to help organize the information on a page.”
"Metro – Design Inspiration ." ubelly. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2012. <http://www.ubelly.com/2012/02/metro-‐design-‐inspiration/>. Summary: Great list of links for inspiration for metro style designs. I found the typography tutorials to be really really good.
Thesis Research Checkpoint 5
"What Storytellers Can Teach You About How to Learn Faster." Your daily digest on productivity and life improvements -‐ Stepcase Lifehack. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May 2012. <http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifehack/what-‐storytellers-‐can-‐ teach-‐you-‐about-‐how-‐to-‐learn-‐faster.html>. Summary: “Holistic learning is based on the principle that learning works as a whole and not through rote memorization. When all of your ideas are connected together, it becomes far easier to remember them. When you have many different associations to the same idea, you can still retain the information even if you forget one association. The storyteller’s art of metaphor is crucial in holistic learning. Remembering mathematical concepts is easier when you have metaphors that relate them to real life events, not just symbols and equations. Becoming a storyteller with your subjects and using powerful metaphors can make even the driest subject stick.” This article reinforces my belief that a significant part of successful gamification of education is narrative structure. Narrative structure allows you to convert traditional lessons into immersive narrative based learning experiences, this makes coming up with the metaphors mentioned above a direct and transparent process for end users.
"Want to do a WoW-‐Based Project in Your School? Here’s Everything You Need… » edurealms.com." edurealms.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May 2012. <http://edurealms.com/?p=392>.
Summary: “Over the past two years I’ve been approached by several people from around the world inquiring about our World of Warcraft in School Project. Yet, despite the numerous contacts, I’m only aware of two other schools/school systems who’ve started similar projects. Of course, there are many potential barriers from costs to people-‐barriers. Craig Lawson (@midlawsondle) and I have worked over the past year to create a full-‐year, standards-‐aligned language arts course that is based on World of Warcraft. “
Jann, Maureen. "Business Level-‐Up: Gamification Infographic -‐ Intrepid Learning." Intrepid Learning -‐ Consulting, Research, Technology, & Outsourcing. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May 2012. <http://intrepidlearning.com/blog/business-‐ level-‐up-‐gamification-‐infographic/>.
"Gamification: Toeing the fine line between Flirting with your Hot Cousin and Kissing your Sister!." India Business Blog | Finance Telecom Stock Market. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May 2012. <http://trak.in/tags/business/2011/06/27/gamification-‐framework/>.
I really liked this particular image that was used in this article. Something I will add in my final thesis paper is how the traits that define what successful gmaificaiton of education is interacts with users on all these different levels.
"50 Excellent Icon Design Tutorials." Six Revisions -‐ Web Design Articles, News, Tutorials. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May 2012. <http://sixrevisions.com/graphics-‐ design/50-‐excellent-‐icon-‐design-‐tutorials/>. Summary: I have been spending a little time researching about how to design custom icons for the visual component. This site provided a nice list of tutorials to get me started.