General
information
Mission
US: A Revolutionary Way to Learn History
Players can choose between:
Mission
1: For Crown or Colony
Mission
2: Flight to Freedom
I played Flight to Freedom. In this game I
took on the role of a 14 year old
slave in Kentucky. As Lucy, I embarked on a
journey to Ohio to seek freedom.
My journey was broken into five parts:
Part 1: Behind the Big House
Part 2: Runaway
Part 3: Free and Not Free
Part 4: Gathering Forces
Part 5: New Times New Troubles
In each part, I was challenged to make decisions. In
my quest for freedom I
usually had three or four decisions to choose
from, multiple times. Should I
put my family first, or myself? I earned badges
based on decisions I made.
At times I struggled with deciding whether to sabotage
the Plantation I was
on, play it safe, or make decisions that were true to my
strong willed
character, choose acts of resistance. I discovered
there were no right
choices but quickly learned some choices were tied
to consequences.
Play Flight to Freedom to learn if Lucy (you) will ever be
free.
Analysis based on Flow Theory
o
Task that the learners can complete
§ Learners are
required to make decisions throughout the course of the game. The tasks are
attainable.
o
Ability to concentrate on task
§ The
ability to concentrate on the task might be learner dependent. Learners may
find it difficult to concentrate on the task due to the length of the game, and
learner’s interest level in the games mission.
o
Task has clear goals
§ Learners
will find the task to be straight forward; make decisions (that do not result
in consequences) in order to secure freedom from slavery.
o
Task provides immediate feedback
§ As soon
as the learner makes a selection from the options of decisions available,
immediate feedback is given via print. Learners know right away if their
decision results in a reward or consequence.
o
Deep but effortless involvement
§ Learners
will find that choosing a certain decision is based on events, various environments,
and characters they encounter on their journey to freedom. Processing explicit
information provided via print concerning events and the environment, and
dialogue from the characters could be viewed as deep. Some decisions determine
whether or not consequences for self or others occur. After reading decision options, a simple click
of the mouse to make a choice is all that is needed. Learners will find this
aspect of involvement effortless.
o
Exercising a sense of control over their actions
§ Since
learners make their own selection from the decision options available, learners
will experience a limited sense of control over their actions. Greater control
would be realized if learners were not limited to having to choose one of the predetermined
decision options. If learners were free to make their own decisions, they would
have a greater sense of control over their actions.
o
Concern for self disappears during flow
§ Again, I
feel this is learner dependent. Personally, I was frustrated during game play
therefore my concern for self was apparent. I originally made decisions based
on the character description of Lucy and did not successfully complete Part
1. I replayed Part 1 and made decisions
atypical of Lucy’s character description and was able to complete Part 1 successfully.
I thought I had the decision making process figured out as I began to play Part
2. Again I failed to be successful. In
order to play Part 3 I had to replay Part 2 successfully. This was another
source of frustration that contributed to my sense of self during flow.
o
Sense of duration of time is altered
§ Perhaps
this is learner dependent as well. My experience as described above made time
crawl. I became impatient and lost
interest in completing all game parts.
Great analysis. I am thinking about going back and playing this game based on your analysis and others that I have read and am going to encourage my husband to play it too - the analysis that have been given on this game paint a very vivid picture of a great learning tool that could be implemented into any social studies classroom, what my husband teaches. I greatly enjoyed how you described the game by it's parts and how well you described the game in terms of flow - great job!
ReplyDeleteRita,
ReplyDeleteIt was so good to read your perspective. Thank you for your great analysis. I was interested in your response to "exercising control..." Is it possible to have a game where you can determine your own options? I don't know a lot about AI but that would be very cool if it were possible. I really enjoyed your take on this game. I think one of its best features is that it actually dealt with content. I think it would be a really great vehicle for having English learners research a particular topic from either the Boston Tea Party or slavery.
Rita nice analysis. I see what you meant about giving the player the complete choice of what they would do. I came at it from my "normal" 8th grade classroom setting and my kids would sit there, finally raise their hand, and ask me what they should do. This is why I liked the 4 choices given to the player. Hey had options, but help. I thought the pace was great, but again I work with ELL students, so that might be why.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
I was grateful for your description of Lucy's mission. I only completed Nat's mission. I, like Maribel, teach English language learners and felt that even the language "spoken" by the characters would meet many learning objectives. I didn't find the game slow-paced, but that's because I think the game was right at my pace.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your perspective because it was different than my experience. I also only completed Nat's mission, so enjoyed the details about Lucy's. I wonder if this has something to do with your experience? I too was interested in your comment about choice and control, and I also wonder if it is possible to have a game where you have complete control?
ReplyDeleteNice job
Lindsay