Chris Matheny, vice president for instruction at the school, told the The Northwestern it gives students a unique perspective.

The game complements classroom instruction and the Northwestern piece mentions other interactive opportunities. The Games Learning Society in Madison, Wisconsin, is dedicated to exploring such ideas. University of Wisconsin educational technology professor Kurt Squire thinks this is just the tip of the iceberg. He notes that teachers have used books and movies for years to help with instruction and games are the next logical step. Examples cited in the article include a California program that uses MMO World of Warcraft to teach students skills including teamwork and communication.

Material that might seem dry when read from a textbook is often easier to remember when we find a way to make it fun. Remember memory devices such as the “My Very Educated Mother” sentence to learn the nine planets? Or better yet, Theo and Cockroach’s Shakespeare Rap from The Cosby Show? Games offer a chance to read about Julius Caesar and then face his virtual likeness in battle. Imagine a virtual Abraham Lincoln giving a tour of the White House as it stood in his era. There’s enough video game material on World War II alone to publish 20 papers on. Technology is moving forward and becoming more interactive with each console generation.

As a kid, I would have to finish my homework before I could play video games. Now students today can do both at the same time.

Read [The Northwestern] Also Read [Game Politics]

The game’s main character, Vance B. Strong, heads out for his vacation. Heroes never really get to go on vacation, of course, and he ends up having to save the town of Sandy Shore. Vance, an avatar for the cancer patient, becomes stronger as he defeats more enemies. In-game villains, who represent cancer, get smaller and weaker as the hero wins the day. The whole game is a metaphor for the kids getting stronger in the face of battling their illness. In one state, Vance builds a wall to protect the city. This represents building up one’s immune system to fight disease.

It’s a PlayStation 3 game that features no violence against living things because of the impressionable young audience. The only enemies Vance battles are robotic, so there’s never blood, gore or any physical damage applied to real people. Its PlayStation Move elements help keep patients active, always a challenge when they’re confined to a hospital bed for days or weeks at a time. The motion controls are light enough to be handled by any patient, whether standing, sitting or lying down.

Roger Altizer, director of game design and development at the University of Utah, told the Deseret News it allows the children to see themselves in a different way. When you’re a small child battling a horrible illness, it’s pretty easy to feel powerless. The game helps them see that they’re heroes, battling overwhelming odds and often winning. There’s no name for the prototype yet, and it has only been tested by a few patients. In that limited testing, the feedback has been positive. Beating cancer is no laughing matter but having a little fun while doing it can be therapeutic.

Read [Deseret News] Also Read [Gamasutra]

To find how the idea for project began, I was spoke with both Dr. Harvinder Sareen, director of clinical programs for Anthem Blue Cross, and Bill Locker, CEO/President of the Boys & Girls Club of Camarillo.

According to Locker, it started when Dr. Sareen visited The Boys & Girls Club of Camarillo with an idea to improve the health of children through video game consoles.

“She asked about the idea and we said we were very interested,” Locker said. “We then did some research on exergaming and thought it would be a great program for our kids. Some of the kids at the club can be embarrassed or intimidated to play a ‘real’ sport because of the need for eye-hand coordination. But, with the video games, there is room for error and the need for good coordination is decreased. We feel that having the kids active is vital to their success and this program ensures that all of our kids will be active.”

Sareen explained that Anthem Blue Cross is always focused on improving the lives of the people they serve and the health of their community and said the exergaming project is a continuation of that work to get kids involved in healthy, active lifestyles as well as teach them about the importance of good nutrition.

“When the Kinect technology was brought to our attention, we liked it and thought it had great potential to help kids and teens increase their physical activity levels,” Sareen said. “We discussed the exergaming concept with members of our Childhood Obesity Physician Advisory Committee and decided the best place to put a motion gaming console is where kids get together to have fun and socialize. The Boys & Girls Club of Camarillo was the perfect fit. Finding an after-school setting like the Boys & Girls Club for the Kinect was important because we really wanted to maximize the benefit of the device and make sure a lot of kids could use it.”

Sareen explained that, because today’s child is less healthy than the previous generations, a need for this type of program is necessary.

“The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that nearly 30 percent of California’s children and adolescents are overweight or obese and the rate of obesity among those age groups nationwide has tripled since 1980,” she said. “In short, our kids are less healthy than previous generations and that’s a big problem because it puts them at greater risk for long-term health problems, including diabetes and heart disease. It is critical that everyone – including parents, educators, businesses, politicians and health plans – works together to help our kids grow up healthy. And we need to find solutions that work with our daily lives.”

Sareen said that, according to a national survey from the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 97 percent of America’s youth are playing video games which illustrates just how ingrained gaming has become in today’s culture. She added that, while society wants to move children outside to become more active, it may be challenging for those living in unsafe neighborhoods.

“Exergaming is proving to be an additional option to consider,” said Sareen. “Although relatively new, market analysts and industry experts agree that exergaming is a growing trend, helping people of all ages move from being sedentary to being more active. In fact, this is one of the reasons we set up our project as a pilot study to evaluate the impact of Kinect on children’s physical activity levels, engagement, and other measures.”

Locker said that, with the number of children that visit the BGC of Camarillo and the funding from Anthem Blue Cross to purchase games, TVs and staffing for the project, the program will benefit the children and hopes the data they provide Anthem Blue Cross will reflect that.

“We work with the over 300 kids a day that come to the Club and the benefit is that the kids in the program will be active and that they will increase their physical activity and decrease their BMI,” Locker said. “I am hopeful that our data will reflect that kids can get physical benefits from engaging in sports and dancing through video games.”

BGC of Camarillo previously received grants of $95,000 in 2009 and $50,000 in 2010 from the Anthem Blue Cross Foundation to support health and wellness programs in the past.

“We’re excited to work with the Boys & Girls Club of Camarillo to pilot exergaming at their club,” Sareen said. “The exergaming program will break club members into age groups in order to study the effect of regular exergaming on physical activity levels. Participants will be surveyed and assessed for their weight, height, Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist circumference, as well as their physical activity and nutrition habits, both before and after the program.”

She said the program will also allow researchers to determine whether or not video games will really help children become motivated to stay active while learning the importance of good nutrition and the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables.

“One of the biggest things anyone can do to prevent obesity and maintain a healthy lifestyle is to engage in regular physical activities and exercise,” said Sareen. “Now, a lot of people will tell you they don’t like to ‘exercise’ but the point we’re trying to make is that exercise does not have to mean running in place or doing push-ups. Exercise is any kind of physical activity that gets you off the couch and moving your body. This can include activities such as taking a nature hike, riding a bicycle or playing basketball. It can also mean playing physically-intensive video games that require you to move around. Exergaming, when combined with good nutrition and other healthy lifestyle practices, is a way to engage kids to stay healthy, physically active and enhance social skills.”

Ultimately gaming is a family decision and it’s up to the parents to decide whether they want their child playing video games or not.

“What we’re seeing is that exergaming can encourage kids, even those less inclined, to be more active and experience a variety of sport activities in the convenience of one location, in this case, the Boys & Girls Club,” she explained. “Recent studies, including one published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, show that exergames get kids up and moving, burning energy at levels comparable to what is recommended to keep kids healthy. What’s more, that same study found that kids with higher Body Mass Indexes (BMIs), which included those who were either overweight or at risk of becoming overweight, enjoyed exergames more than kids of normal weight, though all of them expended similar amounts of energy. So, there is a growing body of evidence that video games, if used properly, can help boost activity levels.”

“The ultimate goal of all of this is to increase physical activity, encourage healthier lifestyles and add to the evidence-base on healthy exergaming,” said Sareen. “Video games are everywhere, so if we can help kids understand how to use this technology to improve their health, we just might make a dent in the rates for childhood obesity.”

Image source [courtesy of The Boys & Girls Club of Camarillo] Read [Press Release] Site [Anthem Blue Cross] Site [The Boys & Girls Club of Camarillo]

By Envisional’s estimate, 23.8 percent of global Web traffic involves some form of “digital theft.” Well-known file sharing application BitTorrent is used for 11 percent of that digital theft, Envisional’s study says. In the US, those numbers are 17 percent with BitTorrent used for 9 percent.

Google has been taking steps to slow that down. Ordinarily, its dynamic search tool shows similar results as you type but “BitTorrent” and other terms Google considers to be “related to piracy” no longer appear in that search. You have to type the entire search term, then press “Enter.” Other blacklisted search terms include curse words and of course, porn. Admittedly, that is only going to stop people who really, really lack persistence. Google’s execs know as much, but this way the company can at least tell the entertainment industry it tried.

The Motion Picture Association of America called for more government intervention. The MPAA released a statement from Interim President Bob Pisano saying if tangible merchandise were stolen at the same rate digital things are, no one would stand for it. While that may be true, it will take more than attempting to block search terms to combat the problem.

People do not seem to be embracing the “digital theft is as bad as real world theft” argument. Watching a “bootleg” movie doesn’t carry the same social stigma as shoplifting even though they are technically the same thing. If Envisional’s numbers are close to correct, a quarter of the people online are engaging in some form of digital theft.

We’d need a digital prison because no real prison could hold 25 percent of the people on the Internet access.

Read [Digital Media Wire] Also Read [SiFy]

Title: Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better And How They Can Change The World
Authors (Editor): Jane McGonigal
Publisher: Penguin Press
Release Date: January 20, 2011
Price: $26.95
Rating: Two thumbs up, 95/100, A, **** 1/2 out of five.
Pros: It’s written to try to appeal to everyone. Compelling arguments, compelling ideas for fixing reality,
Cons: Unfortunately it won’t grab everyone’s attention
Overall: It’s a very impressive book. Just keep an open mind if you’re not a gamer.

Being a gamer is quite an achievement regardless of any stigma that society might put on games. We have a way to fill our unused time. We have a means to relax that some people either neglect or hold with some level of contempt. But does gaming fill any actual need that isn’t filled by society? Can gaming be used to make not only our own quality of life, at least in terms of happiness, but the world itself better?

That, simply put, is the premise of Jane McGonigal’s book Reality Is Broken.

Jane McGonigal is the Director of Game Research and Development at the Institute for the Future. She has developed innovative Alternate Reality Games (ARG) including World Without Oil and Evoke. Her work has been featured by multiple different media outlets including The Economist, Wired and The New York Times. BusinessWeek called her one of the most important innovators to watch. She has also given multiple keynote addresses at multiple functions including the Game Developers Conference.

Game On

One of the best things about this book is that it is written to try to appeal to everyone. It’s a call for change in perspective about gaming as some of the stigmas that society puts on games is that they’re unproductive, a waste of time, stalls social development and are potentially addictive. Well, there is also the fact that it is one of the favorite scapegoats for things like violence.

McGonigal’s view of games is a refreshingly optimistic one. Naturally she’d have an optimistic view of the nature and potential of games, being that she is a game developer who understands both her craft and the people who enjoy it.

Her arguments regarding games, even down to puzzles, are very compelling while also being well-researched. She quotes her own studies but also quotes contemporary psychological and sociological studies going back into the 1970s about the effects of games. She even goes back in historical analysis as far as bringing up Herodotus’s story of the ancient Lydians who got their culture to survive an 18-year famine through creative thinking and the invention of games. Her understanding is of the history of her craft as well as gamers themselves is absolutely incredible. She shows how games can help us overcome hardship, be more confident, build better social connections and ultimately be happier.

McGonigal also brings up different ideas on how to fix reality and make the world a better place. Oddly, and accurately, enough, her ideas revolve around making real life into something more like a game. It actually ties into different ARGs that she’s developed already. It’s something that actually does sound like it could work really well.

Naturally, there will be critics of these fixes. However, in a weird way, even trying to debate the points actually ends up feeling like a bit of game in itself.

Just a Little Wish

Even though it is written for everyone, gamers and non-gamers alike, there’s one unfortunate thing about the book. It won’t grab everyone’s attention.

For a book of this style, it is one of the most accessible books that you can come across. However, accessibility doesn’t necessarily mean that people will either agree, be swayed or even will completely understand all aspects of the book.

If you aren’t a gamer and you approach the book without an open mind, you’ll miss a lot of what the argument, research and proposals are saying.

Read it, Recommend It

The book can best described in two words: very impressive. I love the way McGonigal thinks. The book is hopeful, passionate and intelligent. It has a lot of great ideas to try to get society to think differently about games. If you’re involved in the gaming community in any way, read this book.

If you’re aren’t a gamer, read this book but keep an open mind throughout. You will be surprised at what you will learn if you keep an open mind.

This is probably one of the best newly released books about video games that you get your hands on.

Site [Jane McGonigal] Site [Reality Is Broken] Site [Institute for the Future]

The NPC conducted two months of testing looking at categories including price, age appropriateness and interactivity to make holiday shopping suggestions. The group fell in love with Sony and Microsoft’s entrants into the motion control era.

In its review of PlayStation Move, the NPC report notes its similarity to the WiiMote, including the wrist strap. NPC’s reviewers were impressed with the range of motion capture. They noted there are only a few Move-compatible titles currently but are eager to play more. NPC’s reviewers were blown away by Kinect as well. They said “you’ve never seen anything like it.” These words will be music to Sony and Microsoft’s ears, as the family demographic is just what they are targeting with these new devices.

Two games made NPC’s holiday shopping list. EA’s MySims Skyheroes earned kudos for allowing kids to customize their characters and planes, keeping their little imaginations going. Skyheroes also drew praise for its intuitive controls and small learning curve. It’s available on both Xbox 360 and Nintendo DS.

Scholastic Entertainment’s I Spy Universe allows players to search for items that will allow you to return to your home world. If your kids are in love with space and space exploration, this game should score you lots of points. NPC called the game very easy to pick up and said it provides hours of entertainment.

Site [National Parenting Center] Read [Go Nintendo]

The game will be part of a Sociology course called Enduring Questions. Its inclusion into the curriculum was in part motivated by an article posted in Gamasutra by Daniel Johnson that discusses the relationship between the game and language in sociology.

The article talks about how our interactions with society are similar to a play in which we participate in a performance for the rest of society while keeping our inner thoughts and feelings backstage. This idea can be identified in Portal through the interactions between GLaDOS and the player and how little by little the curtain is pulled to reveal the actual facility and its intentions.

According to the Wabash College faculty, the assignment doesn’t involve just playing the game, but instead analyzing several relevant sections of the game through some sort of group playthrough. Hundreds of students take the course, so providing the game and hardware for all of them would be difficult (and expensive).

It looks like a fun way to discuss some of these topics, which sometimes can get somewhat boring. The inclusion of this game into a college’s curriculum might foster similar ideas in other institutions. History lessons could kick it up a notch, for instance.

How about some Medal of Honor to illustrate WWII? Maybe using God of War for mythology lessons is taking it too far, but you get the idea.

Videogames get people’s attention and by participating in a game, you get a richer experience than by simply reading through something.

Read [Geek.com] Also read [Mashable]

Image Credit: Valve

One of the most common injuries, especially in contact sports, are concussions which are caused by a sudden impact on the brain. These can have effects such as dizziness, loss of balance and even amnesia. Determining when someone has made a full recovery from a concussion can be a tricky process. In the US, researchers from the University of Maryland and Ohio State University are working on a system that can help in this process by using Nintendo’s Wii Fit.

By using the Wii Fit’s balance board, researchers can measure a patient’s balance, which is an important aspect in determining a complete recovery. By doing a series of yoga poses, a patient’s score is recorded when he’s completely healthy. If the patient were to suffer a concussion the patient can be tested doing the same exercises to see how well he does in comparison to his normal balance values.

Even though more tests and research are needed before determining if the system provides an accurate measure to determine someone’s health, the program has been in place for three years at Maryland. According to the researchers, athletes are very comfortable with the system because it’s friendly and fun.

This sounds like another amazing use for the Wii’s interface. Now that both Microsoft and Sony are putting out its own motion controllers, I hope that people find innovative and helpful uses for Kinect and Move. With the current debate about video games and violence, programs like this are helping the image of video games and maybe helping in changing some people’s perspectives.

Read [Washington Post] Also read [Athletic Business]

The report, called, “Kids and Games: What Boys and Girls are Playing Today”, collected survey data from about 5,000 children in the United States and highlights key gaming trends. The report revealed a number of interesting facts regarding the gaming habits of teens and tweens.

First of all, the most telling piece of data in the report is that over 90% of tweens play online games. The press release for the report doesn’t go into further detail. Online games range from AAA title MMOs like World of Warcraft to casual, online social games like Restaurant City. They could also be hooked up to Xbox Live or PSN. I’d be curious to find out what kinds of online games are preferred by tweens and if there’s a difference between gender.

Social networking is highly popular among both teens and tweens, with Facebook being cited as their favorite site. In terms of handhelds, Nintendo reigns supreme with its DS variations, though apparently girls have started to favor the iPad and iPhone. Speaking of handhelds, when it comes to the PSP there’s a large discrepancy among the sexes. The study found that 70% of teen girls play on the PSP compared to 40% of teen boys.

When asked what kinds of games they like to play, franchises unsurprisingly were the most popular. About 20% of the girls in the study gravitated towards the Mario series, while 35% of the teen boys preferred Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.

With these results, M2 analyst Louise Curcio noted that it’s time for game companies to pay more attention to this younger demographic. “We have found kids tend to play a wide variety of games, and their favorite games and gaming sites change often,” said Curcio, as quoted in the press release. “There are opportunities for companies, and we believe the kids market has been overlooked.”

Site [M2 Research] Via [Gamasutra]

Image courtesy of I Love New York.

One of these situations has been adapted into a game and is already proving a huge success.

The game is called Foldit and it deals with the internal structure of proteins, some of the most important building blocks of life. The game was developed at the University of Washington (US) and, in it, players try to solve different puzzles that represent how a real protein molecule would behave. By manipulating the structure of these molecules, players earn points for discovering stable configurations. It is available from the Foldit web site for for Windows, Mac and Linux.

Proteins fold into three dimensional structures inside cells but each protein can fold into thousands of different configurations so scientists are trying to anticipate some of these structures in order to better understand the behavior of proteins. Past efforts focused on pure computing power and brute force, where a computer program tried millions of combinations by itself looking for stable configurations, but scientists have realized that the human mind clearly outperforms computers at this task. Abilities like intuition and spatial reasoning allow players to solve many of these configurations with better results than supercomputers.

By harnessing these human abilities, Foldit provides a fun game and passtime that also helps in understanding the fundamental structures of our bodies. Even though there are already over 100,000 users of Foldit, the scientists at the University of Washington are hoping this number increases in the future.

The task at hand is huge but, with the collaboration of more and more people, scientists will get a better understanding on these structures and if you can have a good time while helping them out, that’s a kind of science I think everyone can enjoy.

Read [The Seattle Times Also Read [The NY Times] Site [Foldit]