We recently watched "Inside the Actor's Studio" and it cracks me up how ridiculous and important actors consider themselves. The only redeeming and entertaining portion, to me, is the ten questions by Bernard Pivot that host James Lipton asks every guest:

1. What is your favorite word?
2. What is your least favorite word?
3. What turns you on [creatively, spiritually or emotionally]?
4. What turns you off?
5. What sound or noise do you love?
6. What sound or noise do you hate?
7. What is your favorite curse word?
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
9. What profession would you not like to do?
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

Since this is my blog, and I get to be just as arrogant as actors here, I'll take my shot.

1. What is your favorite word? "lickety-split"
   
2. What is your least favorite word? "literally"
   
3. What turns you on [creatively, spiritually or emotionally]? rain: the smell, sound and feel of it
   
4. What turns you off? traffic...well, crowds of most kind
   
5. What sound or noise do you love? the sound my son makes when happy
   
6. What sound or noise do you hate? a loved one in pain (people make the best and worst sounds, really)
   
7. What is your favorite curse word? all of them, I like to switch my favorites regularly
   
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? small business owner
   
9. What profession would you not like to do? most physician careers, with the possible exception of orthopedic surgeon
   
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? "Just how I like 'em--a guy with no regrets."
    

Take a Picture Filter
Rock-N-Roll Records (Ain't Sellin' This Year) Supersuckers
Vitamin R (Leading Us Along) Chevelle
Your Name On A Grain Of Rice Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers
Mr. Brightside Killers
Calypso John Denver
The Anthem Good Charlotte
The Outsider A Perfect Circle
The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald Gordon Lightfoot
Pain Jimmy Eat World
The Rock Show Blink-182
Nada The Refreshments
Johnny Tarr Gaelic Storm
Turn The Page Metallica
Modern Day Cowboy Tesla
Simple Man Lynrd Skynrd
Gato Negro Supersuckers
Fiddle And The Drum A Perfect Circle

At this conference, a reoccurring theme in nearly all sessions either dealt directly or around the push-pull issues of instructional design for educational games.

The attempts to reconcile the differences between designing educational games and the traditional models for designing instruction are daunting at the least, and extremely messy. One recent attempt was so convoluted and necessitated so many constraints for the game that the recommendations included aspects of AI, pedagogical agents, appropriate reflection, and of course had to be driven from highly organized and structured models. A fantastic attempt at “getting it all” without leaving out anything, but one wonders if any game could incorporate each of the issues, especially at a moderate or low-level of technical sophistication. The idea eschews a system that can be transferred across areas of content and instructional materials, it should be useful for many subjects with the same gameplay underneath.

This is in sharp contrast to my experience and ideas of others (an early session at the conference) who describe game activity as related to meaningful learning. In their session we started with a game that included bidding a number of beads to “win” the card. The players were asked to redesign the game to teach a number of different subjects, from Shakespeare to trigonometry. Our group was assigned “interpersonal relationships.” From what I could tell, all groups failed in their attempt to modify the current game in a way that could really produce complex learning. This seemed to confirm my expectation—learning activity needs to be aligned with instructional objectives.

In other words, you can’t just stick content into exiting game structures and expect the game to be fun, or have the same results as a game whose content was specifically designed for that activity. Learning games must be considered as contextual entities, especially from a design standpoint, if they are to truly be beneficial for complex thinking. This is a lesson we learned in learning sciences, moving away from traditional instructional design models and practices that did not allow for significant flexibility and modification in its procedures. It’s also a lesson they’re slowly learning in the design and development of learning objects. Packets of information created for use, reuse, and remixing need to be flexible enough to come in different sizes and cultures. In other words, to be effective the learning object must be adaptable and localizable to whatever context in which it will be used. Perhaps this is the lesson we should take for "reconciling" the push-pull of educational game design.

Every year we used to go to my grandparents’ ranch for Easter Sunday. The highlight of the day was the Easter egg hunt where the adults would fill multi-colored plastic eggs with jellybeans and foil-covered chocolate, then hide them around the yard. The ten or so of us grandchildren could hardly sit through brunch with the lure of the hunt awaiting us. Grandpa would sit back after his meal, look around the table at the kids, and say with a wink and a grin, “I think I heard the bunny out there,” and then we'd jump out of our seats and head for the door. Grandpa grew up homesteading in the hills of Western Montana, he lost two of his siblings to influenza in the 1920s, and never initiated hugs or kisses.

The year I turned six, I remember Grandpa taking me aside during the hunt and leading me around the barn to a thicket of grass, far away from the other kids and colored eggs. “I think I saw the bunny put one in there,” he said, pointing to an opening behind the downspout, where I could barely make out the narrow end of a lavender egg. It had a small pocketknife in it, with pearl inlay being held in place by the tiniest of screws. “That’s the knife my mother used cleaning fish for us when I was a boy. That knife helped get us through some terrible winters,” he said with a smile.

The next year, without a word from Grandpa, I snuck around the corner to the grassy area by the downspout and discovered the lavender egg. It held an old wristwatch that Grandpa bought when he visited San Francisco for the first time. The next year, I found a silver locket with a baby picture in it. Another year I found a few strange coins in the egg from a country I’d never heard of.

As the years went on, the gifts got stranger. Once he left me a small, lumpy chunk of metal that he found when planting his garden. One year the egg held an old dog collar, stained with dirt and blood. One of the last years the lavender egg held a bullet from WWII with a piece of paper and the word "SORRY" written on it. After Gram died, the grass around the barn turned to Russian thistles. That year's Easter, an old abandoned bird’s nest was stuffed in the downspout. The final year, the lavender egg was there, but it was crushed into small pieces and arranged into a neat pile. It was the last time we went to the ranch for Easter. Grandpa died a few months later.

I'm at a conference today that is focused on games and learning, and there's a whole lot of thoughts running through my head.

What's the deal with "incidental learning" or "accidential learning" as some people like to call it? Seems to be a favorite phrase of people here, as if hoping that spending thousands of hours playing online games have to produce meaningful learning. One gentleman had the onions to acutally admit that he learned some geography about the Carribbean Islands after playing "Pirates" for (literally) months. Huh? So what?! I still see no evidence of complex thought or learning of any significance that can be attributed to this phenomenon. So why keep using it as an excuse to shove it at schoolchildren when no actual value can be found?

On that note, someone did mention that if this "accident" happens to expose a student to new ideas or interests than they otherwise would not have known, then it's not necessarily a bad thing. Good point. But then it falls into a different category.

A colleague today at dinner was listening to one of my projects and actually sincerely told me my idea was "brilliant." I think that's a first one for me, no one has ever used that word with me before. But of course, I can't really believe it, unless I also believe all those people who tell me my stuff is crap.

Another woman asked a group of MMORG players/developers to help with an "anomoly in her data," as she described it. For some unknown reason to her, around 30% of the players in the MMORG she was studying would not admit that they were learning any real-world transferrable skills by participating in the game environment. No matter how much she pushed them, they insisted they were just playing a game. How rude, and truly unbelivable, she thought! Members of this group were quick to assure her that these gamers had a culture where they do not admit to participating in anything establishment, and certainly not anything educational. Either that, or they were simply not aware of the many transferable skills they were learning. Well, I suppose this could be true. But rather than assume a conclusion that the players were too stupid to realize the results of their own actions, or that they must be jaded youth who refuse to cow-tow to mom-and-dad's view of what's good for them, why don't we actually consider the possibility that THEY AREN"T LEARNING ANY TRANSFERRABLE SKILLS. To this group, that's apparently an unthinkable option. It was never brought up as a possibility. A nice example of losing all form of subjectivity when participating in, and taking stock in, the environment that you're studying.

Madison, Wisconsin is a beautiful place with great people. I keep wanting to make cheese jokes but dangit, everyone is so darn pleasant it's difficult to make fun. Plus, those folks at Playboy know what they're doing when they rate party schools. The nightlife in the middle of summer on a Thursday is better than any after-finals parties in Utah.

My presentation went very smooth, and I think might have some footing for a follow-up presentation next year if I want to come back. If tomorrow is as good as today, I think I probably will want to.

I need to buy one of those foam cheese hats. They cost $20 and I'd never wear it. But I gotta have one.

Oh by the way, the picture here is a familiar one-- my fave childhood toy Nerfman, but this version is surrounded by one of those horrendous "successories" kinds of formats. Want to mock these things by creating one of your own? Go to this site.

A friend was giving me a hard time yesterday about how when summer break begins that I'll have nothing to do. That's a thought...so, I better make out a work-related to-do list to see if he's right. This, of course, does not count refinishing the deck, yard work (planting bushes and trees, weeding, bringing in bark and spreading, installing drip lines, repairing and adjusting sprinklers, etc.), car maintenance, and those other domestic things that creep up when the weather gets warmer (anyone seen a wasp trap lately? I need one!).

No, this list is just about work-related things:

1. Finish and submit the absolute stickler of the paper from waaaaay back, dissertation days to the top-tier journal I've always dreamed about getting into (but likely will be hugely tough to do).

2. Write other committed-to journal articles that include 2 on PBL/instructional games, activity-goal alignment from design to development to implementation and results, and the analysis of motivation and gender with a look at classroom assessments and standards for instructional games. That's 4 that fit into this category.

3. Travel to and participate in 2 major conferences, and 1 minor conference. Plus help collaborators prepare for 2 other conference submissions.

4. Finish book chapter for forthcoming models and simulations book on educational gaming.

5. Help edit approximately 12 other chapters for same said book.

6. Re-formulate "presence and perspective" research project, and lead team to collect data, analyze, and wrap up for future article beyond this summer.

7. Write and help coordinate new grants (addressing 4 RFPs) that tackle different components of "educational games and simulations for people with disabilities" project. Approximate length of just the first one? 50 pages.

8. Create new class prep and revamp existing class for fall. The new class prep will involve a number of (new-to-me) important articles and careful thought.

9. Update my professional website to accurately reflect all information, including the new links to projects, research dissemination, and classes.

10. Teach intense 5-week summer class.


Yeah, looks like a nice, fun, relaxing summer.

The title means, to know is to survive. I'm concentrating hard on surviving right now, at the end of a long semester and a day that started bad and went downhill from there. My primary frustration at this particular moment is the constant search for external funding.

An important part of my job (that I'm not very good at, but trying hard to improve) is to convince people that the work I do is interesting and important, innovative and makes an impact. And to do my work, I need to manage good people who may have a lot to learn but who also need to somehow live on what we can offer them. Some folks call this process of finding funding "schmoozing," I suppose, but I generally believe that if you have good ideas, and people are out there that want to give money to people to develop their good ideas, then it's just a matter of time and effort before they get together. So I search, research, inquire and wait. Search and wait. Search and wait.

A number of successful people in my area are convinced that it's a matter of time before I receive a windfall from *some source* to help develop my projects. But it's frustrating trying to move forward when no one appears to be buying what I'm selling. So Eddie Spaghetti, my friend, sing me some lyrics that can help me out, and talk to me about how we all feel like this sometimes.

http://www.supersuckers.com/

"Rock-N-Roll Records"

I've been workin like a mother just to get this fucker right
I got my ass down in the gutter tryin to irrigate this drought
Have no fear cuz now its here
rock and roll records ain't selling this year

I got my nuts against the grain and you know that it's a bitch
playin' through the pain and watching shit-bands get rich
it's been so clear to all my peers
that rock and roll records--they ain't selling this year

yeah it's a little bit of crummy how the music making money
seems to slip on through to a world full of dummys
I just get jeers for my blood sweat and tears
cuz rock and roll records ain't selling this year

I'm gonna spread it around, and get it all down
ain't gonna flip-flop, hip-hop, suckin on a pork chop
sounds so weird to my ears
that rock and roll records they ain't selling this year

Aow! Yeah, yeah yeah.

So at the end of the day I'm gonna do it my way
cuz I gotta have something good and fun to play
so raise you beer and let's say cheers
to rock and roll records that ain't selling this year

that's right, I'm here to testify on behalf of a rock and roll record

rock and roll records that ain't selling this year
aw, it's painfully clear
rock and roll records…

...I experience a horrible teaching moment. The story goes like this.

I'm reviewing the assignments in my undergrad class (only one I teach each year) when I notice one particular student's website is lacking many of the requirements of the assignment. Of particular notice is that none of her pages have the images linked properly and none are linked together. Well, I specifically remember going over this with her 2 weeks ago one-on-one and even did one of her links for her as an example. So I figure this is not her most recent version and email her asking her to come in and review it with me. (So, I'm feeling pretty good about what a great guy I am, how many instructors would take the time that I am with this poor girl? not many, I tell myself, giving her the opportunity to review and resubmit, etc.)

So when she comes in, I show her the website she turned in and asked about the images and links that are missing.
"Yeah, I don't know how to do that," she says.

"Well, do you remember us going over it in class, referring to the handout I gave to you, then our one-on-one session afterwards?"

"Yeah but I didn't learn it."

"Oh," I say, somewhat disappointed. "Well, why don't you take another crack at it and then I'll accept your revision."

"But we already have worked on other assignments since then, and I don't remember anything. And I can't learn from the handout," she replied.

"Well, this is a class that's designed to teach you skills to build a website, to add to your resume and hopefully use after the class is over. Are you saying that you didn't learn anything?"

"Yes, I didn't learn anything."

I thought about this for a minute and said, "Well, then the class let you down and I let you down."

She looked at me and said somewhat defensively, "Sorry," paused, then added, "So, what grade did I get?"

Sigh.

Getting ready for the next trip to Puerto Penasco to see Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers in what we hope will remain an annual trip. Last time we went was Nov. '04, I believe, but really who can remember when it was, I just remember the good times and good friends that were there. Oh yes, and few stories that may or may not involve fighting a Mexican palm tree.

RCPM to me is really a band like no other, and whether it's right or not, I lump the Refreshments' music in there with them since they were the precursor to RCPM and still play many of their songs. Yes, people who know me associate 80's metal and hair bands with the majority of my tastes. But something about these guys just work with my system--perhaps it's part timing, part association, and part tradition, but probably a lot of really good music too.

I first started listening to the Refreshments when they played indoors and outdoors in downtown Tempe at Gibson's. A bit of a raw rock show, but something was definitely working about these guys live. Catchy tunes and very Arizona, is the only way to explain it. I bought my very own copy of Wheelie from the local Zia store and we played it constantly when we BBQ'd, pre-functioned, or whenever. Sometime thereafter they were signed by a big label and released Fizzy Fuzzy Big and Buzzy which to this day remains one of my favorite CDs. It was Wheelie cleaned-up a bit with a new song added and a few other minor changes. Once I moved away to Michigan, I still kept in touch with the band's live performances because they toured to Michigan (largely, I think, because guitarist Brian Blush was from there) and of course they still played locally in AZ. Annual trips to see friends Pat and Shannon would often coincide with a concert, lucky us.

After another great album (I don't mean to get into a discography here), the band breaks up, reforms as RCPM and I move to Seattle where I get to see them at the Tractor Tavern quite frequently. The only bad thing associated with this period is that someone broke into my house and stole all my CDs, alphabetically A through R. (The bag he stole from my closet could only carry so many.) So yes, my Supersuckers CDs survived but my most precious CD ever Wheelie was stolen. So someone out there has my Wheelie CD (you know who you are, the band autographed the insert and Roger wrote "Viva Brett" on it, and I want it back damnit) but fortunately I have a copy of the music that I made for backup (how often does that actually pay off? I can't believe that actually worked!) and I still listen to it religiously. But as you can tell, I'm still a bit bitter about it.

Now that I've settled in the gorgeous Rockies, I still see the band on tour but it's the trips to AZ and Mexico with friends that I look most forward to, along with the new releases and (thankfully) frequent music the band makes on its independent label. Let me tell you, if you don't have a copy of Americano! then you need to get it, and if you don't like it then I don't want to talk to you, because frankly, we woudn't get along anyway. It's that good. I recently purchased the Four Unlike Before from iTunes and today I'm completing ripping my Roger CDs to my iPod so from now on until until Rocky Point '06, it's all about the music.

http://www.azpeacemakers.com/