UDL and Productivity Games

Take a look at this link and try a few of these games.  The anti-stress youtube video and the Google ESP game are particularly noteworthy.
https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/blogs/games_on/2009/11/03/when-play-equals-work-productivity-games

I'm inspired to see others are thinking of this idea of leveraging principles of play to increase productivity and product quality in work.  According to this article by Williams & Smith (http://www.42projects.org/docs/GTAC_LQG.PDF), Microsoft has employed productivity games to beta test its Windows Vista and Windows 7 operating systems.  They do, however, caution companies in using these games:


"Productivity games are not a universal solution for every business process or task. Games introduce an alternative incentive system into the workplace as a byproduct of the game architecture and scoring of play. Since the workplace usually already has an incentive system in place – usually in the form of a paycheck, Productivity Game designers must be careful when, where and how they deploy games that can potentially impact existing incentives and rewards."


So, I think we're looking at a couple of scenarios here.  The first is a game that would be designed as a break from work to decrease stress and increase productivity.  The second is a game where the work is the game, such as Microsoft's beta testing.


How could this apply to a classroom setting?  If a student is frustrated and behaviour is escalating, could the anti-stress game be beneficial?  What if a student is having difficulty in writing and benefits from assistive technologies to support this?  Could a game designed to enhance writing be integrated into his day?


I need to further define the differences between Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Assistive Technologies (AT).  According to Edyburn (2005), "good design for people with disabilities benefits everyone."  He goes on to consider UDL and AT on a continuum, stating, "at one end of the continuum, UDL seeks to reduce barriers for every- one. At the other end of the continuum, AT is used to reduce barriers for individuals with disabilities."


So, how can UDL principles be best applied in the design of productivity games and how can we leverage assistive technologies to make these games accessible for students with disabilities?


The Center (CAST) http://www.cast.org/udl/index.html lists the following mission statement on their website:
"To expand learning opportunities for all individuals, especially those with disabilities, through the research and development of innovative, technology-based educational resources and strategies."
They advocate for UDL, defining it as "a set of principles for curriculum development that give all individuals equal opportunities to learn" and that it "provides a blueprint for creating instructional goals, methods, materials, and assessments that work for everyone--not a single, one-size-fits-all solution but rather flexible approaches that can be customized and adjusted for individual needs."


In terms of my thesis, UDL becomes the platform for my research.  I would seek to further define UDL principles as a springboard to explore the merits of productivity games and the assistive technologies used to play them.  I would examine a number of productivity games (perhaps some exist on ipad?) and study their effects on student learning.  For example, would an anti-stress game introduced at set intervals help a reluctant writer produce more written content?  If the student is given the opportunity to self-regulate and choose when to use the anti-stress game, how effective would this be?

My main wondering is how can we leverage play to increase productivity?

To do:

1. Research UDL
2. Research play
3. Explore productivity games, a subcategory of serious games
4. What is my claim?  I believe we can increase work productivity in the classroom by either allowing for play breaks such as the anti-stress game or using a productivity game that facilitates work through play.  Now I have to prove it.

I believe that a UDL classroom promoting a climate of play will optimize student productivity in achieving curricular objectives.  With an intentionality behind the play and when presented in a variety of ways, including the use of assistive technologies, students will become more engaged in their learning, thereby increasing both quality and quantity of output.