BigGames The last few years have seen the blossoming of real world computer games that allow players to learn about important global issues. Here are a bunch of them. (If you know of others, please let us know so we can post them.) Real Lives is a unique, interactive life sim that enables you to live one of billions of lives in any country in the world. FoodForce teaches about hunger and the global food situation by putting you in charge of an emergency food mission. NationStates is a nation simulation game. Darfur is Dying is a narrarive based simulation where the player, from the perspective of a displaaced Darfurian, negotiates forces that threaten the survival of his or her refugee camp. A Force More Powerful is a game of nonviolent strategy that allows the user to wage nonviolent struggles for freedom and rights against dictators, occupiers, authoritarians, and oppressive rule.
World Game In the 1960's Buckminster Fuller proposed a “great logistics game” and “world peace game” (later shortened to simply, the “World Game”) that was intended to be a tool that would facilitate a comprehensive, anticipatory, design science approach to the problems of the world. The use of “world” in the title obviously refers to Fuller's global perspective and his contention that we now need a systems approach that deals with the world as a whole, and not a piece meal approach that tackles our problems in what he called a “local focus hocus pocus” manner. The entire world is now the relevant unit of analysis, not the city, state or nation. For this reason, World Game programming generally used Fuller's Dymaxion Map for the plotting of resources, trends, and scenarios essential for playing. The logic for the use of the word “game” in the title is even more instructive.
Game mechanics for causes – Catalysts for Change – Evolution of Philanthropy Nothing is more captivating than a well-thought out game. That’s why more and more initiatives are building games (or using game mechanics) to create positive social change. Here’s a new one that launched today – it’s called Catalysts for Change, and it gives players a game-like competition for sharing and responding to ideas about solving the world’s social problems. It’s a bit like Quora meets Twitter meets Trivial Pursuit. One you sign up, you’re asked to submit “cards”, which are basically suggestions or responses to specific issues. The challenge with any game-like initiative is that if the game itself isn’t fun and engaging, then it’s a missed opportunity to really connect with people. Like this: Like Loading...
R. Buckminster Fuller: Designer of the Geodesic Dome and the World Game Related Content Goats on Their High Horses These kids just won’t quit! Jumping up and standing on horses is one sure way for goats to get up hi... Refinishing Wood Stairs Steve explains the basics of refinishing wooden stairs, including an easily renewable finishing stra... Pink and Black Radish Bake Black winter storage radishes can be roasted with bright, pink radishes to create a warming vegetabl... A Plowboy Interview with R. R. R. "Bucky" — as he's fondly known by all his friends — believes in "doing more with less" and that man can solve all the physical problems of his existence — can, in fact, live in a world of maximum abundance — through the proper utilization of information and energy. Fuller recently conducted several seminars at the New York Studio School in New York City's Greenwich Village. How vital a force do you think the World Game will be on our society? My first jobs that I ever had, before World War I, were with very skillful mechanics. Yes, that's my point. Everyway.
The Playpump: How a Simple Gamification Concept can Save the (third) World New to Gamification? Check out my post What is Gamification & my Gamification Framework: Octalysis Gamification visits the Third World Most of the time, we think of Gamification as a technique to get consumers to like our products more, to be more productive in life, and improve our workplace, but Gamification can sometimes be used to save an entire nation. While we enjoy our Twitter, iPhones, Starbucks, and Reality Shows, many third world country nations are literally thirsty for clean water. Some families need to travel for 2 hours one way just to get a bucket of clean water for their families. I’ve spent 6 years of my childhood in South Africa, and even though most of the nation has fine standards of living, there are some places that show how fragile the human life really is. We’re not talking about failing a test, losing your job or being dumped – stuff that could make us depressed for weeks – we’re talking about watching your family members die or dying yourself in a constant basis.
Bucky Fuller - Biographical Timeline Partial Timeline of Fuller's Developement: Pseudonym: 4D. Brother: Wolcott Fuller : Sisters: Leslie and Rosie Fuller. Great-aunt: Margaret Fuller Son-in-law: Robert Snyder. 1928 -- '4-D' prefabricated house. 1929 -- 'Dymaxion House', duralumin and plastic. 1930 -- Developed a full-size model of the Dymaxion bathroom. 1933 -- Dymaxion car. 1936 -- "I was asked to go into research at Phelps Dodge, the third largest copper company in the world." 1946 -- 'Wichita' house [see "Fuller's House" in Fortune , April 1946]. 1948 -- Summer professor at Black Mountain College. "It was at Black Mountain that I met John Cage and Merce Cunningham, who were there, Bill de Kooning and his wife Elaine, Arthur Penn, the Alberses, of course, Ruth Asawa, Albert Lanier, who later married Ruth, and Ken Snelson. 1951 -- Allegra Fuller marries Robert Snyder. 1954 -- 'Geodesic Dome' patented. 1956 - 'Dymaxion Map' patented. Honors: Distinguished University Professor at Southern Illinois University since 1959.
Can Open Government Be Gamed? If information is power, the first step to gaining power is to get the right data. The Obama administration is a big proponent of opening up government data and making it digitally available. Today at the Personal Democracy Forum in New York City, the government’s new chief information officer Vivek Kundra announced USAspending.gov, a new site which launched today that tracks government spending with charts and lists ranking the largest government contractors (Lockheed, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, etc.) and assistance recipients (Department of Healthcare Services, New York State Dept. of Health, Texas Health & Human Services Commission, etc.). While Kundra agrees in principle that all public government data should be online, he also cautions that the reality is government data sits in more than 10,000 different systems, many of them written in COBOL or are still locked in dusty paper archives. Digital tools are bringing participation back to democracy, or at least that is the idea.
Bucky 4 Kids!!! The purpose of this "Inven-toy" is to learn about Bucky Fuller and his works in a fun and exploratory way. I would be very interested in any feedback anyone has about using this in any way. Contents: Introductory Monograph by Bill Paton BUCKYSHAPES Monograph 2 CUTOUT Dymaxion Maps--Use one for a jigsaw. CUTOUT DYMAXION CARS Graph Paper 30 Straws 12 Pipecleaners Large Rubber Band Spherical Balloon Series of Photos. R. His goal was "To make the World Work, in the shortest possible time, through spontaneous cooperation, without ecological offence, or the disadvantage of anyone." This Bucky Fuller "Inven-toy" Info-Pack can be approached in many possible ways. You could start with the "Fun" stuff of cutting out the map or the car. This INVEN-TOY is meant to be a Journey of Discovery, so don't get frustrated or be in a hurry. R. He was born cross-eyed and could only see things as vague shapes or large patterns. He joined the U.S. Bucky has Fourteen Concepts. They are: Concept One: Universe
Introducing a Game-Based Curriculum in Higher Ed Continuing from last week’s post about “The Gamification of Education”, this week we bring you a guest post from Justin Marquis, who examines the why’s and how’s of incorporating game based learning elements into the higher education curriculum. The gamification movement is in full-effect with its fair share of proponents and opponents. Those in favor of the idea most often cite student motivation and the ability of games to simulate real world circumstances so that learners can safely explore these environments without endangering themselves or others. Those on the other side of the argument think gamification is just a fad and that there is no real transfer of what is learned in games to the real world. There is enough research on both sides to support either point of view, but perhaps those most opposed to the incorporation of games into their curriculum just don’t know where to begin? Why Games in Higher Ed? About Kelly Walsh Print This Post
How to Know What Your True Purpose in Life Is. Which is not to say that it is bad. It is good to experience many different things. But these people end up going around in circles. They never stick with any one thing long enough to become a MASTER at it. They don't build up a network of contacts and a store of knowledge, expertise, wealth etc. to make as big a difference as they would have if they had stayed in roughly one direction for a longer period of time. The answer? Work out what you want to ACHIEVE. As well as work which provides money for you, you may do things that earn you no monetary reward directly. If other goals occur to you along your journey, you may want to do them as well. Knowing Your True Life Purpose So the joke is - you will probably never fully know your true life purpose. Some people sit around meditating to "find out what their life purpose is". What goal should you set? An artefact is "an object produced or shaped by human workmanship". When a baby makes its first efforts to walk - what happens?
The Gamification of Education and Cognitive, Social, and Emotional Learning Benefits Guest post by Jane Wolff. The current trend towards the increased use of games and game mechanics in instructional situations could probably have been foreseen quite some time ago. Stretching right back to the primitive gaming technology of the ZX Spectrum in the early 80’s, kids were hooked. As a wider variety and higher quality of educational games have been produced, it is really no surprise that educationists have gravitated towards further use of them as tools in the learning environment. Is this necessarily a positive development, however? A recent article on the subject makes for interesting reading. In 2011, Joey J. ‘Cognitive’ benefits include the development of problem-solving skills. Gamification can, according to Lee, be a powerful tool in addressing the child’s ‘emotional’ needs. The ‘social’ benefits of gamification may not be immediately apparent, since gaming has a rather unfair image of being an antisocial activity as games are often played alone. About Kelly Walsh
Bucky Products - Shopping - Bucky Product Descriptions - Buy videos, audio tapes, audio CDs, books, design tools, toys, games, memberships, newsletters - Global Energy Network Institute Order GENI Products Online GENI offers a money-back guarantee on all products we sell. GENI offers products not readily available in your local stores. Our Best Selling Products Videos Audio Tapes/CD-ROMs Books Design Tools and Educational Toys Fuller Projection Air-Ocean World Dymaxion Map The Dymaxion™ Air-Ocean World map, invented by R. The Air-Ocean World Dymaxion Map includes major rivers, cities and mean low temperature gradients. Enjoy this beautiful four color poster (34" X 22")(86cm X 56cm) printed on heavy-gauge paper from the moment you receive it. Don't waste another day looking at other distorted projections of the earth. (Edges of icosa triangles equal to: 1:47,000,000 scale; 63° 26'; 3806 nautical miles; 8.5 jet aircraft hours; 7 ship days). Order Now Fax-Call-Mail Order Our Spaceship Earth: One Island in One Ocean ... from space Satellite Self Portrait Dymaxion Map Richly colored blues, greens and ambers glow against a deep, matte black background. Dymaxion Globe Fold-Up Puzzle J.
Educating Players: Are Games the Future of Education? CAMBRIDGE, Mass.—Smart phones, tablets and video game systems are often seen as distractions to school children in developed countries, which tend to adhere to a strict teacher-student educational model. At Technology Review‘s Emerging Technologies (EmTech) conference here on October 25, a panel of technologists and educators posited that it’s time to embrace students’ use of such technologies and rethink learning in both developed and developing countries. “The issue isn’t education or schools—it’s learning,” panelist Nicholas Negroponte, founder and chairman emeritus of M.I.T.’s Media Lab and the chairman of the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) foundation, said. Not a new argument, but Negroponte’s approach to resolving it has been novel. To test this, OLPC in April delivered boxes containing more than a dozen tablet computers loaded with books, games and other apps—in English—to an isolated village in the Ethiopian highlands. Credit: paz.ca/Flickr