Video Games & Education

How To Build A Sustainable 
Innovation Ecosystem

Al Meyers, Saisei Consulting
www.reinventedsolutions.com
Immersive Education Summit
April 23 – 25, 2010
Is This Vision Possible?

TED 2009 Palm Springs

Property of Saisei Consulting, Inc. 2010

About Me :  Nearly 20 Years
Relevant Experience

• Consumer behavior analytics
• Kids media
Media  • Digital Media
Strategist • Organizational Behavior
• Extensive International Expertise 
(Japan, Korea, China)

• GameTap
• TedX Peachtree
Innovation • Atlanta Music Project
• Disrupting Class
• Past4Ward

• ReinventED Solutions
• FAS
Education • Kauffman
• Partnership for 21st Century Skills
• Penn Baseball Hall of Fame

Property of Saisei Consulting, Inc. 2010

Efficacy of Game‐Based Learning (PBL): 
Already Proven Through Research

Experiential 
Learning
Inquiry‐
Feedback based 
Learning
Learning 
Outcomes
Cooperation Goal Setting

Self Efficacy

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 And We Know The Importance of 
"Quality Time" On Task
• People persist through "non‐fun" things when playing
• Willing to work to play
• Engage in socially complex systems and interpersonal 
interactions

Source: Scott Rigby 2008 GDC Presentation; Jane McGonigal Property of Saisei Consulting, Inc. 2010
And There Is Perceived Demand From 
Education
Games or activities for student use in school 65%
Interactive lesson plans 59%
Research information for student use 58%
Current events information 57%
Image collections 57%
Games or activities for student use out of school 55%
Information for own professional development 53%
Online video library/exclusive content 53%
Primary source materials 50%
Interactive simulations 49%
Online video library/previously aired content 48%
Student‐produced multimedia 43%
Data Sets 39%
Student created websites 38%
Opportunitites to interact with experts 35%
Student submission Websites 29%
Non‐interactive lesson plans 20%
Audio on Handheld Devices 16%
Blogs 15%
Facebook, Wiki, social media communities 14%
Video on Handheld Devices 12%

Source: PBS and Grunwald Associates LLC, 2009 Property of Saisei Consulting, Inc. 2010
However, Current GBL Products Have 
Not Achieved Critical Mass

Distribution Model Illustrative Examples

Direct‐To‐Teacher

Direct‐To‐District

Direct‐To‐Student

Bundled with Teacher Training

Via 3rd Party Large Textbook 
Publishers
“Games to Laptops”
Via Installed Hardware Base Initiative

Co‐Development with School

Source: Mayo “Bringing Game-Based Learning to Scale” Property of Saisei Consulting, Inc. 2010
Examples of Innovative GBL Products
Subject Areas Illustrative Examples

Language Learning

Civics/Social Studies

Financial Literacy

Observation: None Directly Target "STEM"
Property of Saisei Consulting, Inc. 2010
What Is The Problem?

1. Schools must be redesigned 
to become intrinsically 
motivating environments.

2. GBL products are not being 
deployed "disruptively."

3. A "Sustainable Innovation 
Ecosystem" must be 
constructed.
Property of Saisei Consulting, Inc. 2010
How Do We "Intrinsically Motivate" 
Students?
Is it this? Or this?

Underlying principle of intrinsic motivation:

Sustained fun and commercial success occur
most strongly when specific intrinsic
motivational needs are satisfied by a game.
Source: Scott Rigby, Ph.D., 2007 GDC Presentation Property of Saisei Consulting, Inc. 2010
Can GBL Be Successful While Schools 
Are Being Re‐engineered?

Old School Design Utopia

Game Requirements
• High production value
• Non‐linear, complex narratives
• Teacher training
• Assessment system
• Time on task
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 We Must Deploy GBL Disruptively
Primer:  The relative economics of sustaining 
versus disruptive innovations
Disruptive innovations create asymmetric competition
Incumbents nearly always win

Performance
Different measure 
of Performance
Performance that customers 
can utilize or absorb

Time

Entrants nearly always win Time

Source: Disrupting Class Property of Saisei Consulting, Inc. 2010

Maybe We’re Putting The Cart Before 
The Horse?
From the mainstream Ed Tech establishment:

"It must fit into my comfort zone"
"Don’t call it Edugames, call it a lab"
"Show me how to incorporate it"
"Must align to standards and fit into a class period"

THIS IS CALLED "CRAMMING"
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The Golden Rule of Disruptive Innovation: 
Target Areas of Non‐Consumption

Recorded  Sold to music listeners 
who did not attend 
Music concerts

Initially only worked for 
Telephone local calls

Focus on individual songs 
Downloadable  versus entire albums –
music industry phased out 
Digital Media singles in 1990s

Project‐based learning; 
Game‐based  eLearning;  new charter 
school designs; after school 
Learning??? programs; new territories, 
low achievers
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 How Do You Implement GBL in K‐12?

Target Non‐
Consumption 
Areas For Pilot 
Schools

Approach 
Mainstream  Suggested GBL  Perform 
Schools When  Efficacy 
Conditions Are  Disruptive  Research
Favorable Implementation Plan 
Sell To Non‐
Consumption 
Areas, Other 
Distribution 
Channels

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 We Must Create a Sustainable
"Innovation Ecosystem"
Definition: Innovation that lays a 
foundation for true global 
competitiveness and leadership.
Strategic Focus 
+  Idea Generation
+  Translational Pathways
+  Financial/Infrastructural/Human Capital 
=  Innovation Ecosystem

Source: Shirley Ann Jackson, PHD “Expediting Serendipity: Building An Innovative Ecosystem” 10/09
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 Government Funding Alone Will Not Create A 
Sustainable Innovation Ecosystem

Old Model New Model
Economic development is a 
Government drives  collaborative process
involving government at 
economic development 
multiple levels, companies, 
through policy decisions and  teaching and research 
incentives. institutions, and private sector 
organizations. 

Examples of Best Practices
• South Korea (Korea Industrial Complex Corporation –
KICOX)
• Singapore’s National Institute of Education

Source: Michael Porter, “Regional Competitiveness in a Global Economy,” 5/18/09 Property of Saisei Consulting, Inc. 2010
 GBL Innovators Need Creative Solutions To 
Succeed In Current Environment

Don’t Follow The Traditional Path

Use Disruptive Innovation Theory As A Roadmap

Our Common Goal:  Get GBL On This List!
Property of Saisei Consulting, Inc. 2010