Metafocus: Using Educational Video Games as College Courses

I recently interviewed André Thomas, founder and CEO of Triseum, a creator of educational video games.He also founded and serves as director of the LIVE Lab in the Department ofVisualization at Texas A&M University. Thomas teaches game design, gamedevelopment, and interactive graphics techniques at Texas A&M.

This interview is packed with great info about game-based learning and how to get educational video games adopted by schools. The interview was edited for length and style.

Matt Sparks: André,thank you for agreeing to this interview. Let’s start with a brief descriptionof what Triseum is, how you got started, and your relationship to TexasA&M.

André Thomas: AtTriseum, we develop entertainment-quality learning games that are designed to measurably improve learning outcomes—think high-stakesadventures and lifelike graphics translated into a productive and engagingacademic setting. Our games immerse students in subjects where they don’t justmemorize information, but they apply it as they go for the epic win. We pushthe boundaries to create thorough educational value, immersive visual appeal,and inspiring game play. Every game starts with rigorous research and clearlyidentified learning objectives.

Triseum grew out of the LIVE Lab in the Department of Visualizationin the College of Architecture at Texas A&M. Both our Variant: Limits calculus game and our ARTé: Mecenas art history game began as concepts in the LIVELab, where students, faculty, and others worked closely with Triseum’s team onthe research, design, development, and testing process. Triseum took the gamesto market, and they are now used by colleges and universities around the world.

MS: As Iunderstand it, both of these games were recently accepted by the university as stand-alonecourses at Texas A&M. What did the process look like to get them approvedas courses? What research or data did the university need you to provide? Howdid you get the administration and academic departments on board and excitedabout it?

AT: We workedvery closely with the visualization department in the College of Architectureand the math department in the College of Science to help them design coursescentered around ARTé: Mecenas and Variant: Limits that would both fulfilltheir current needs [and] serve a long-term objective to offer students analternative to traditional classes. Both courses not only offer college creditin just four weeks, instead of the traditional semester-long 16 weeks, but theyallow students to achieve a higher level of mastery.

Being backed by rigorous research and coming out of the LIVELab in the Texas A&M visualization department, it was straightforward towork with both departments to get these courses created. Both departments arefocused on innovation in education and providing students with learningexperiences that are proven and engaging. A big draw to this approach is eachcourse’s ability to reduce the cost for students and schools, shorten the timeto graduation, and empower students to achieve a higher level of mastery.

MS: What, ifanything, was difficult or surprising about the process?

AT: This was ourfirst foray into designing an entire course in collaboration with faculty andadministrators, and we learned a lot—not just about everything that goes intothe creation of a full course, but also about making students aware of theopportunity. Course creation requires diligent effort, and even more so whenthere isn’t a template to follow. It was a real pleasure to work with bothdepartments and faculty on creating such innovative courses. We couldn’t havewished for better partners—everyone was fully committed to making this happen.

MS: Are youlooking to license these games to additional universities?

AT: Texas A&Mis the first of our clients to embrace the game-based course model, a truetestament to its student-centered focus and innovative mindset. The school’sapproach has opened doors and spurred additional conversations in the marketfor wider game-based course adoptions.

Right now, we have about 200 institutions across the countryeither using our games or that have expressed interest in using our gameswithin existing courses. Texas A&M also is among the schools currentlyusing our games within its courses, with a three-year agreement in place tointegrate ARTé: Mecenas across all ofthe school’s art history survey courses.

We have student ambassadors on more than 200 collegecampuses, helping students and faculty get better acquainted with game-basedlearning, and we are quite encouraged by the traction and exposure our gamesare getting. Our games are also available for direct purchase through ouronline store, so students don’t have to wait for their universities to sign on—theycan get in on this game-based learning movement now!

MS: Oncefinished, how long did it take you to get the games approved by the universityas stand-alone course offerings?

AT: Since thecourses were designed with the faculty and administrators of both departments,approval was very fast and took but a few days.

MS: Will you haveto get each new version approved by the administration before release? Eachupdate to a current version? Each new bug fix? How granular or hands-on willthey [be], or should they be involved?

AT: We arecontinuously investing in our existing games and are listening to both studentsand faculty in order to improve our games. Our approach is very collaborative.Before we release a new version, we ensure that our customers are satisfiedwith the changes and/or improvements and that it meets their needs; thus,approval of each release is somewhat built into our development philosophy.

MS: What books orresources do you recommend for someone who wants to build a game that couldpotentially work as a college course?

AT: Karl Kapp, a gamification analyst and professorat Bloomsburg University, provides a great introduction to learning-game designin his book The Gamification of Learningand Instruction: Game-Based Methods and Strategies for Training and Educationand his accompanying how-to book, TheGamification of Learning and Instruction Fieldbook: Ideas into Practice. Ialso encourage those in the space to follow education thought leader Rod Bergerand Jim Kiggens, director of Engage Learning Technology at Adtalem GlobalEducation. Additionally, there are great books on game design from experts suchas Tracy Fullerton, Jesse Schell, and Lee Sheldon.

MS: If a schoolor educator wanted to start using one of your games in their classrooms, howwould they go about doing that?

AT: It’s easy—justget in touch with us! Our productspages on our website include game trailers and information on piloting ourgames.

MS: Do you haveany asks of my readers before we finish?

AT: Visit ourwebsite, see our games in action, buy a game, and spread the word! We alsowelcome feedback on our games and new ideas for games that have the potentialto make a measurable impact on the teaching and learning experience.