Established in 2004, New Mexico State University’s Learning Games Lab will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a party 4 to 7 p.m. Sept. 13. (NMSU photo by Elijah Benegas)
Source: NMSU News Release
DATE: Aug. 21, 2024
WRITER: Tiffany Acosta, 575-646-3929, tfrank@nmsu.edu
For two decades, New Mexico State University’s Learning Games Lab has worked with youth to design and test video games. Through the process, youth and media developers have shared experiences and knowledge to aid in the creation of science-based, computer-enhanced educational programs such as games, animations and interactive tools.
In celebration of these achievements, NMSU’s Department of Innovative Media Research and Extension will host a 20th Anniversary Party for the Learning Games Lab from 4 to 7 p.m. Sept. 13 in Gerald Thomas Hall, Room 173.
“The Games Lab has made three kinds of contributions: We’ve conducted research on the development of learning media, we’ve engaged youth and adults in outreach learning about digital tools, and we’ve reached learners internationally through beautifully designed learning games,” Innovative Media Research and Extension Department Head Barbara Chamberlin said.
The party will showcase artwork from participants over the years and launch the release of the “Learning Games Lab Toolkit.” This free online resource offers information on the approach, lessons and activities honed during the past 20 years.
“While we teach design and game development, we help kids be more critical of media and understand digital literacy,” Chamberlin said. “For 20 years, we have been refining our curriculum with youth, asking the question, ‘How do we best help kids learn how to design games?’ That turned into a set of guiding principles and activities, and we’ve now released that as a toolkit so that other educators can help youth be digitally enabled learners.
“To put the word learning and games together in a research space was somewhat courageous in 2004. So many people still saw games as an enemy then, rather than an effective learning tool. I appreciate that our university got behind it,” she said.
Recently, the Learning Games Lab launched Interactive Tools to Improve Practice of Food Safety, or iTIPS Food Safety, a training program to help entrepreneurs who make food products, and “Theme Park Kitchen,” a game designed to help middle school youth learn about food safety.
“User testing research is always hard. My vision was to have a consistent way to bring in kids. The Games Lab was designed as a research space. It was originally about user testing, then it became a powerful outreach program where kids learned digital literacy and design skills. All of it is based on the research of our partners: research in their content area, our research on how people learn, our research on how to best design learning games,” Chamberlin said.
In April 2024, the Learning Games Lab was awarded the 2024 Intellectual Property Award presented by NMSU’s Arrowhead Center and the Office of Research, Creativity and Economic Development. The award recognizes NMSU faculty or staff who have developed intellectual property and demonstrated work to realize societal, industrial and commercial benefits.
The Learning Games Lab has trademarked Math Snacks and copyrights for 14 games, four interactive programs, four apps, one app suite, Virtual Insect Collection Lab, Science of Agriculture Series and Food Safety Virtual Labs.
“Our content specialist partners know the most about our audiences. They are out in the world doing their jobs. When they bring us a topic, they already have the content expertise and know who they are serving. Our framework informs how to make the transformation within the learner. The user testing makes sure that the content is having the impact that we desire,” said Amy Smith Muise, Innovative Media Research and Extension editor.”
For more information about the Learning Games Lab 20th Anniversary Party, visit https://innovativemedia.nmsu.edu/20years.html.
