During the past four years Alan Amory, a lecturer in Biology, has investigated the use of multimedia as a teaching resource and converted his courses from old-style lectures and practicals to constructivist-like classrooms. He also enjoys the thrill of creating software. Kevin Naicker, an Honours student at the time of this research, is interested in the use of computer technologies, especially the World Wide Web, in education. Jacky Vincent, our graphic artist, with her abounding enthusiasm and experience, enjoys designing unique virtual worlds and developing game scenarios. Claudia Adams, a zoologist and librarian, helped in the finding and organisation of the content and enjoys the creative side of plot development.
AbstractPlaying games is an important part of our social and mental development. This research was initiated to identify the game type most suitable to our teaching environment and to identify game elements that students found interesting or useful within the different game types. A group of twenty students played four commercial games (SimIsle, Red Alert, Zork Nemesis and Duke Nukem 3D). Results suggest that students prefer 3D-adventure (Zork Nemesis) and strategy (Red Alert) games to the other types ("shoot-em-up", simulation) with Zork Nemesis ranked as the best. Students rated game elements such as logic, memory, visualisation and problem solving as the most important game elements. Such elements are integral to adventure games and are also required during the learning process. We present a model that links pedagogical issues with game elements. The game space contains a number of components, each encapsulates specific abstract or concrete interfaces. Understanding the relationship between educational needs and game elements will allow us to develop educational games that include visualisation and problem solving skills. Such tools could provide sufficient stimulation to engage learners in knowledge discovery, while at the same time developing new skills.
PurposeThis paper aims to describe the approach taken by a staff development committee at a large academic library in New Zealand to reinvigorate professional and personal development. It seeks to examine the processes used, projects carried out and to highlight the outcomes.Design/methodology/approachTo identify training needs, a skills and attributes matrix was developed to which current courses were mapped. Priorities identified in the matrix informed the creation of a programme for which courses were commissioned. An orientation programme for new staff was re‐introduced which included the creation of a new staff development and training web site.FindingsThe approach taken by the Library Staff Development Advisory Group created a sustainable process, whereby staff development could periodically be reviewed. A relevant staff development programme could be created to meet the most important current training needs of staff. Reintroducing an orientation programme was successful – it was well attended and favourably received by staff.Research limitations/implicationsAn in‐depth needs analysis for specialist tasks to identify specific training needs for those areas could be conducted. Measuring the impact of training on services or behaviour has not yet been attempted.Originality/valueThis paper may be useful to any group deciding to review staff development in any workplace and is not restricted to libraries.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.