I’ll be giving this presentation on Thursday, April 1st, 3:00 – 5:00 pm, at the Augmented Reality Lab at York University, Joan & Martin Goldfarb Centre for Fine Arts, Room 309 CFA. All are welcome.

Here’s the abstract: Following the launch of the Serious Games Initiative at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in 2002, academics have explored the use of gaming strategies and technologies to teach “serious” content.  Eight years later, it is time to take stock: what have we learned?  In this presentation I will draw conclusions from the literature, and from my research, making reference to several Canadian history “serious games” that I have developed (including games in virtual worlds, isometric environments, and mixed-reality and augmented-reality environments (including a heritage tour/game for the iPhone)).  I will explain why I think we should stop using the term “serious game”, and why I think the playful use of mixed- and augmented-reality is rich with potential for historians and other humanists.

Niagarapalooza, a one-day conference focused on the revitalization of Niagara, was an unmitigated success, thanks to the work of Mark Brickell, Vice President, Smart Growth and Partnerships, at Niagara Economic Development Corporation. My presentation (please see it below, minus its moving parts) focused on the potential for serious game development, through nGen, the Niagara Interactive Media Generator (a new media incubator initiated by Brock University – you can read about it here). Plenary speaker Richard Florida began the day by expanding on his thesis that successful cities (and regions) cultivate the creativity of their citizens, and Brock University President Jack Lightstone closed the day by asking, “OK, but how does the rubber hit the road?” Notably, in his column in last Saturday’s Globe and Mail, Florida suggested that universities can best augment the “creative economies” of their surroundings by dissolving into their communities: “Rather than as an “engine” of development, then, think of the university as an ecosystem or infrastructure for a knowledge-driven, creative economy. The key to the future lies in building stronger bridges between universities and their surrounding communities. The old town-gown boundaries must dissolve until it becomes impossible to see where the university ends and the community begins.”

Many of us at Brock are moving in this direction. Rosemary Hale, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, is promoting a Centre for the Arts, located in downtown St. Catharines. I’ve formed a company to bring the conclusions of my research on simulations and serious games into the marketplace. And in the days that have followed Niagarapalooza, I’ve engaged in several conversations with civic and business leaders about other potential ventures. The rubber is getting closer to the road. More on that in future posts.

On Thursday January 31 I’ll have the privilege of presenting at the Niagarapalooza conference – please check back in the next couple of days for my thoughts about this event.