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Diffusion and Integration of Technology in Education
Karen
Patrick
Diffusion of Massively Multi-player Online Role Playing Games (MMORPGs) in the Educational Arena
Donald
Joshua

Joshua
Karen
Patrick

Diffusion and Integration of Technology in Education
Diffusion of Massively Multi-player Online Role Playing Games (MMORPGs) in the Educational Arena
MMORPGs and cognitive performance
One of the innovations that I proposed for examination is the impact of video game culture on education. Specifically, I chose to study Massive Multiplayer Online Role-playing Games (MMORPGs). I located a current empirical study that examined the cognitive impact of MMORPGs in uncontrolled context. The sample size was 1280 Brazilian high school students; information was collected using forms, assessments, and a mini psychometric test (Souza, Silva, & Roazzi, 2010). This study represents an educational diffusion research tradition. It studies a learning innovation. The method of data collection is through surveys and statistical analyses in unison with educational traditions. It was conducted by a university.
The findings of the study indicate that MMORPG players tend to be more hypercultural, exhibited evidence of superior mathematical and logical skills, and greater performance at school which was associated to the time spend gaming (Souza, Silva, & Roazzi, 2010). This corroborated with the prediction that MMORPGs “tend to lead teenage players to development complex internal mechanisms that provide them with improved logical and mathematical capabilities” (Souza, Silva, & Roazzi, 2010, p.9). Further studies can investigate MMORPGs as a catalyst for education and the evolution of Cognitivism as it relates to online gaming; further lucidity and clarity can be gained by studying both the internal mechanisms of cognition as well as socio-cultural phenomena (Souza, Silva, & Roazzi, 2010). This study has a direct impact on the field of education.
The study can be found at: http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/science?_ob=MImg&_imagekey=B6VDC-50F45XF-1-3&_cdi=5979&_user=7754736&_pii=S0747563210001731&_origin=search&_coverDate=11%2F30%2F2010&_sk=999739993&view=c&wchp=dGLzVtb-zSkzV&md5=f6c09ec565f4c308c8a1b3665758017d&ie=/sdarticle.pdf
References
Campello de Souza, B., de Lima e Silva, L., & Roazzi, A. (2010). MMORPGS and cognitive performance: A study with 1280 Brazilian high school students. Computers in Human Behavior, 26(6), 1564-1573. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2010.06.001.
Week 2 Assignment- Paper
Storyboard: Sketching it out
These slides represent a dynamic sketch of the presentation. Expect frequent updates.
Previous Upload Date: 01/02/2011
Most Recent Upload Date: 01/18/2011
Final Presentation
Prediffusion - A glimpse at the History and Diffusion of Google.
Necessity... the mother of invention. -Plato
Google's development did follow Rogers (2003) first four proposed stages of the innovation-development process (there are two other stages, but this discussion will not cover them); Google solved a problem, it was based on research, went through development, and commercialization (Rogers, 2003). Incidentally, the first stage, recognizing a problem or need, manifested itself in 1996 as the need for a dissertation theme by Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin who were currently working on the needs of Standford University through the Stanford Digital Library Project (History of Google, 2010). This stimulated Page to investigate how pages were linked on the World Wide Web and his ability to promote positive change through mapping and systematization of the pages; he was later joined by Brin (History of Google, 2010). In 1998, the World Wide Web was growing exponentially, users needed a system of organization and collectivity, Page and Brin would satisfy this need. By its sheer nature, their research project was aligned with Rogers second stage, basic and applied research. As part of their studies, they were driven by the development of a simplistic search engine that was built on relevancy and intuitiveness. Although Page and Brin were initially against it, Google went commercial in 2000 when it began its advertising campaign; its official public offering occurred in 2004 (History of Google, 2010).
Businesses must be cognizant of what they offer their clients; transparency needs to be present so the customers are aware of the motives of the business. When innovations are presented to the customer, in most circumstances it is what the business offers the customer that is important to the customer, not what the customer can offer the business. Sure, there are circumstances when clients endeavor to support the causes of a business, but even then the algorithm remains intact – it is businesses that generate opportunity even if they are simply the conduit. With this in mind, and with some reflection upon Plato's quote, businesses analogous to Google may have failed because they entered into the business ineffectively compromising these concepts. Some may have used this platform as a tacit advertising campaign and web portal, not that Google has not, but at its inception Google presented little masquerade and did not merely re-automate its predecessors, rather it redefined simplicity. As Dr. Dede (2007) suggests, it is not the innovation itself that becomes successful, it it what it can do for us aside from simple automation (Laureate, 2007).
New technologies need not follow Rogers proposition. When there is a need, germination may occur. For sustainability to occur and persist, innovations that follow Rogers proposed stages are more likely to avoid extinction or failed inception.
References
History of Google. (2010). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Google
Laureate, Education, Inc. (Producer). (2007). Prediffusion [DVD]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of Innovations. New York, New York: Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Most Recent Upload Date: 01/18/2011
Final Presentation
This is my final presentation (narrated) - Google doc external link.
Final Presentation
Most Recent Upload Date: 02/26/2011
This file includes the PowerPoint slides, Narration, and References for the Final Presentation:
{Multimedia Presentation to Board of Directors.pptx}
Prediffusion - A glimpse at the History and Diffusion of Google.
Necessity... the mother of invention. -Plato

Final Presentation
Most Recent Upload Date: 02/26/2011
This file includeincludes the PowerPoint slide,slides, Narration, and References.References for the Final Presentation:
{Multimedia Presentation to Board of Directors.pptx}
Prediffusion - A glimpse at the History and Diffusion of Google.

Most Recent Upload Date: 01/18/2011
Final Presentation
presentation (narrated) - Google doc external link.
Final Presentation
Most Recent Upload Date: 02/26/2011

Final Presentation
This is my final presentation (narrated)
https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B3pJ-SYZeCDpM2FhMWNiNDYtZWRiNi00NDA0LTgxNTctMmYxZGY5MmQzZTlm&hl=en&authkey=CND3z8QBFinal Presentation
Most Recent Upload Date: 02/26/2011
This file include the PowerPoint slide, Narration, and References.

Final Presentation
This is my final presentation (narrated)
https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B3pJ-SYZeCDpM2FhMWNiNDYtZWRiNi00NDA0LTgxNTctMmYxZGY5MmQzZTlm&hl=en&authkey=CND3z8QB
Most Recent Upload Date: 02/26/2011
This file include the PowerPoint slide, Narration, and References.

This is my final presentation (narrated)
Most Recent Upload Date: 02/26/2011
This file include the PowerPoint slide, Narration, and References.
{Multimedia Presentation to Board of Directors.pptx}
Prediffusion - A glimpse at the History and Diffusion of Google.
Necessity... the mother of invention. -Plato