How Video Games Can Level Up the Way You Learn | Kris Alexander | TED

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

When I was in senior year university,

我大學四年級的時候，

this was around 2004,

大約 2004 年，

I was in one of those classes

我有一門課的老師會

where the teacher would read the slides word-for-word

在三小時的課中把投影片上的 內容一字不差地讀出來，

as part of a three-hour lecture.

Oh.

喔，你們知道我在說什麼對吧？

Oh, you all know what I'm talking about?

（笑聲）

(Laughter)

I ended up doing alright in the class by catering to my own learning style.

後來我這堂課的成績還不錯， 因為我用了我自己的學習風格。

After a little bit of experimentation,

做了一點實驗之後，

I found that playing a video game during this lecture,

我發現在這堂課上玩電玩遊戲，

a game like Tetris, or in this particular case,

比如俄羅斯方塊，或，

此處是《薩爾達傳說： 不可思議的帽子》，

"Zelda: The Minish Cap,"

helped me pay attention

能幫我集中注意力，因為我 取得資訊的方式是用聽覺。

because the primary way I engage with information is by listening.

And this meant

這就表示老師的聲音 搭配對應的文字，

that the teacher's voice with matching text

were a distraction for me.

會讓我分心。

Anyway, I was at the back listening and participating, mind you.

我坐在教室後頭聽課， 而且還有參與喔，

But one day, this teacher decided to call me out.

但，有一天，

這位老師決定指正我。

He stopped the class and said, "Excuse me.

他中斷課程，說：「對不起啊！

Are you playing video games in my class?"

你在我的課堂上玩電玩遊戲嗎？」

And then I said,

接著我說：

"I am, sir, but this is the way that I learn."

「是的，老師，但，

這是我學習的方式。」

And then he said,

接著他說：

"There's no way that you're learning anything."

「你這樣不可能學到任何東西。」

And then I said, "Sir, I'm not interrupting.

而我說：

「老師，我沒有要打斷課程，

I am learning, and I’m even participating.”

我在學習，我且甚至有參與。」

And then he said, "No, I don't want you playing video games in my class."

他說：「不！

我不准你在我的班上玩電玩遊戲。」

And then I said, "Sir ..."

接著我說：「老師，

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And then I said, "Sir, I'm going to place this Game Boy Advance on the table,

我說：「老師，

那我把遊戲機放在桌上，

repeat your last two sentences word-for-word,

重複你的最後兩句話，一字不差，

and then I’m going to pick up this Game Boy Advance and keep playing.”

然後我就會拿起 這個遊戲機繼續玩。」

And then he said, "I don't think you can do that."

接著他說：

「我不認為你行。」

And then the class went, “Oooooh.”

而全班就「喔嗚～～。」

（笑聲）

(Laughter)

You can picture that, alright, cool.

各位腦中有畫面吧，讚。

So I placed my Game Boy Advance on the table,

於是，

我把我的遊戲機放在桌上，

I looked him right in his eye,

我直視他的雙眼，

repeated his last two sentences,

重複了他的最後兩句話，一字不差，

word-for-word,

and then I picked up my Game Boy Advance and kept playing.

接著拿起我的遊戲機繼續玩。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And then you know what he said?

猜猜他接著說什麼？

"Alright, carry on."

「好吧，繼續吧。」

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

So since that day, I’ve become a professor myself ...

所以，從那天起，

我自己也成了教授……

of video game design.

電玩遊戲設計教授。

And I'm convinced that there's absolutely something

我深信，電玩遊戲一定有什麼可以教

that video games can teach the world of academia.

學術界的。

Like, how they can cater to human learning,

比如，電玩遊戲 如何能協助人類學習，

how they can enhance online instruction

它們如何能強化線上教學，

and how they can provide clear objectives.

以及它們如何能提供清楚的目標。

Let me explain.

容我說明。

Humans can take in information in three core ways:

人類吸取資訊的主要方式有三：

audio, text and video.

聲音、文字、影片。

Now, as I demonstrated earlier, I'm an oral learner,

我先前提過，我是聽覺型學習者，

which means I prefer to take in information via sound.

也就是說，我偏好從聲音取得資訊。

And some studies show that when two or more of these channels are used,

有些研究顯示，當上述管道 有兩個以上被使用時，

learning gains are higher.

學習效果會更佳。

But, there's a catch.

但，有個問題。

Now, I was struggling to pay attention in this class

我在這堂課很難集中注意力， 原因是所謂的認知超載，

because of something called cognitive overload,

which can happen when audio, text and video

超載可能會發生的情況是： 聲音、文字，和影片

aren't different enough when used together.

同時使用卻沒有足夠的差異。

So when the audio of my teacher matched the excessive text on his slides,

所以當這位老師的聲音完全就等同

投影片上大量文字時，

my brain was overloaded.

我的大腦就超載了。

Teachers who use technology in the classroom

在教室中使用科技的老師 必須確保每個管道都能互補，

need to ensure that each channel is complementary,

otherwise, students are going to have difficulty transferring information

要不然，學生就會很難將資訊

from working memory to long-term memory.

從工作記憶中移到長期記憶中。

Now, I fixed the problem for myself by essentially using the teacher's voice

我自己解決這個問題的方式， 是把老師的聲音當作

as the soundtrack for the game I was playing.

我玩遊戲時的配樂。

And this brings me to my first point.

這就要提到我的第一個重點。

Video games, by design, are a complex blend of audio, text,

從設計上來說，電玩遊戲

就是種複雜的混合， 結合了聲音、文字、影片、

video and interactivity that can intensify focus.

以及互動，能夠強化專注。

That was the point of my PhD.

那就是我博士論文的主題。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And because of their enjoyment factor,

因為有著享樂因素，

these components of video games can help with something

電玩遊戲的這些組成元素 可以協助學生找到

our students desperately need in the classroom:

在教室裡迫切需要的東西：

motivation.

動機。

Now, at their best,

最好的情況下，

video games can immerse us,

電玩遊戲能使我們沉浸進去、

focus our attention

讓我們集中注意力，

and provide clear objectives with demonstrated output.

並提供清楚的目標和實際產出。

You know how well you're doing every step of the way.

過程中每一步你都知道 你的表現如何。

And video games can teach multiple things simultaneously.

電玩遊戲能教很多東西，

還能同時教多樣東西。

Like ...

比如……

There's this class I teach,

我教的一門課

game design,

是遊戲設計，

where I like to use a video game called “Virginia.”

課堂上我喜歡用的電玩遊戲 是《維吉尼亞州》。

Now, in “Virginia,” you play as Anne Tarver,

在《維吉尼亞州》中，

你要扮演安‧塔佛，

a newly-hired FBI agent

她是位剛被僱用的 FBI 探員，

who is tasked with internally investigating someone

工作是要做內部調查，調查的對象

who just happens to be the only other female agent in the precinct.

剛好就是這個轄區中 除了她以外唯一的女探員。

And this game is based on a true story.

這個遊戲是由真實故事改編。

Now, on the surface, I’m using “Virginia” to teach game design.

表面上我用《維吉尼亞州》 來教遊戲設計。

But I'm also using the mechanics of video games

但我也運用電玩遊戲的機制

to trick students into exploring complex concepts

騙學生去探究複雜的概念，如：

like history, sexism, racism,

歷史、

性別主義、

種族主義、

corporate culture and tokenism

企業文化，

做表面文化，

while we play this game together.

且都是在我們一起玩這個遊戲時。

To me, effective instruction merges theory and practice.

對我而言，有效的教學 應該要整合理論和實做。

Each week in this class,

每週在這堂課上，

I like to pick a unique video game that matches the game theory

我都會挑一個符合 賽局理論的獨特電玩遊戲，

and sprinkles in a couple of life takeaways.

再加上一些人生教訓或啟示。

We play the game together and talk about it,

我們一起玩遊戲，並談論它，

and then the students have to go and make video games themselves.

接著學生就得自己去做電玩遊戲。

And this all happens -- wait for it --

且這一切都發生在—— 等我賣個關頭——

online.

線上。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And guess what?

你猜怎樣？

COVID forced everyone to join me teaching online,

新冠肺炎迫使大家 都加入我做線上教學，

and most schools struggled.

大部分的學校做得很辛苦。

But there are many examples of effective online instruction

但，有許多有效線上教學的例子，

in unlikely places like YouTube streams,

來自意想不到的地方，比如：

YouTube 串流、

Netflix programming,

Netflix 節目、

and, believe it or not, Amazon's Twitch.

還有，信不信由你，

Amazon 的 Twitch。

Now, as you probably know,

各位可能知道，

Twitch is an online streaming platform

Twitch 這個線上串流平台讓大家

where people can watch other people play video games.

可以看別人玩電玩遊戲。

But it can also be used to learn how to paint with Ergo Josh.

但它也可以被用來

和厄果‧喬許一起學畫畫，

Learn how to play piano with Juanorpiano.

和 Juanorpiano 一起學彈鋼琴，

Learn how to code with RothioTome

和羅西歐‧托米一起學寫程式，

and even how to cook meals with yarumichan.

甚至和 yarumichan 一起學做菜。

Uh-huh, yeah, real.

嗯哼，是的，真的。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And Twitch had an average of 2.78 million concurrent viewers in 2021.

2021 年，Twitch 平均 同時上線的觀看者數目

是 278 萬人。

Now, that's a lot of motivated learners if you actually think about it.

真的去想想，這可是 相當多有動機的學習者。

One of my favorite classes to teach online

我最愛在線上教的其中一門課 是電競轉播，在這堂上，

is a class called Esports Broadcasting,

where I'm essentially just using video games

基本上，我就是用電玩遊戲來教學生

to teach students how to professionally present themselves online

如何用很專業的方式 在線上呈現自己，

using a free piece of software called Open Broadcaster Software, or OBS.

用的是一個免費軟體，叫做

Open Broadcaster Software（OBS）。

Here, I teach them how to connect any available camera to the software.

我會教學生如何把任何 可取得的攝影機連上這個軟體，

Add white balance

還有白平衡，

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

and color correction to help that image pop,

以及色彩校正，來讓影像更突顯，

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

use on-screen text to complement the video,

還有用螢幕上的文字來補充影片，

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

and compress any available microphone to make it sound and look

及壓縮任何可取得的麥克風， 讓影片的聲音和影像

exactly like what they're accustomed to consuming online.

完全和他們平常 在線上消費的影片一樣。

And the same processes that hooked viewers on Twitch

而讓觀看者迷上 Twitch 的流程

are the same processes schools should use

正是學校應該要運用的流程，

to learn how to engage students online and globally.

用來學習如何吸引 線上及全球的學生。

That should be one of their objectives, shouldn't it?

那應該是學校的目標之一，不是嗎？

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Hold on.

等等。

What are the objectives of a post-secondary education anyway?

總之，高等教育的目標是什麼？

And what could education overall learn from video games,

整體教育又能向電玩遊戲學到什麼？

which clearly say:

電玩遊戲很清楚地說：

start here,

從這裡開始，

do these things

做這些事，

and then obtain these things.

然後取得這些東西。

Now, if the goal of a post-secondary education

如果高等教育的目標

includes students getting a job in the same thing they went to school for,

其中之一是讓學生在他們 就讀的領域中找到工作，

guess what?

猜猜如何？學校沒做到。

Schools are failing.

More than half of graduates do not get jobs in their field of study.

超過一半的畢業生，沒有在 他們就讀的領域中找到工作。

That would be like enrolling in chef training

那就好像去就讀餐飲系，

and then graduating to start a job in data analytics.

畢業之後找的工作是資料分析。

Why not just enroll in data analytics?

那為什麼不去讀 資料分析的科系就好了？

You could.

又不是不能。

Grow with Google has an online program

Grow with Google 有一個線上計畫專案，

promising you a job in data analytics starting at 74,000 dollars a year,

保證你能取得資料分析 相關工作，起薪為

年薪七萬四千美金，

and that program is free to start.

加入那個專案剛開始還是免費的。

Epic Games offers a pathway to become a developer

Epic Games 提供一條 成為開發者的路，用的是

with its Unreal Engine for interactive 3D development,

它的互動式 3D 開發 軟體 Unreal Engine，

a field that they say has gone up 601 percent

據說這個領域成長了 601%，

and is paying people 57 percent more than the average salary.

該領域的薪資也比平均值高 57%。

For clarity, their Unreal Engine is the same tool used to build Fortnite

讓我說清楚，

他們的 Unreal Engine 正是用來 打造《要塞英雄》的工具。

and the same tool used to build some of the backgrounds

也是為《曼達洛人》 創造一些背景的工具，

behind "The Mandalorian."

At no cost to use.

使用完全零成本。

Are y'all hearing all these near-free, no-fee examples I'm giving you?

各位有聽進我講的這些 幾乎免費／無費用的例子嗎？

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

University in particular is mad expensive.

大學尤其昂貴。

The cost of university has gone up

大學的成本已經提高許多，

1,200 percent since 1980.

現在是 1980 年的 1200%！

To me ...

對我而言……

To me, there's not a single job, trade or discipline

對我而言，沒有任何一個 工具、行業，或學科

that doesn't in some way connect to the video games industry.

沒有和電玩遊戲 有某種層面上的連結。

There are dentists like Dr. August de Oliveira,

有像歐古斯特‧狄‧ 奧利維拉這樣的牙醫，

who are using augmented reality to see the roots of your teeth

他運用擴增實境

來看你的牙根，

while working on your teeth.

且是邊處理你的牙齒邊看。

Psychologists are using virtual reality to help you overcome a fear of spiders,

心理學家則是用虛擬實境

來協助你克服對蜘蛛的恐懼，

and broadcast technicians responsible for filming a dragon

還有廣播技術人員負責錄下

一隻龍飛過滿是人的現場體育館，

flying over a live stadium full of people

as part of a League of Legends esports broadcast.

那是《英雄聯盟》 電競轉播的一部分。

Video game technologies are embedded in all of these.

上述這些都用到了電玩遊戲的技術。

And that must mean that the video games industry is not just made of players

那一定意味著，電玩遊戲產業 不只包含玩家而已，

but made of you.

還有你們所有人。

Now, I'm not suggesting that video games replace classroom instruction --

我並不是要建議用電玩遊戲 來取代教室教學——

Settle down, internet.

網民們別激動。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

I'm advocating for the components of video games,

我在提倡的是將 電玩遊戲的構成要素，

especially the engaging ones,

特別是有吸引力的要素，

to be ported into classroom instruction

移值到教室教學上， 因為觀眾，即學生，

because the audience, the students,

很明顯都了解這個媒體。

clearly understand the medium.

There are roughly three billion video game players worldwide.

全世界大約有三十億電玩遊戲玩家。

Video games contain the blueprint for engaging education

要創造有吸引力的教育， 藍圖就在電玩遊戲中，

because of the way that they cater to human learning,

因為遊戲的方式能夠迎合人類學習：

a complex story interwoven with learning content

用複雜的故事

混合學習內容，

and a bit of artificial intelligence for difficulty and balance.

還有一點人工智慧 來增加難度和保持平衡。

Online instruction can be enhanced

線上教學是可以被強化的，

if schools turn to top streaming platforms and streamers

只要學校能改用名列前茅的 串流平台，且直播主

to learn how to effectively engage students online.

能學習如何在線上有效地吸引學生。

And the objectives for education overall need to be as specific as a video game

至於整體教育的目標，

需要像電玩遊戲一樣明確，

so that those who are enrolled

讓入學的人能夠很清楚看到 他們會往什麼方向前進。

have a clear line of sight to where they're headed.

If we can start showing students how their passion for playing

如果我們能開始讓學生了解 他們對於玩遊戲的熱情

connects to their futures,

和他們的未來有所關聯，

we will have done our jobs.

我們就是盡了我們的職責了。

The next generation of teachers

下一代的老師是能夠 透過熱情將求學之路

are those who can connect the path of study

to profession via passion.

和職業連結起來的人。

Oh, and one last thing about the playing of video games.

喔，關於玩電玩遊戲，還有一件事。

There's a 2022 study suggesting that the playing of video games

2022 年有一項研究

指出玩電玩遊戲和下列影響有關：

is associated with heightened cognition,

認知能力上升、

faster reaction times,

反應時間更快、

improved working memory

工作記憶改善，

and modifying the cortical networks associated with the process of playing.

並更改和玩遊戲過程 相關的皮質網路。

And that ...

上述這些，

is what I should have said to that teacher.

是我當年應該要跟那位老師說的。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause and cheers)

（掌聲及歡呼）