Biological/Physical Anthropology: Evolve: The Game of Unnatural Selection
Evolve: The Game of Unnatural Selection was created by Andrew Rader and Ryan Consell as a game meant to educate players about the mechanisms of natural selection and evolution, thereby making it an excellent means of teaching students about each of these concepts (which can be difficult for some to grasp). The game mechanics allow players to create an organism that will survive consistently changing environmental conditions. Players are given creature cards that have certain biological characteristics that may be "selected for" based on the environmental conditions provided within the game, which are randomly selected for within the game. In addition to dealing with the environment players have other sets of variables, ranging from behavioral or climatic, to deal with that also affect the evolutionary responses of their evolving organisms. The game mechanics are a little complex but very accurate in regards to the concepts they are meant to represent, and this is an excellent game for high school age students and older. In addition, this game can be very enjoyable given the competitive nature of winning and creating the most adaptable creature. A video explaining this game can be found here. This game is available via most major retailers.
Linguistic Anthropology: Dialect: A Game About Language and How It Dies
Dialect: A Game About Language and How It Dies is a game that has made quite the buzz in the linguistic anthropology community. The game is meant to introduce players to the processes of language creation and death. Players are tasked with creating a language for a group based on certain criteria identified in the game. Players must create words, introducing technical linguistic concepts, as well as identify how the language is ultimately lost, allowing players to consider the plight of modern endangered languages. This is a game master-less game, which means players have their own autonomy in game play within the rules of the game. A video and more information on this game can be found here. The game is currently in production and is slated to be released in July of this year.
Archaeology: Inca Empire
Inca Empire does not cover the full field of archaeology, but it does introduce players to the realities of living in the Inca empire during its peak period. In the game players take on the roles of leaders, correctly identified as Apus of suyus, which are the four regions of the empire. Players must expand their suyus, which was the primary goal of the Inca, in the Incan capital of Cuzco, and they do so through the use of human labor, or the mit'maq system that existed during that period. Players are racing against the clock as the game ends when Pizarro takes over Cuzco, corresponding with the fall of the Inca Empire. Overall, this game provides players with insights and background of what life was like for the Inca elites and emperors, as well as the value systems that drove the conquests of the empire. More information about this game can be found here. This game is available through major retailers.
Sociocultural Anthropology: Snake Oil
48 comments:
Throughout the semester by us doing these type of games, could you see the class building a game ourselves to learn about the students cultural, religions, and ways to communicate through one anothers race?
I could see that as a potential outcome of such activities. Unfortunately, due to the size and scope of material that we will be covering in class we will not have the time to play these games (particularly as some are not appropriate for this class but are for upper division courses).
Do you think these games are a good way to learn the material in class and would be beneficial?
I have tried the evolution game and it didn't work due to lack of time and overall motivation among my students. I had a colleague who taught high school students this and other games and they loved it and performed better in class. I've used Apples to Apples to discuss culture and it worked, so there is utility in these games as a teaching tool if the students are willing.
I'm glad I decided to read this blog. When I was a kid it was a show on Disney Channel that was about about emperor name kuzco, and it reminds me of the emperor is this blog. This game doesn't seem very fun to me, the only thing that caught my eye was that you can be the emperor or ruler of the game, but I guess i cant knock it until I try it.
I think we should play snake oil in class! I would be motivated by simply the name and games are a great way to exhaust the energy that I seem to never run out of.
If there weren't 61 of you in the class I'd consider it. :)
I think all these games are great ways to improve students understanding about anthropology.
Shila Williams
Shila Williams
Making learning fun is always the best way to learn any subject, hands on learning makes it stick better
I think playing games about the subject is the best way to learn something new and it's better to understand it. That's how I used to learn things growing up.
Jaeda Lowe
Great Blog. I think this will be very useful in schools today in helping them understanding the background of different cultural backgrounds and give them more openness to the world around them. If parents agrees.
Chauntiana Houston
S. Carter
The Snake Oil game sounds interesting. Not only is it a game but it also gives you the opportunity to display some of your skills in leadership and brainstorming, as well as incorporating your cultural views with the products you will be producing.
Tiffany Heavens
- Snake Oil. I think this game is way to keep people on their toes about culture while playing the game. The game sort of forces you to think like the descriptor card you are given. We should play the game in class for one of the discussions.
You've inspired an excellent idea for the class and this game. I hope that I can realize said idea. :)
I think the game Snake Oil will be fun to learn how to play because it'll give us a chance to refresh our memory about all the things we discussed in our class.
Monique McAllister
LaTroya "Trey" Jamison
I have never heard of these games before, are they available in stores or do you have to order them online? What are the ages to play?
Best bet is online, but you can get some of these at game stores. Ages do vary.
i believe that snake oil could have helped me in past courses, could play it in class since its only 5.5 of us? lol
Not in General Archaeology, no, but we will be playing it in Anth 311.
Nadaniel Johnson
I think putting games in with classroom assignments help the students better understand the work and having fun while doing it.
I like the idea of Snake Oil because the game makes you think more about specific cultures' views on items. It will be fun to think of products on the spot that we could try to sell that would interest some cultures but not others.
That's a neat way to teach students something. They teacher/professor would probably get more class participation if they did this because the student is learning and having fun at the same time. and its a good way to connect with the students and the students connect with the professor.
Every person learns in different ways. In playing games to learn the player used different methods. Hands on, visual, repetition and actually creating. During the games you get involved and do not realize you are retaining educational information.
Logan Taylor
All of these games look very unique to me! I would have never though about playing any of these games before reading the actual facts of it. Have you ever played any of these? If so which one is your favorite?
-Daisha Benton
I think doing these games for future classes is a great teaching method because it gets everyone involved. Everyone is engaged and everyone leaves with knowledge of some sort guarantee.
-Quaylan Jackson
Just from looking at the names of these board games i would have never thought to play any of them, but the linguistic game caught my eye. It seems i can relate more to linguistic Anthropology to anything else.
The games are all pretty cool and Im a pretty hands on person so I'll play them all, I do feel like the Snake oil game could get a little out of hand depending upon who's playing the game.
I think this article has a good point and it always good to making learning fun in any type of way to me.
Ainya Lomax
Akwila Cooks
I think that all these games are good ways and fun ways to learn about Anthropology. I never knew what Anthropology meant before I started taking this class and it is actually my favorite class, it is very interesting to me. I think playing some of these games would be fun.
Amber Barnes
Have you tried any of these games personally? Also do you think you will use them in any future classes?
phinasiaButler
these games seem really fun. also maybe good way for people who learn differently, games like this would be stimulating enough for them to retain more information and actually learning something.
I have played all but the Linguistics game. And I have used Snake Oil in class previously.
And Evolve when I teach Physical Anthropology. :)
Snake oil reminds me of the game ”mafia” where you have hidden rolls who either kill off the town people( e.g. Godfather ) or have special life-saving abilities( e.g. Doctor) . I'm super excited to add some of these games into my collection .
B.Nicole Clements anth 411
I think that mixing up the routine of teaching would be more beneficial for students because everybody learns differently. When I was in school teachers did use games to get the students attention and to change the vibe in the classroom, this benefited the class as a whole. I think that a different understanding of ethnographic films would be beneficially to my class because I am concerned that I can not deliver what you want in the film because my understand of ethnographic film may be different than yours.
I am sorry that you are this concerned about the course. I encourage you to come speak to me in person so we can address these issues together so as to enable your understanding and put your worries to rest.
These various ways of learning about anthropology is interesting and new to me. I have never heard anything like it before besides the types of games played when we wee younger to learn the basic math and english skills. These games may be a great way to get more people to engage and actually learn something that will stick with them in class. I tend to memorize things just to get a good grade rather than actually learning the material to use for the future. Manipulating one of these game methods to learn necessary topics may change the way I go about learning.
-Apreshana page
Instead of learning being boring, making it fun is the best way possible in my opinion because it keeps people engaged in what their learning. Good to know about the different ways and methods, good article.
- Anthony Townsend
So now I have a question for you Dr. Boston how come we never played any of these games in class is it because it did not relate to a topic you were teaching or we just haven't showed interest in it i think it would be funny to play one now it is at the end of the semester . - Mykia Chaney
The pro and cons I have with games like these, is that you have to want to learn for these games to be benefical for you, and to actually learn something. On the other hand, you will also just learn things for the simple fact that you're playing the game.
These might be fun games to play for tge next semester for the students to have fun while learning the material!
Snake oil sounds like a super fun game. I am a huge fan of educational games and I have never heard of any of these. Definitely something I will be playing! It is so neat that people came up with fun games like these to help people get involved and educated in things that they might not typically have any interest in.
Kahla Perry
My name is Tonii Saffore. I think that this post was a good read! I actually have never heard of these games before and I wasn't even aware that their were games that catered to the different sub-fields of Anthropology. I wish that I would have known about these before because I am an advocate for learning about material through a good game. I think that these options should be included in some Anthropology courses as a teaching tool because it'll be helpful especially for those who learn better by doing hands on activities.
The Snake Oil game seems quite fun. I've ways been a fan of educational games so this would be fun to do and learn.
I didn't know such games existed. These would be fun to play and learn from.
- Malacia Lowe
I wish we would've played games in class, I feel as if I could've learned better and more about Anthropology I'm a hands on learner so I learn best by doing things.
-Taelor Pearson
I have actually used some of these games in my classes in the past, but unfortunately I have seen the opposite effect among many students where they do not learn and instead become competitive and combative. This is why I have not incorporated games back into my curriculum, but I may in the future.
These games present a comprehensive view of human development and culture by combining components from several anthropological subfields, such as biological and linguistic anthropology. By using a multidisciplinary approach, students are encouraged to draw links across different fields of study. Playing games such as "Linguistic Anthropology: Dialect" helps people understand the value of protecting endangered languages and the causes of their loss. These games foster empathy and a greater awareness of linguistic variety by submerging players in the difficulties experienced by language groups.
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