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The use of games and simulations is an exciting and engaging way to provide students with rich interactive learning activities. Nevertheless, most educators tend to think of these tools as something computer scientists can use but the rest of us find intimidating and opaque.

This forum is designed to show the non-specialist that it is possible for "the rest of us" to get involved in the design and implementation of these active learning tools. To help convince us, three educators with a fresh slant on the use of games and simulations will discuss and demonstrate the utility and value of games and simulations in education. They are:

Dario Nardi, Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Program in Computing. Dr. Nardi's focus is artificial intelligence, undergraduate education and curriculum design, andhuman factors in general. He is particularly interested in how people experience the every-day world in different ways and how machines can be made to interact socially to mirror and complement these differences. Dr. Nardi runs live in-class simulations with students. He has designed computer-based simulation software for use by liberal arts and science students. And he has developed a speaking conversational agent for use in the classroom. Dr. Nardi also believes that fiction writing, music, art, and other "intelligences" can complement otherwise theoretical approaches and he advocates that learning should be interactive and fun.

Nicholas Gessler: Lecturer and Co-Director Human Complex Systems Center. Mr. Gessler has developed three courses: Spatial Simulation & Games, Computational Cartography, Artificial Life, Culture and Evolutionary Design. Students in his classes create simulations using Borland's Rapid Application Development environment and C++, a language Mr. Gessler introduces to them in less than two hours, then go on to construct their own graphical multiagent worlds as laboratory experiments using elements of the C++ language for Windows PCs. In addition, his students use Lego's Mindstorms microcomputers to program the robot's behavior, collect data and mediate human interaction. Mr. Gessler will wear two hats for this forum, discussing both the utility and ease of learning programming languages as well as their embodiment in interactive robots.

Timothy Ford is a programmer for Treyarch, a subsidiary of Activision, and an undergraduate in UCLA's Computer Science Department. He is currently working on SegaNHL2k3 for the xbox, playstation2 and gamecube. Mr. Ford is the president and founder of the UCLA Community of Gamers and Developers, a campus organization which examines the practice and history of game design, technology and production. Mr. Ford will offer a broad overview of the role games can play in in teaching in learning.

Please join us Friday, April 26th, for what promises to be an intriguing discussion and demonstration. Refreshments provided, and questions and comments are decidedly welcome.