How about using it in the classroom?

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bripi
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How about using it in the classroom?

Post by bripi »

That's what I am doing! Ever since discovering Factorio I have been wracking my brain to see how I could fit it into any of my classes. I teach grade 9/10 science, grade 11/12 "football math", and grade 11/12 physics...and i just feel this is a resource that I could *definitely* use but haven't really figured out the best way to. Currently, I am teaching "Energy" to the 9/10 group using the "simulation" - we need to stay away from the idea of "game" as "games" on computers are strictly forbidden at school - and the students are *really* excited...so am I, because it means I get to play more Factorio! Perhaps, even, some of them will come up with new designs...who knows!

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Re: How about using it in the classroom?

Post by GoldenPorkchop80 »

Yeah, I can see how this would work, however, you're gonna have some roadblocks.
First off, let me say this: the only thing I can see this game work is Math and possibly Calculus. So far, there hasn't been anything close to physics implemented in the game, and there really isn't any scientific merit in the game, because, well, it's set in an alternate/futuristic universe, and that isn't exactly our universe. :cry:

So well, how does math tie into this?
Spreadsheets. Lots and lots of spreadsheets.

So, you wanna make an awesome factory?
Well, you could, y'know, go out and BS it and make a super inefficient factory off the top of your head.
OR.
You could pre-plan everything with SPREADSHEETS!!! :P vrfr

Y'know, break out the trusty TI-83 and calculate Power Network optimization, Supply to Demand ratio, etc...\
And the best part is that it's SCALEABLE!!!

I did make a longer post that included some examples, but my sh*tty MacB*tch Pro kept screwing up, so it got deleted. Why not? :x :x :x #KillApple

So, my hate rant aside, I think it would make a great teaching tool, but for a very limited area. :P
Best of luck!
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evildogbot100
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Re: How about using it in the classroom?

Post by evildogbot100 »

I think if you use standard curriculum it will be hard to use factorio for teaching anywhere since it doesn't inherently teach any school subject. The best I can come up with is if you make a makeshift introductory engineering lesson in physics class. Then use factorio to spark interest to engineering. Because factorio feels a lot like engineering (easy to make something work as long as you get the idea but hard to optimise).

If you teach coding, then modding factorio can be a good exercise for lua.

For math, if you teach calculus, then maybe you can use factorio power handling to explain calculus a bit. Something like explaining power usage graph with speed beacons and not enough power. But honestly it is too much hassle to use factorio than explain it in rigorous math way. It is not even guaranteeing better understanding for your students.

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Re: How about using it in the classroom?

Post by ssilk »

Yeah, power and work.
https://wiki.factorio.com/Units
Cool suggestion: Eatable MOUSE-pointers.
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Re: How about using it in the classroom?

Post by Plawerth »

The programming of the logic gates makes this potentially very valuable as an educational tool. In the USA, it seems difficult to get kids interested in programming, so this can be yet another tool to help make that happen, alongside Scratch, Alice, and Minecraft for Education.

Difficulty: The authors of this game need to provide low-cost volume licensing, to help get this off the ground. Would be nice if there was an educational purchasing route other than having to set up 25-250 unique Steam accounts owned by the school so that several sessions of students can use it.

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Re: How about using it in the classroom?

Post by Proxy »

With Mods that Correct and Extend the Oil/Chemical part of Factorio.
It could also help teaching Chemistry, Reactions, Names of Elements/Molecules and Symboles.

Someday when there is Space, it could be used for Astronomy as well. In the Version 3.4 or something xD

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Re: How about using it in the classroom?

Post by daniel34 »

Proxy wrote:Someday when there is Space, it could be used for Astronomy as well. In the Version 3.4 or something xD
I don't think Factorio is suitable for that purpose, it's mainly a factory simulation. Kerbal Space Program, Universe Sandbox and Space Engine (which is free and made for that exact purpose) are probably better candidates.
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Re: How about using it in the classroom?

Post by Proxy »

daniel34 wrote:
Proxy wrote:Someday when there is Space, it could be used for Astronomy as well. In the Version 3.4 or something xD
I don't think Factorio is suitable for that purpose, it's mainly a factory simulation. Kerbal Space Program, Universe Sandbox and Space Engine (which is free and made for that exact purpose) are probably better candidates.
Sorry, i just Love Space.
and there are Mods. RTS Elements can add to a Galaxy Wide Factory... but whatever :D
and i already knew all of those Games you Mentioned.
and SpaceEngine is the best one of them.

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Shenpen
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Re: How about using it in the classroom?

Post by Shenpen »

bripi wrote:That's what I am doing! Ever since discovering Factorio I have been wracking my brain to see how I could fit it into any of my classes. I teach grade 9/10 science, grade 11/12 "football math", and grade 11/12 physics...and i just feel this is a resource that I could *definitely* use but haven't really figured out the best way to....

The real way to use factorio in teaching stuff is to learn how to make simple mods to factorio and do that in order to make factorio illustrate the stuff that you need to teach. As in making recipes for Potassium Permanganate and its precursors for a chemistry class. Chemistry is off course a no-brainer for this, but there are many non-obvious applications of the same principle.

Item defined:
{
type = "item",
name = "potassium-permanganate",
icon = "__precursors__/graphics/icons/potassium-permanganate.png",
flags = {"goes-to-main-inventory"},
subgroup = "powders",
order = "a[potassium-permanganate]",
stack_size = 200
},

Recipe defined:

{
type = "recipe",
name = "potassium-permanganate",
category = "chemistry",
subgroup = "powders",
energy_required = 22,
enabled = "true",
ingredients ={
{type="item", name="manganese-dioxide", amount=4},
{type="item", name="potassium-hydroxide", amount=4},
{type="item", name="potassium-nitrate", amount=4},
{type="fluid", name="gas-compressed-air", amount=9},
},
results=
{
{type="item", name="potassium-permanganate", amount=1},

},
main_product= "potassium-permanganate",
order = "h[potassium-permanganate]",
},


As the precursors are not in-game items (yet) you need to make item definitions and recipe definitions for those too. If you cant make what you need from standard ores, you need to define a ore that will give you what you need. Or you can make a "dummy recipe" that makes manganese from wood. You need to supply a 32x32 png picture for each item that you add to the game.

The point about this kind of simple mods is that you don't actually make the game do anything that it does not do already. You just call it by a different name and supply slightly different graphic icons.

Edit: Klonan.tv no longer has any videos
Did Klonan delete the old tutorial?

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHZvq6 ... -wA/videos

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Re: How about using it in the classroom?

Post by abregado »

We are using Factorio for problem solving, critical thinking and other soft skills. I think that when thinking of uses for games in the classroom, people get too hung up on the "what does it simulate?" train of thought. As we know from Factorio, some trains are very dangerous!

When dealing with games in traditionaI classrooms, I always try to think more along the lines of what can I demonstrate indirectly.

For example, for Grade 5-6 you can indirectly and practically demonstrate Ratios.
For Grade 6-7 you can allow practice of "Reverse Logic"
For older students you can demonstrate feedback loops and "just in time delivery"

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Re: How about using it in the classroom?

Post by abregado »

Plawerth wrote:Difficulty: The authors of this game need to provide low-cost volume licensing, to help get this off the ground. Would be nice if there was an educational purchasing route other than having to set up 25-250 unique Steam accounts owned by the school so that several sessions of students can use it.
Factorio is available in a DRM free form. As long as schools know that the product has been purchased, there is no reason to go down the Steam route. Having run Factorio at schools fairly often, I can tell you that the IT and Legal departments are going to be sad if you ask them to run Steam on a school network.

Wube will sell you bulk codes, and you can install the DRM free version on your schools provisioning software. Given the price of other EDU software, the full price of 20 bucks for Factorio is an absolute bargain.

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Re: How about using it in the classroom?

Post by Jap2.0 »

It doesn't look like anyone has mentioned ratios yet, which seems like the most obvious part to me. In other words: outsource the design of a, say, 1 rpm factory to your students so you don't have to do all the math yourself. ;)
Unfortunately, this seems way too easy for grades 9-12, but perhaps as some review?
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Re: How about using it in the classroom?

Post by Xtrafresh »

abregado wrote:We are using Factorio for problem solving, critical thinking and other soft skills. I think that when thinking of uses for games in the classroom, people get too hung up on the "what does it simulate?" train of thought. As we know from Factorio, some trains are very dangerous!

When dealing with games in traditionaI classrooms, I always try to think more along the lines of what can I demonstrate indirectly.

For example, for Grade 5-6 you can indirectly and practically demonstrate Ratios.
For Grade 6-7 you can allow practice of "Reverse Logic"
For older students you can demonstrate feedback loops and "just in time delivery"
THIS. Mostly the critical thinking. I think factorio could be an excellent "reward class", one lesson at the end of each week, or a block of lessons at the end of a semester.
Design a factory with a problem. A bad rail junction here, an underperforming oil setup there, etc. Have groups of four or five work together to locate and fix problems, and spend a little time afterwards to compare maps and discuss the process. This teaches communication, logistics, minmaxing, independant thought, and so many more invaluable skills that future employers will thank you for on their bare knees. Hell, the entire COUNTRY i live in should do some factorio sessions on a weekly basis. :p

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Re: How about using it in the classroom?

Post by abregado »

I am running a testing server if anyone wants to try out the setup we use for holiday programs. Educators welcome! The mods are all on the portal so anyone is welcome to use them.

viewtopic.php?f=53&t=50324

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Re: How about using it in the classroom?

Post by Tomstah »

I'd say the best idea to apply it in the classroom would be anything on computers. You could easily teach the whole circuit system and get more and more complex as it goes. Another way might be programming mods for the game, Lua is a *very* simple language to learn. Lua is a great way to introduce programming and is used modernly in quite a few programs. ROBLOX is another example other than Factorio. Along with Garry's Mod. I think Factorio might be the best for basic education in it as it it's 2 dimensional but has a lot of basis and a good API. Energy however does sound like a great way of using Factorio, but it doesn't really go in-depth of how that energy is made other than steam. I notice that most millennials don't exactly know *why* we use steam in our energy production when it's as simple as, "It expands well." Or at least in Layman's terms it is.

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Re: How about using it in the classroom?

Post by borkenator »

I'm putting a proposal together to use Factorio to teach software developers design thinking. Any edits or refinements in the following document would be greatly appreciated. Feel free to add you comments directly to the document:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u48 ... sp=sharing

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