window.__IS_SSR__=true
window.__INITIAL_STATE__={
"attachmentsReducer": {
"audio_0": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_0",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background0.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_1": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_1",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background1.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_2": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_2",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background2.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_3": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_3",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background3.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_4": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_4",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background4.jpg"
}
}
},
"placeholder": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "placeholder",
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xxsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"small": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xlarge": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 32,
"height": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 50,
"height": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 64,
"height": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 96,
"height": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 128,
"height": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
}
},
"mindshift_38531": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "mindshift_38531",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "38531",
"found": true
},
"parent": 37944,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/11/Maze-istock-1038x576.gif",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/gif",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/11/Maze-istock-400x225.gif",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/gif",
"height": 225
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/11/Maze-istock-320x180.gif",
"width": 320,
"mimeType": "image/gif",
"height": 180
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/11/Maze-istock-672x372.gif",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/gif",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/11/Maze-istock.gif",
"width": 1280,
"height": 720
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/11/Maze-istock-1180x664.gif",
"width": 1180,
"mimeType": "image/gif",
"height": 664
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/11/Maze-istock-768x432.gif",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/gif",
"height": 432
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/11/Maze-istock-96x96.gif",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/gif",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/11/Maze-istock-800x450.gif",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/gif",
"height": 450
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/11/Maze-istock-64x64.gif",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/gif",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/11/Maze-istock-32x32.gif",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/gif",
"height": 32
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/11/Maze-istock-128x128.gif",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/gif",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1416601147,
"modified": 1416601147,
"caption": "iStock",
"description": null,
"title": "Maze-istock",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"mindshift_38395": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "mindshift_38395",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "38395",
"found": true
},
"parent": 38393,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/11/cordell-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/11/cordell-400x225.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 225
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/11/cordell-320x180.jpg",
"width": 320,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 180
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/11/cordell-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/11/cordell.jpg",
"width": 1440,
"height": 810
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/11/cordell-1440x810.jpg",
"width": 1440,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 810
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/11/cordell-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/11/cordell-800x450.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 450
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/11/cordell-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/11/cordell-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/11/cordell-1180x664.jpg",
"width": 1180,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 664
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/11/cordell-768x432.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 432
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/11/cordell-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1415406589,
"modified": 1415406589,
"caption": "Cordell Steiner/TEDx",
"description": null,
"title": "cordell",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"mindshift_38068": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "mindshift_38068",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "38068",
"found": true
},
"parent": 37884,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/10/Nick-Thompson-Odysseus-and-the-Sirens-400x225.png",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 225
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/10/Nick-Thompson-Odysseus-and-the-Sirens-320x180.png",
"width": 320,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 180
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/10/Nick-Thompson-Odysseus-and-the-Sirens-672x372.png",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/10/Nick-Thompson-Odysseus-and-the-Sirens.png",
"width": 832,
"height": 468
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/10/Nick-Thompson-Odysseus-and-the-Sirens-768x432.png",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 432
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/10/Nick-Thompson-Odysseus-and-the-Sirens-96x96.png",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/10/Nick-Thompson-Odysseus-and-the-Sirens-800x450.png",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 450
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/10/Nick-Thompson-Odysseus-and-the-Sirens-64x64.png",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/10/Nick-Thompson-Odysseus-and-the-Sirens-32x32.png",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 32
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/10/Nick-Thompson-Odysseus-and-the-Sirens-128x128.png",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1413206952,
"modified": 1413206952,
"caption": "(Flickr/Nick Thompson)",
"description": null,
"title": "Odysseus and the Sirens",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"mindshift_37453": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "mindshift_37453",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "37453",
"found": true
},
"parent": 37450,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/dow-day-pic-400x225.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 225
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/dow-day-pic-320x180.jpg",
"width": 320,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 180
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/dow-day-pic.jpg",
"width": 640,
"height": 360
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/dow-day-pic-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/dow-day-pic-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/dow-day-pic-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/dow-day-pic-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1408580591,
"modified": 1408580591,
"caption": "Participatory games let students see archival footage of events that happened in the places where they stand.(Rosenfeld Media/Flickr)",
"description": null,
"title": "dow-day-pic",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"mindshift_37734": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "mindshift_37734",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "37734",
"found": true
},
"parent": 37516,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games-obstacles-400x225.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 225
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games-obstacles-320x180.jpg",
"width": 320,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 180
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games-obstacles.jpg",
"width": 640,
"height": 360
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games-obstacles-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games-obstacles-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games-obstacles-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games-obstacles-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1410481283,
"modified": 1410481283,
"caption": "Brad Flickinger/Flickr",
"description": null,
"title": "games-obstacles",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"mindshift_37659": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "mindshift_37659",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "37659",
"found": true
},
"parent": 37518,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/kids-gaming-400x225.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 225
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/kids-gaming-320x180.jpg",
"width": 320,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 180
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/kids-gaming.jpg",
"width": 640,
"height": 360
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/kids-gaming-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/kids-gaming-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/kids-gaming-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/kids-gaming-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1409867630,
"modified": 1409867630,
"caption": "Joan Ganz Cooney Center",
"description": null,
"title": "kids-gaming",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"mindshift_37583": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "mindshift_37583",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "37583",
"found": true
},
"parent": 37514,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games-400x225.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 225
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games-320x180.jpg",
"width": 320,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 180
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games.jpg",
"width": 640,
"height": 360
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1409279908,
"modified": 1409279908,
"caption": "Getty",
"description": null,
"title": "games",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"mindshift_37261": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "mindshift_37261",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "37261",
"found": true
},
"parent": 37259,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/code-game-400x225.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 225
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/code-game-320x180.jpg",
"width": 320,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 180
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/code-game.jpg",
"width": 640,
"height": 360
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/code-game-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/code-game-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/code-game-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/code-game-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1407370180,
"modified": 1407370180,
"caption": "Beta The Game (left) and Hack 'n Slash (right)",
"description": null,
"title": "code-game",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"mindshift_37460": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "mindshift_37460",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "37460",
"found": true
},
"parent": 37413,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/choice-400x225.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 225
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/choice-320x180.jpg",
"width": 320,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 180
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/choice.jpg",
"width": 640,
"height": 360
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/choice-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/choice-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/choice-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/choice-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1408664609,
"modified": 1408664609,
"caption": "Getty",
"description": null,
"title": "choice",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"mindshift_37279": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "mindshift_37279",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "37279",
"found": true
},
"parent": 37276,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/posterlet2-e6ddbc7791828b57ffcd00a8958fee46a13f6f91-e1407528764883-400x225.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 225
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/posterlet2-e6ddbc7791828b57ffcd00a8958fee46a13f6f91-e1407528764883-320x180.jpg",
"width": 320,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 180
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/posterlet2-e6ddbc7791828b57ffcd00a8958fee46a13f6f91-e1407528764883.jpg",
"width": 640,
"height": 360
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/posterlet2-e6ddbc7791828b57ffcd00a8958fee46a13f6f91-e1407528764883-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/posterlet2-e6ddbc7791828b57ffcd00a8958fee46a13f6f91-e1407528764883-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/posterlet2-e6ddbc7791828b57ffcd00a8958fee46a13f6f91-e1407528764883-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/posterlet2-e6ddbc7791828b57ffcd00a8958fee46a13f6f91-e1407528764883-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1407525621,
"modified": 1407525621,
"caption": "A screenshot from the Posterlet game: choosing negative or positive feedback.",
"description": "A screenshot from the Posterlet game: choosing negative or positive feedback.",
"title": "A screenshot from the Posterlet game: choosing negative or positive feedback.",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"mindshift_32990": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "mindshift_32990",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "32990",
"found": true
},
"parent": 32982,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2013/12/play-game360-400x225.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 225
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2013/12/play-game360-320x180.jpg",
"width": 320,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 180
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2013/12/play-game360.jpg",
"width": 640,
"height": 360
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2013/12/play-game360-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2013/12/play-game360-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2013/12/play-game360-75x75.jpg",
"width": 75,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 75
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2013/12/play-game360-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2013/12/play-game360-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1386628730,
"modified": 1386628730,
"caption": null,
"description": null,
"title": "play-game360",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
}
},
"audioPlayerReducer": {
"postId": "stream_live",
"isPaused": true,
"isPlaying": false,
"pfsActive": false,
"pledgeModalIsOpen": true,
"playerDrawerIsOpen": false,
"liveAudioPlayStartedAt": 0,
"liveAudioPlayContext": ""
},
"authorsReducer": {
"byline_mindshift_37276": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_mindshift_37276",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_mindshift_37276",
"name": "Anya Kamenetz ",
"isLoading": false
},
"katrinaschwartz": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "234",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "234",
"found": true
},
"name": "Katrina Schwartz",
"firstName": "Katrina",
"lastName": "Schwartz",
"slug": "katrinaschwartz",
"email": "kschwartz@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news"
],
"title": "Producer",
"bio": "Katrina Schwartz is a journalist based in San Francisco. She's worked at KPCC public radio in LA and has reported on air and online for KQED since 2010. She covered how teaching and learning is changing for MindShift between 2012 and 2020. She is the co-host of the MindShift podcast and now produces KQED's Bay Curious podcast.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/edb4ee79070447a018538c9aae6eeecf28786515b8a0c30e43b6b7dce5aa44c8?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "kschwart",
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "mindshift",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "stateofhealth",
"roles": [
"author"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Katrina Schwartz | KQED",
"description": "Producer",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/edb4ee79070447a018538c9aae6eeecf28786515b8a0c30e43b6b7dce5aa44c8?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/edb4ee79070447a018538c9aae6eeecf28786515b8a0c30e43b6b7dce5aa44c8?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/katrinaschwartz"
},
"mindshift": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "4354",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "4354",
"found": true
},
"name": "MindShift",
"firstName": "MindShift",
"lastName": null,
"slug": "mindshift",
"email": "tina@barseghian.com",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": null,
"bio": null,
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ae7f1f73a229130205aa5f57b55eaf16?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"author"
]
},
{
"site": "mindshift",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "MindShift | KQED",
"description": null,
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ae7f1f73a229130205aa5f57b55eaf16?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ae7f1f73a229130205aa5f57b55eaf16?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/mindshift"
},
"jordosh": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "4557",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "4557",
"found": true
},
"name": "Jordan Shapiro",
"firstName": "Jordan",
"lastName": "Shapiro",
"slug": "jordosh",
"email": "jordosh@gmail.com",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": null,
"bio": "Jordan Shapiro’s academic work and publishing blend psychology, philosophy, and business in surprising ways. His internationally celebrated writing on education, parenting, and game-based learning can be found on \u003ca href=\"http://www.forbes.com/sites/jordanshapiro/\">Forbes.com\u003c/a>. He teaches in Temple University's Intellectual Heritage Department where he’s also the Digital Learning Coordinator. He is the parent of two boys (six and eight years old) and the lead administrator at \u003ca href=\"http://www.projectlearnschool.org/\">Project Learn School\u003c/a> (an independent cooperative K-8 school in Philadephia). His most recent book \u003ca href=\"http://www.amazon.com/FREEPLAY-Video-Guide-Maximum-Euphoric/dp/147938643X/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1398114780&sr=8-4&keywords=freeplay\">FREEPLAY: A Video Game Guide To Maximum Euphoric Bliss\u003c/a>, considers how the games we play in our youth shape our adult lives.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/4b111ea254a2d6423af927dd263ccb39?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "jordosh",
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "mindshift",
"roles": [
"contributor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Jordan Shapiro | KQED",
"description": null,
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/4b111ea254a2d6423af927dd263ccb39?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/4b111ea254a2d6423af927dd263ccb39?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/jordosh"
},
"pauldarvasi": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11107",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11107",
"found": true
},
"name": "Paul Darvasi",
"firstName": "Paul",
"lastName": "Darvasi",
"slug": "pauldarvasi",
"email": "pauldarvasi@gmail.com",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": null,
"bio": "Paul Darvasi is an experienced educator whose research, speaking and writing explore the intersections of learning, technology, narrative and games. You can follow him on Twitter:\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/PaulDarvasi\"> @pauldarvasi\u003c/a>",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/df387897a1bf0cd4b720b8175112731a?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "pauldarvasi",
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "mindshift",
"roles": [
"contributor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Paul Darvasi | KQED",
"description": null,
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/df387897a1bf0cd4b720b8175112731a?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/df387897a1bf0cd4b720b8175112731a?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/pauldarvasi"
}
},
"pagesReducer": {
"mindshift_tag_game-based-learning": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift_548",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "548",
"score": 10.400594
},
"featImg": null,
"name": "game-based learning",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "game-based learning Archives | KQED Mindshift",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 551,
"slug": "game-based-learning",
"isLoading": false,
"title": "game-based learning",
"pageMeta": {
"site": "mindshift",
"WpPageTemplate": "page-topic-editorial",
"currentPage": 4
},
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "kqed/post-list",
"attrs": {
"layout": "cardArticle2",
"query": "posts/mindshift?tag=game-based-learning",
"seeMore": false,
"paginated": true,
"page": 4
}
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad"
}
]
}
},
"pfsSessionReducer": {},
"postsReducer": {
"stream_live": {
"type": "live",
"id": "stream_live",
"audioUrl": "https://streams.kqed.org/kqedradio",
"title": "Live Stream",
"excerpt": "Live Stream information currently unavailable.",
"link": "/radio",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "KQED Live",
"link": "/"
}
},
"stream_kqedNewscast": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "stream_kqedNewscast",
"audioUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/RDnews/newscast.mp3?_=1",
"title": "KQED Newscast",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "88.5 FM",
"link": "/"
}
},
"mindshift_37944": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "mindshift_37944",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "37944",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1416837694000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "mindshift"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1416837694,
"format": "aside",
"disqusTitle": "Some Struggles Teachers Face Using Games in the Classroom ",
"title": "Some Struggles Teachers Face Using Games in the Classroom ",
"headTitle": "MindShift | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_38531\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/11/Maze-istock.gif\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/11/Maze-istock-640x360.gif\" alt=\"iStock\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"size-large wp-image-38531\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">iStock\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp class=\"dropcap-serif\">Teachers have long known that making content more playful can be a great way to engage students and add diversity to classroom activities. As technology becomes an ever more significant part of modern classrooms, it makes sense that teachers are using video games for everything from teaching content, to keeping tabs on learning progress, and for skills practice. In a recent survey, the Joan Ganz Cooney Center found that 74 percent of K-8 \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/06/surprising-insights-how-teachers-use-games-in-the-classroom/\" target=\"_blank\">teachers surveyed\u003c/a> use digital games for instruction in some way and 55 percent use them weekly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While digital games are becoming more common, many teachers still use them primarily as supplemental material or as a reward when the “real work” has been accomplished, not as the main instructional tool. Many teachers are still skeptical that students will learn mandated content from digital games well enough to prove mastery on state exams.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>TIME IS THE BIGGEST BARRIER\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tony Mai experimented with some digital games in his middle school English Language Arts classroom as part of a pilot project at \u003ca href=\"http://www.mckinleyis259.org\" target=\"_blank\">William McKinley IS 259, \u003c/a> a junior high school in New York City. His principal chose him to participate because he’s comfortable with technology and likes to play video games himself. The game, \u003ca href=\"http://www.classroominc.org/tsn2\" target=\"_blank\">The Sports Network 2\u003c/a>, required students to take on the roles of employees at a media company trying to market a product to a younger audience.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignleft\"> “Localized leadership allows me to use games during intervention time, but it’s not something that’s supported broadly.”\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>In addition to the virtual gameplay, students had to do offline research on solutions they could use within the game. The Sports Network 2 is aligned with Common Core ELA standards but places the skills within the context of real-life tasks. “They had to read fake email and highlight important things on screen,” Mai said. “I saw improvement with students’ ability to figure out difficult vocabulary words using context clues.” He also said students stayed more motivated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, playing the game took precious time and Mai slowly started to fall behind the other eighth-grade ELA teachers on the mandated curriculum. “It does take someone who’s willing to make sure the rest of the curriculum is covered while using these games in the classroom,” Mai said. Teachers are under a lot of pressure to make sure they cover a jampacked curriculum, and that can make any game feel like one more thing to do, something extra or supplemental.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“At the end of the day, if the teachers know that their curriculum already addresses all the other standards, then they won’t feel there’s a need for the game in the classroom,” Mai said. That’s why he thinks games that have robust data tracking and clear corollaries to standards will get the most teacher buy-in. “Teachers want to be able to see the gains that students are making on a specific skill and be able to link it to a specific question or part of the game,” Mai said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The immersive quality of the game deeply engaged students and showed them how the skills they were learning applied to the real world, Mai said. But it was those same game qualities that made him worry that he wasn’t covering the basics. The more that a game maps exactly to the standards, the less game-like it becomes, he acknowledged, and the more it resembles educational software, not a game.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Concerns about time and explicit instructional standards being met are mirrored in the Cooney Center report. “Few teachers are using learning games of the immersive variety, the kind that lend themselves to deep exploration and participation in the types of activities that set digital games apart from more didactic forms of instruction,” writes Lori Takeuchi in the report’s executive summary. “Most teachers instead report using short-form games that students can finish within a single class period. While lack of time is a likely explanation, teachers may also find shorter-form games to be easier to map to curriculum standards.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Heather Robertson teaches English language learners (ELL) in a K-5 school in Wisconsin.\u003cbr>\nThe district has great access to technology — they’ve gone one-to-one with Chromebooks, but the devices are mainly used for what Robertson calls “worksheets on a computer.” She'd like those setting policies and vision in schools to recognize that while online testing may have brought the devices into schools, they can be used for far more than that. “We’re so focused on our testing and we’re not going deep in our learning,” Robertson said. “We’re just really trying to get through the surface of it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[contextly_sidebar id=\"2wMxdajS31bIJqdtCmgTjDJCBtWzXWdq\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Robertson used to teach in a less conventional district in Madison where she had more freedom to explore different teaching strategies. “The most exciting thing is that research around ELLs shows that concrete experiences are the best way for them to learn,” Robertson said. But how can teachers give students concrete experiences of abstract ideas like government? Robertson has used the \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/10/video-games-that-bring-civics-class-to-life/\" target=\"_blank\">digital game iCivics\u003c/a> to help give students that virtual experience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Games like that allow kids to interact in an almost concrete way that is very powerful,” she said. “They take on the role of the characters and understand it in a much deeper way than they would otherwise.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/11/teaching-empathy-through-digital-game-play/\" target=\"_blank\">virtual experience, paired with conversation\u003c/a>, can be very powerful for students who are having trouble accessing the content. “I believe what English language learners need more than anything is a lot of talking and interaction,” Robertson said. “Game-playing is actually a key component of that.” She treats games a bit like she would a text, scaffolding learning around gameplay, and using students’ excitement about the game to connect more meaningfully. Kids play the game for a while and then stop and talk about it with Robertson.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think [games are] best when paired with reflective conversation,” Robertson said. “It’s developing the awareness of what you’re doing. The only way to really develop metacognition is to have a conversation with someone who can ask Socratic questions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Robertson still uses games in her classroom, because she has support from her principal, but she doesn't feel that same commitment from the district leadership. “Localized leadership allows me to use games during intervention time, but it’s not something that’s supported broadly,\" Richardson said. Despite the barriers, she pushes on with the practice because she has experienced how motivated struggling learners can be by games and how much that inspires her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But without support it’s getting harder to hold onto that conviction. For example, this year Robertson put \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/05/teachers-transform-commercial-video-game-for-class-use/\" target=\"_blank\">MinecraftEDU\u003c/a> on her supplies list and got it approved by her principal, only to have the request held up at the district level. Another time, Robertson was invited to help develop a game-based assessment by World-Class Instructional Design and Assessement (WIDA), an assessment consortium focused on English Language Learner growth. “Which seems to me like an incredible learning experience, but I was told no because I’d already used my three professional development days,\" Robertson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s these experiences that make Robertson understand why so many teachers are reluctant to step out of line or try something new. Most teacher professional development focuses on the subjects that are tested -- reading, writing and math -- not tools like digital games that could provide a more engaging way of teaching those things. And teachers don’t have a lot of extra time to experiment and play with unfamiliar games, let alone find quality games that suit their needs. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/07/for-overwhelmed-educators-new-site-rates-ed-tech-tools/\" target=\"_blank\">some good game-rating sites\u003c/a> now available, but too few teachers know about them. And, when districts are actively encouraging teachers to focus on prescribed curriculum, there’s little incentive to put in the time to play around and test out more immersive games.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The obstacles to widespread teacher adoption of games as the primary means of instruction are many, but despite the struggles, many teachers do use digital games creatively to push students to think critically. Those early-adopting teachers will be the ones to inspire and teach their colleagues about what works and where the pitfalls lie as this trend grows.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "37944 http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/?p=37944",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/11/24/some-struggles-teachers-face-using-games-in-the-classroom/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 1456,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 22
},
"modified": 1416837750,
"excerpt": "Lack of time and administrative support are just some of the obstacles to using games in the classroom. ",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Lack of time and administrative support are just some of the obstacles to using games in the classroom. ",
"title": "Some Struggles Teachers Face Using Games in the Classroom | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Some Struggles Teachers Face Using Games in the Classroom ",
"datePublished": "2014-11-24T06:01:34-08:00",
"dateModified": "2014-11-24T06:02:30-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "some-struggles-teachers-face-using-games-in-the-classroom",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/mindshift/37944/some-struggles-teachers-face-using-games-in-the-classroom",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_38531\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/11/Maze-istock.gif\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/11/Maze-istock-640x360.gif\" alt=\"iStock\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"size-large wp-image-38531\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">iStock\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp class=\"dropcap-serif\">Teachers have long known that making content more playful can be a great way to engage students and add diversity to classroom activities. As technology becomes an ever more significant part of modern classrooms, it makes sense that teachers are using video games for everything from teaching content, to keeping tabs on learning progress, and for skills practice. In a recent survey, the Joan Ganz Cooney Center found that 74 percent of K-8 \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/06/surprising-insights-how-teachers-use-games-in-the-classroom/\" target=\"_blank\">teachers surveyed\u003c/a> use digital games for instruction in some way and 55 percent use them weekly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While digital games are becoming more common, many teachers still use them primarily as supplemental material or as a reward when the “real work” has been accomplished, not as the main instructional tool. Many teachers are still skeptical that students will learn mandated content from digital games well enough to prove mastery on state exams.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>TIME IS THE BIGGEST BARRIER\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tony Mai experimented with some digital games in his middle school English Language Arts classroom as part of a pilot project at \u003ca href=\"http://www.mckinleyis259.org\" target=\"_blank\">William McKinley IS 259, \u003c/a> a junior high school in New York City. His principal chose him to participate because he’s comfortable with technology and likes to play video games himself. The game, \u003ca href=\"http://www.classroominc.org/tsn2\" target=\"_blank\">The Sports Network 2\u003c/a>, required students to take on the roles of employees at a media company trying to market a product to a younger audience.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignleft\"> “Localized leadership allows me to use games during intervention time, but it’s not something that’s supported broadly.”\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>In addition to the virtual gameplay, students had to do offline research on solutions they could use within the game. The Sports Network 2 is aligned with Common Core ELA standards but places the skills within the context of real-life tasks. “They had to read fake email and highlight important things on screen,” Mai said. “I saw improvement with students’ ability to figure out difficult vocabulary words using context clues.” He also said students stayed more motivated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, playing the game took precious time and Mai slowly started to fall behind the other eighth-grade ELA teachers on the mandated curriculum. “It does take someone who’s willing to make sure the rest of the curriculum is covered while using these games in the classroom,” Mai said. Teachers are under a lot of pressure to make sure they cover a jampacked curriculum, and that can make any game feel like one more thing to do, something extra or supplemental.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“At the end of the day, if the teachers know that their curriculum already addresses all the other standards, then they won’t feel there’s a need for the game in the classroom,” Mai said. That’s why he thinks games that have robust data tracking and clear corollaries to standards will get the most teacher buy-in. “Teachers want to be able to see the gains that students are making on a specific skill and be able to link it to a specific question or part of the game,” Mai said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The immersive quality of the game deeply engaged students and showed them how the skills they were learning applied to the real world, Mai said. But it was those same game qualities that made him worry that he wasn’t covering the basics. The more that a game maps exactly to the standards, the less game-like it becomes, he acknowledged, and the more it resembles educational software, not a game.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Concerns about time and explicit instructional standards being met are mirrored in the Cooney Center report. “Few teachers are using learning games of the immersive variety, the kind that lend themselves to deep exploration and participation in the types of activities that set digital games apart from more didactic forms of instruction,” writes Lori Takeuchi in the report’s executive summary. “Most teachers instead report using short-form games that students can finish within a single class period. While lack of time is a likely explanation, teachers may also find shorter-form games to be easier to map to curriculum standards.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Heather Robertson teaches English language learners (ELL) in a K-5 school in Wisconsin.\u003cbr>\nThe district has great access to technology — they’ve gone one-to-one with Chromebooks, but the devices are mainly used for what Robertson calls “worksheets on a computer.” She'd like those setting policies and vision in schools to recognize that while online testing may have brought the devices into schools, they can be used for far more than that. “We’re so focused on our testing and we’re not going deep in our learning,” Robertson said. “We’re just really trying to get through the surface of it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Robertson used to teach in a less conventional district in Madison where she had more freedom to explore different teaching strategies. “The most exciting thing is that research around ELLs shows that concrete experiences are the best way for them to learn,” Robertson said. But how can teachers give students concrete experiences of abstract ideas like government? Robertson has used the \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/10/video-games-that-bring-civics-class-to-life/\" target=\"_blank\">digital game iCivics\u003c/a> to help give students that virtual experience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Games like that allow kids to interact in an almost concrete way that is very powerful,” she said. “They take on the role of the characters and understand it in a much deeper way than they would otherwise.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/11/teaching-empathy-through-digital-game-play/\" target=\"_blank\">virtual experience, paired with conversation\u003c/a>, can be very powerful for students who are having trouble accessing the content. “I believe what English language learners need more than anything is a lot of talking and interaction,” Robertson said. “Game-playing is actually a key component of that.” She treats games a bit like she would a text, scaffolding learning around gameplay, and using students’ excitement about the game to connect more meaningfully. Kids play the game for a while and then stop and talk about it with Robertson.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think [games are] best when paired with reflective conversation,” Robertson said. “It’s developing the awareness of what you’re doing. The only way to really develop metacognition is to have a conversation with someone who can ask Socratic questions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Robertson still uses games in her classroom, because she has support from her principal, but she doesn't feel that same commitment from the district leadership. “Localized leadership allows me to use games during intervention time, but it’s not something that’s supported broadly,\" Richardson said. Despite the barriers, she pushes on with the practice because she has experienced how motivated struggling learners can be by games and how much that inspires her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But without support it’s getting harder to hold onto that conviction. For example, this year Robertson put \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/05/teachers-transform-commercial-video-game-for-class-use/\" target=\"_blank\">MinecraftEDU\u003c/a> on her supplies list and got it approved by her principal, only to have the request held up at the district level. Another time, Robertson was invited to help develop a game-based assessment by World-Class Instructional Design and Assessement (WIDA), an assessment consortium focused on English Language Learner growth. “Which seems to me like an incredible learning experience, but I was told no because I’d already used my three professional development days,\" Robertson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s these experiences that make Robertson understand why so many teachers are reluctant to step out of line or try something new. Most teacher professional development focuses on the subjects that are tested -- reading, writing and math -- not tools like digital games that could provide a more engaging way of teaching those things. And teachers don’t have a lot of extra time to experiment and play with unfamiliar games, let alone find quality games that suit their needs. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/07/for-overwhelmed-educators-new-site-rates-ed-tech-tools/\" target=\"_blank\">some good game-rating sites\u003c/a> now available, but too few teachers know about them. And, when districts are actively encouraging teachers to focus on prescribed curriculum, there’s little incentive to put in the time to play around and test out more immersive games.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The obstacles to widespread teacher adoption of games as the primary means of instruction are many, but despite the struggles, many teachers do use digital games creatively to push students to think critically. Those early-adopting teachers will be the ones to inspire and teach their colleagues about what works and where the pitfalls lie as this trend grows.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/mindshift/37944/some-struggles-teachers-face-using-games-in-the-classroom",
"authors": [
"234"
],
"categories": [
"mindshift_192"
],
"tags": [
"mindshift_20784",
"mindshift_1040",
"mindshift_548",
"mindshift_20902",
"mindshift_200"
],
"featImg": "mindshift_38531",
"label": "mindshift"
},
"mindshift_38393": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "mindshift_38393",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "38393",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1415797438000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "mindshift"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1415797438,
"format": "aside",
"disqusTitle": "A Third Grader's Plea For More Game-Based Learning",
"title": "A Third Grader's Plea For More Game-Based Learning",
"headTitle": "MindShift | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cp>Third grader Cordell Steiner makes a pretty convincing argument for using \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2011/05/can-learning-really-be-fun-and-games/\" target=\"_blank\">video games in the classroom\u003c/a> in this TEDx talk. He describes feeling more motivated to learn and master new skills because of his eagerness to beat his own high score or finish before the clock runs out. He says he used to be bored in class when his teachers had to slow down to explain concepts, but now each student plays games intended to help him or her with specific skills they're trying to master. He even gives examples!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Check out his call to teachers, administrators, parents and students to think differently about education.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ciframe width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"//www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/P-djW4uj7rI?rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen>\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "38393 http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/?p=38393",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/11/12/a-third-graders-plea-for-more-game-based-learning/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": true,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 108,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [
"//www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/P-djW4uj7rI"
],
"paragraphCount": 5
},
"modified": 1415797438,
"excerpt": "One student speaks up about his experience of video games in the classroom.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "One student speaks up about his experience of video games in the classroom.",
"title": "A Third Grader's Plea For More Game-Based Learning | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "A Third Grader's Plea For More Game-Based Learning",
"datePublished": "2014-11-12T05:03:58-08:00",
"dateModified": "2014-11-12T05:03:58-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "a-third-graders-plea-for-more-game-based-learning",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/mindshift/38393/a-third-graders-plea-for-more-game-based-learning",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Third grader Cordell Steiner makes a pretty convincing argument for using \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2011/05/can-learning-really-be-fun-and-games/\" target=\"_blank\">video games in the classroom\u003c/a> in this TEDx talk. He describes feeling more motivated to learn and master new skills because of his eagerness to beat his own high score or finish before the clock runs out. He says he used to be bored in class when his teachers had to slow down to explain concepts, but now each student plays games intended to help him or her with specific skills they're trying to master. He even gives examples!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Check out his call to teachers, administrators, parents and students to think differently about education.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ciframe width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"//www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/P-djW4uj7rI?rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen>\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/mindshift/38393/a-third-graders-plea-for-more-game-based-learning",
"authors": [
"4354"
],
"categories": [
"mindshift_193"
],
"tags": [
"mindshift_20784",
"mindshift_1040",
"mindshift_548",
"mindshift_20779",
"mindshift_114"
],
"featImg": "mindshift_38395",
"label": "mindshift"
},
"mindshift_37884": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "mindshift_37884",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "37884",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1413210015000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "mindshift"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1413210015,
"format": "aside",
"disqusTitle": "How to Transform The Odyssey into an Epic Game in Alternate Reality",
"title": "How to Transform The Odyssey into an Epic Game in Alternate Reality",
"headTitle": "MindShift | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_38068\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/10/Nick-Thompson-Odysseus-and-the-Sirens.png\">\u003cimg class=\"size-large wp-image-38068\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/10/Nick-Thompson-Odysseus-and-the-Sirens-640x360.png\" alt=\"(Flickr/Nick Thompson)\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(Flickr/Nick Thompson)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>How would Homer have told the story of \u003cem>The Odyssey\u003c/em> as a game? What would participatory learning look like in ancient times? Learning about the lessons raised in classics like \u003cem>The Odyssey\u003c/em> is getting a fresh perspective thanks to several educators who have started experimenting with how alternate reality games (ARGs) can be used as an immersive learning system that combines rich narrative, digital technology, and real-world game play.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>John Fallon, a Fairfield Country Day School teacher and game enthusiast, brings game-based learning to \u003cem>The Odyssey\u003c/em> with a game he designed called \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"http://www.workingexamples.org/example/show/633\">Dolus: Finding the Journal of Odysseus\u003c/a>\u003c/em>. Many educators today struggle to keep the classics relevant for a generation reared in the fast paced world of Internet and video games, and Fallon’s game bridges the classical past with the digital future for his seventh grade English students. Rather than merely reading about the adventures of Odysseus in English class, students can walk a mile in his shoes by channeling the skillset of the Greek hero who masterminded the Trojan Horse and outwitted the Cyclops. Students must exercise critical thinking, resilience, and creative problem solving to succeed in an ARG.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The idea came to Fallon while playing \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"http://www.thesecretworld.com/\">The Secret World\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, a video game that incorporates real-world browser searches to help solve puzzles. “It all hit me at once,” remembered Fallon. “The portability of cross-media ARG puzzles, the use of real world information in a fictional game world, and the ancient Siren-song of puzzle solving. Immediately, the game about the crafty thief who stole the journal of Odysseus was born.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_38069\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/10/BBC-story.png\">\u003cimg class=\"size-large wp-image-38069\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/10/BBC-story-640x479.png\" alt=\"Courtesy of John Fallon\" width=\"640\" height=\"479\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A screen grab of the fictitious BBC story used in John Fallon's Dolus ARG. (Courtesy of John Fallon)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Fallon drew his students into the game’s narrative with a bogus BBC News story about the theft of recently discovered ancient Greek manuscripts. A riddle concealed within the article led players to master-thief Dolus, who challenged them to follow his trail of clues and re-assemble the lost journal of Odysseus. Clues and puzzles were distributed across QR codes, password protected videos, PDF files, and a variety of web 2.0 tools. He also enlisted his school’s IT department and fellow teachers to help deliver hints in a variety of unexpected ways. One puzzle required finding a Freemason symbol, which a few perceptive players discovered pinned to the lapel of their History teacher, a practicing Mason. Once they gave him the correct password and passed a quick test on Masonic iconography, they received a key to help them unscramble a cipher that unlocked the next step.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sticking to the “this is not a game” ethos common to ARGs, Fallon feigned ignorance and never admitted to know anything about the month-long caper. “Students had to identify, research, and master a variety of different codes and ciphers. They had to parse difficult riddles – with no guidance from me – and solve multiple phase problems and then synthesize their findings to succeed,” said Fallon.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignleft\">ARGs are not for everybody, but Fallon noted that students who were not typically motivated in his class kicked into high gear, some laboring into the wee hours at home to untangle a conundrum.\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>This type of elaborate puzzle solving is standard fare for mainstream ARGs. Originating in the early 1990s, ARGs are designed and run by development teams called “puppet masters” who combine the digital and the real to deliver intricate narratives that blur the line between reality and fiction. Players enjoy a great deal of agency as they solve elaborate puzzles while they negotiate a world of phony websites and documents, midnight phone calls, and park bench envelope exchanges, to name a few of the tactics that can make these games indistinguishable from everyday life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Educational versions tend to be scaled down to accommodate specific learning objectives and operate safely within a school setting. Fallon’s model shows that any motivated teacher can design and run their own ARG without programming skills, specialized technical knowledge or a big budget. This is assisted by the availability of free or inexpensive user-friendly, web-based tools, and digital software. The modular nature of ARGs also lets educators decide how simple or complex they want to make their game, and allows them to choose elements that best suit their unique circumstances.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alternate Reality's Impact on Real Life\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While they can be played from elementary school to college, most existing educational examples are found in middle schools. “It’s a developmental period of transition where kids begin to build and exercise critical thinking skills,” said \u003ca href=\"http://www.tannerhiggin.com/about/\">Dr. Tanner Higgin\u003c/a>, who helped produce the \u003cem>United Colonies\u003c/em> ARG. “They are still relatively untainted by the social pressures and inhibitions that set in with growing older and they are also less entrenched/acclimated to the traditional school model.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the paucity of studies specific to educational ARGs, this new learning system combines three ingredients whose benefits are supported by a growing body of research: \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/06/benefits-of-gaming-what-research-shows/\">game-based learning\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"http://hechingerreport.org/content/body-next-breakthrough-education-tech_16629/\">embodied learning\u003c/a> and the use of \u003ca href=\"http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1124&context=jmle\">transmedia\u003c/a> in education. \u003ca href=\"http://janemcgonigal.com/\">Jane McGonigal\u003c/a>, author of \u003cem>Reality is Broken\u003c/em>, draws one distinction between video games and ARGs:\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>Historically, in fact, most ARGs, like most computer and video games, have been designed simply to be fun and emotionally satisfying. But my research shows that because ARGs are played in real-world contexts, instead of in virtual spaces, they almost always have at least the \u003cem>side effect\u003c/em> of improving our real lives.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>ARGs are not for everybody, but Fallon noted that students who were not typically motivated in his class kicked into high gear, some laboring into the wee hours at home to untangle a conundrum. To succeed in \u003cem>Dolus\u003c/em>, students had to inhere the very qualities that helped the cunning Odysseus to prevail on his journey. “Odysseus is mortal and without superpowers but, above all, he’s a tenacious problem solver,” explained Fallon. “He is put into seemingly impossible situations and, through sheer human ingenuity and persistence, he finds a way out.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students wrote their own creative adaptations of \u003cem>The Odyssey\u003c/em> to conclude the unit. Fallon noticed a substantial improvement in the quality of the work over past more traditional deliveries of the lesson. “They did a better job of making their individual versions of Odysseus more clever and better problem solvers rather than just a cardboard cutout hero who bashes his way through problems. This likely stems from having experienced some difficult problem solving of their own in similar circumstances.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Empathy for Injustice\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The multidisciplinary potential for these games ranges far beyond English class, as their narrative and content can be tailored to accommodate a broad rang of subjects and learning outcomes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Any situated learning experience can most definitely promote learning better than traditional pedagogical strategies and there’s some good research to support the benefits,” said Randall Fujimoto, an instructional designer and former video game developer who founded \u003ca href=\"http://gametrainlearning.org/\">GameTrain Learning\u003c/a>, a not-for-profit that helps schools implement game-based learning initiatives. Inspired by \u003ca href=\"http://www.unfiction.com/history/the-beast/\">The Beast\u003c/a>, a sci-fi whodunit ARG designed to promote the film \u003cem>A.I. Artificial Intelligence\u003c/em>, Fujimoto felt that the dynamic and embodied gameplay could make a potent learning tool.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fujimoto was so enthralled with the idea that he decided to focus on how ARGs could be used in the classroom for his masters thesis, ultimately developing a game focused on the Japanese experience of internment camps during World War II. In \u003cem>Arising from Injustice\u003c/em>, students are contacted to investigate why Dr. Alice Sasaki had been found unconscious in her lab. To wake her from her coma, players must access her high-tech Memory History Cognition device and reconstruct her memories as a Japanese American in the 1940s. In ARG parlance, this is known as the rabbit hole – the initial event or clue that pulls players into the game world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[contextly_sidebar id=\"AlDkWWDdW8nHP8JLazfttcMxBeugrjWD\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The modular, web-based narrative relays the story of the Japanese Americans with eclectic historical documents and media, including pictures, letters, journals, videos and audio. In classic ARG style, players progress from Pearl Harbor to post-war resettlement by solving puzzles, following clues, and carrying out assignments and sharing their findings on a group discussion board. The game was designed to service a wide range of age groups and was trialed by eighth graders at Tomodachi Gakko, a summer camp whose focus on Japanese American heritage fit well with the game’s theme.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Arising from Injustice\u003c/em> embeds clear learning objectives within the narrative. Players evaluate and analyze primary documents to determine the social conditions that precipitated prejudice and discrimination against Japanese Americans. They also hone their media literacy skills by synthesizing their learning in collaborative media projects where they support their research with primary sources. All of these fit with Common Core standards, and post-game surveys indicated that players were not only engaged, but that the intended learning outcomes were achieved.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But perhaps the most important lesson learned was one of empathy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The game puts players in a situated learning environment where they must interact and empathize with various characters in order to succeed,” said Fujimoto. While playing \u003cem>Arising from Injustice\u003c/em>, students experienced the hardships and discriminations suffered by Japanese Americans through the eyes of the victim. One player reported that “you could really put yourself in Alice’s shoes,\" highlighting the game’s capacity to emotionally connect players to their subject. Dr. Mary Flanagan and Jonathan Belman’s \u003ca href=\"http://www.maryflanagan.com/wp-content/uploads/cog-tech-si-g4g-article-1-belman-and-flanagan-designing-games-to-foster-empathy.pdf\">research\u003c/a> supports that games can be designed to \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/11/teaching-empathy-through-digital-game-play/\">foster empathy\u003c/a>, a quality that not only produces better human beings, but also \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/01/empathy-the-key-to-social-and-emotional-learning/\">better learners\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Anytime, Anywhere World of United Colonies\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One fall morning, sixth grade students from the \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/07/a-school-that-ditches-all-the-rules-but-not-the-rigor-game-based-school-playmaker/\">PlayMaker School\u003c/a> in Santa Monica were surprised to find a mysterious note labeled “UV got a message” in their lockers. A few students eventually connected it to an ultraviolet bulb that had appeared in their classroom and, when the note was placed under the UV light, a secret set of instructions was revealed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_38071\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/10/UV-Message.png\">\u003cimg class=\"size-large wp-image-38071\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/10/UV-Message-640x88.png\" alt=\"The UV message from the United Colonies game. \" width=\"640\" height=\"88\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The UV message from the United Colonies game.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>For the rest of the school year, the United Colonies ARG led players along an elaborate \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5VZ_G8Pfz0\">trail of clues\u003c/a> that included books with hidden compartments, alien codes, meteors inscribed with cuneiforms, and even a bacon puzzle. Not tied to any one class or subject, but drawing from many, the game added an extracurricular layer that extended beyond the classroom. “The ARG made school an anytime, anywhere experience, a thread running between and within classes and carrying through to home,” said designer Mike Minadeo, the game’s creator.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Participation in the game was entirely voluntary and outcomes were not attached to grades or points. “Students self-selected to be involved and were driven purely by interest, curiosity, and excitement of the unknown to figure things out together,” said Higgin, who was lead researcher at \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/09/a-new-game-based-school-opens/\">GameDesk\u003c/a> when he worked with Minadeo to develop \u003cem>United Colonies\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Any object in their midst might be a code, a message or the start of a puzzle, so their learning environment was transformed into a spatial text that was alive with possibilities. The school’s neglected online discussion board was reinvigorated as game-related updates and information were actively exchanged. Students crafted their own riddles, and even started a club for designing ARGs, an important shift from students consuming games to creating them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students were \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dJfqeP3lFs\">clearly engaged\u003c/a>, but what did they learn?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The \u003cem>United Colonies\u003c/em> ARG explored how learning opportunities could be presented through a transmedia platform that inspired associative learning, gritty persistence, cross-disciplinary thinking, and critical analysis,” Minadeo said. The creators found academic support in Dr. Angela Lee Duckworth’s work on grit and a scholarly article from MIT press that identifies seven core literacies delivered by ARGs: gather, make sense, manage, solve, create, respect and collaborate. In an effort to make the project available to teachers, the game designers posted a detailed lesson plan to GameDesk’s \u003ca href=\"http://educade.org/lesson_plans/united-colonies-arg-module-1\">Educade site\u003c/a>, outlining how the game fulfills specific learning outcomes and Common Core standards.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>A Rethinking of Roles\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some educators are convinced that alternate reality games have huge potential to invigorate learning environments, but they face some \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/09/games-in-the-classroom-overcoming-the-obstacles/\">implementation challenges\u003c/a>. Administrators operating in a risk-averse climate of national standards and testing want to see clearly defined learning outcomes and assessment strategies to accompany any new teaching strategy. ARGs also take time to plan and ask that teachers think differently about how they delivery their instructional material.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Good ARGs are often custom crafted to specific classrooms and schools, making them difficult to transfer into new environments, Fallon said. Further study, experimentation, dedicated technology and user-friendly ARG designs will not only help overcome hurdles, but also open the door for other dynamic, immersive games that combine digital media and reality. ARGs may also occasion a rethinking of the roles of teachers and schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>United Colonies\u003c/em> is a product of the collaboration between educators and game designers; a model espoused by schools like \u003ca href=\"http://www.instituteofplay.org/work/projects/quest-schools/quest-to-learn/\">Quest to Learn\u003c/a> in New York City and \u003ca href=\"http://www.chicagoquest.org/\">CICS ChicagoQuest\u003c/a> in Chicago. These charters might be forecasting a future where game and learning environment designers become standard personnel who work in conjunction with teachers in schools and districts, making initiatives like ARGs more feasible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_38062\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/10/Fallon-Lapel.png\">\u003cimg class=\"size-large wp-image-38062\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/10/Fallon-Lapel-640x356.png\" alt=\"The discovery of this Freemasons pin helped students unlock the next phase of the Dolus game. (Courtesy of John Fallon)\" width=\"640\" height=\"356\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The discovery of this Freemasons pin helped students unlock the next phase of the Dolus game.(Courtesy of John Fallon)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alternately, John Fallon is a model of the autonomous teacher-designer, who relies more on holistic creativity and resourcefulness than specialized knowledge. Teachers may welcome the opportunity to engage their students and invigorate their practice with a unique creative outlet. Perhaps they need only take a page from Odysseus’s book and, like their students, push the creative boundaries, problem solve and overcome adversity with resilience.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "37884 http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/?p=37884",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/10/13/how-students-can-channel-the-odyssey-into-an-alternate-reality-epic/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 2336,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 36
},
"modified": 1466697634,
"excerpt": "Teachers are discovering that through alternate reality games, students who were not typically motivated kicked into high gear, some laboring into the wee hours at home to untangle a conundrum.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Teachers are discovering that through alternate reality games, students who were not typically motivated kicked into high gear, some laboring into the wee hours at home to untangle a conundrum.",
"title": "How to Transform The Odyssey into an Epic Game in Alternate Reality | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "How to Transform The Odyssey into an Epic Game in Alternate Reality",
"datePublished": "2014-10-13T07:20:15-07:00",
"dateModified": "2016-06-23T09:00:34-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "how-students-can-channel-the-odyssey-into-an-alternate-reality-epic",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/mindshift/37884/how-students-can-channel-the-odyssey-into-an-alternate-reality-epic",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_38068\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/10/Nick-Thompson-Odysseus-and-the-Sirens.png\">\u003cimg class=\"size-large wp-image-38068\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/10/Nick-Thompson-Odysseus-and-the-Sirens-640x360.png\" alt=\"(Flickr/Nick Thompson)\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(Flickr/Nick Thompson)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>How would Homer have told the story of \u003cem>The Odyssey\u003c/em> as a game? What would participatory learning look like in ancient times? Learning about the lessons raised in classics like \u003cem>The Odyssey\u003c/em> is getting a fresh perspective thanks to several educators who have started experimenting with how alternate reality games (ARGs) can be used as an immersive learning system that combines rich narrative, digital technology, and real-world game play.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>John Fallon, a Fairfield Country Day School teacher and game enthusiast, brings game-based learning to \u003cem>The Odyssey\u003c/em> with a game he designed called \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"http://www.workingexamples.org/example/show/633\">Dolus: Finding the Journal of Odysseus\u003c/a>\u003c/em>. Many educators today struggle to keep the classics relevant for a generation reared in the fast paced world of Internet and video games, and Fallon’s game bridges the classical past with the digital future for his seventh grade English students. Rather than merely reading about the adventures of Odysseus in English class, students can walk a mile in his shoes by channeling the skillset of the Greek hero who masterminded the Trojan Horse and outwitted the Cyclops. Students must exercise critical thinking, resilience, and creative problem solving to succeed in an ARG.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The idea came to Fallon while playing \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"http://www.thesecretworld.com/\">The Secret World\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, a video game that incorporates real-world browser searches to help solve puzzles. “It all hit me at once,” remembered Fallon. “The portability of cross-media ARG puzzles, the use of real world information in a fictional game world, and the ancient Siren-song of puzzle solving. Immediately, the game about the crafty thief who stole the journal of Odysseus was born.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_38069\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/10/BBC-story.png\">\u003cimg class=\"size-large wp-image-38069\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/10/BBC-story-640x479.png\" alt=\"Courtesy of John Fallon\" width=\"640\" height=\"479\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A screen grab of the fictitious BBC story used in John Fallon's Dolus ARG. (Courtesy of John Fallon)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Fallon drew his students into the game’s narrative with a bogus BBC News story about the theft of recently discovered ancient Greek manuscripts. A riddle concealed within the article led players to master-thief Dolus, who challenged them to follow his trail of clues and re-assemble the lost journal of Odysseus. Clues and puzzles were distributed across QR codes, password protected videos, PDF files, and a variety of web 2.0 tools. He also enlisted his school’s IT department and fellow teachers to help deliver hints in a variety of unexpected ways. One puzzle required finding a Freemason symbol, which a few perceptive players discovered pinned to the lapel of their History teacher, a practicing Mason. Once they gave him the correct password and passed a quick test on Masonic iconography, they received a key to help them unscramble a cipher that unlocked the next step.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sticking to the “this is not a game” ethos common to ARGs, Fallon feigned ignorance and never admitted to know anything about the month-long caper. “Students had to identify, research, and master a variety of different codes and ciphers. They had to parse difficult riddles – with no guidance from me – and solve multiple phase problems and then synthesize their findings to succeed,” said Fallon.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignleft\">ARGs are not for everybody, but Fallon noted that students who were not typically motivated in his class kicked into high gear, some laboring into the wee hours at home to untangle a conundrum.\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>This type of elaborate puzzle solving is standard fare for mainstream ARGs. Originating in the early 1990s, ARGs are designed and run by development teams called “puppet masters” who combine the digital and the real to deliver intricate narratives that blur the line between reality and fiction. Players enjoy a great deal of agency as they solve elaborate puzzles while they negotiate a world of phony websites and documents, midnight phone calls, and park bench envelope exchanges, to name a few of the tactics that can make these games indistinguishable from everyday life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Educational versions tend to be scaled down to accommodate specific learning objectives and operate safely within a school setting. Fallon’s model shows that any motivated teacher can design and run their own ARG without programming skills, specialized technical knowledge or a big budget. This is assisted by the availability of free or inexpensive user-friendly, web-based tools, and digital software. The modular nature of ARGs also lets educators decide how simple or complex they want to make their game, and allows them to choose elements that best suit their unique circumstances.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alternate Reality's Impact on Real Life\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While they can be played from elementary school to college, most existing educational examples are found in middle schools. “It’s a developmental period of transition where kids begin to build and exercise critical thinking skills,” said \u003ca href=\"http://www.tannerhiggin.com/about/\">Dr. Tanner Higgin\u003c/a>, who helped produce the \u003cem>United Colonies\u003c/em> ARG. “They are still relatively untainted by the social pressures and inhibitions that set in with growing older and they are also less entrenched/acclimated to the traditional school model.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the paucity of studies specific to educational ARGs, this new learning system combines three ingredients whose benefits are supported by a growing body of research: \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/06/benefits-of-gaming-what-research-shows/\">game-based learning\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"http://hechingerreport.org/content/body-next-breakthrough-education-tech_16629/\">embodied learning\u003c/a> and the use of \u003ca href=\"http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1124&context=jmle\">transmedia\u003c/a> in education. \u003ca href=\"http://janemcgonigal.com/\">Jane McGonigal\u003c/a>, author of \u003cem>Reality is Broken\u003c/em>, draws one distinction between video games and ARGs:\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>Historically, in fact, most ARGs, like most computer and video games, have been designed simply to be fun and emotionally satisfying. But my research shows that because ARGs are played in real-world contexts, instead of in virtual spaces, they almost always have at least the \u003cem>side effect\u003c/em> of improving our real lives.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>ARGs are not for everybody, but Fallon noted that students who were not typically motivated in his class kicked into high gear, some laboring into the wee hours at home to untangle a conundrum. To succeed in \u003cem>Dolus\u003c/em>, students had to inhere the very qualities that helped the cunning Odysseus to prevail on his journey. “Odysseus is mortal and without superpowers but, above all, he’s a tenacious problem solver,” explained Fallon. “He is put into seemingly impossible situations and, through sheer human ingenuity and persistence, he finds a way out.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students wrote their own creative adaptations of \u003cem>The Odyssey\u003c/em> to conclude the unit. Fallon noticed a substantial improvement in the quality of the work over past more traditional deliveries of the lesson. “They did a better job of making their individual versions of Odysseus more clever and better problem solvers rather than just a cardboard cutout hero who bashes his way through problems. This likely stems from having experienced some difficult problem solving of their own in similar circumstances.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Empathy for Injustice\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The multidisciplinary potential for these games ranges far beyond English class, as their narrative and content can be tailored to accommodate a broad rang of subjects and learning outcomes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Any situated learning experience can most definitely promote learning better than traditional pedagogical strategies and there’s some good research to support the benefits,” said Randall Fujimoto, an instructional designer and former video game developer who founded \u003ca href=\"http://gametrainlearning.org/\">GameTrain Learning\u003c/a>, a not-for-profit that helps schools implement game-based learning initiatives. Inspired by \u003ca href=\"http://www.unfiction.com/history/the-beast/\">The Beast\u003c/a>, a sci-fi whodunit ARG designed to promote the film \u003cem>A.I. Artificial Intelligence\u003c/em>, Fujimoto felt that the dynamic and embodied gameplay could make a potent learning tool.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fujimoto was so enthralled with the idea that he decided to focus on how ARGs could be used in the classroom for his masters thesis, ultimately developing a game focused on the Japanese experience of internment camps during World War II. In \u003cem>Arising from Injustice\u003c/em>, students are contacted to investigate why Dr. Alice Sasaki had been found unconscious in her lab. To wake her from her coma, players must access her high-tech Memory History Cognition device and reconstruct her memories as a Japanese American in the 1940s. In ARG parlance, this is known as the rabbit hole – the initial event or clue that pulls players into the game world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The modular, web-based narrative relays the story of the Japanese Americans with eclectic historical documents and media, including pictures, letters, journals, videos and audio. In classic ARG style, players progress from Pearl Harbor to post-war resettlement by solving puzzles, following clues, and carrying out assignments and sharing their findings on a group discussion board. The game was designed to service a wide range of age groups and was trialed by eighth graders at Tomodachi Gakko, a summer camp whose focus on Japanese American heritage fit well with the game’s theme.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Arising from Injustice\u003c/em> embeds clear learning objectives within the narrative. Players evaluate and analyze primary documents to determine the social conditions that precipitated prejudice and discrimination against Japanese Americans. They also hone their media literacy skills by synthesizing their learning in collaborative media projects where they support their research with primary sources. All of these fit with Common Core standards, and post-game surveys indicated that players were not only engaged, but that the intended learning outcomes were achieved.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But perhaps the most important lesson learned was one of empathy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The game puts players in a situated learning environment where they must interact and empathize with various characters in order to succeed,” said Fujimoto. While playing \u003cem>Arising from Injustice\u003c/em>, students experienced the hardships and discriminations suffered by Japanese Americans through the eyes of the victim. One player reported that “you could really put yourself in Alice’s shoes,\" highlighting the game’s capacity to emotionally connect players to their subject. Dr. Mary Flanagan and Jonathan Belman’s \u003ca href=\"http://www.maryflanagan.com/wp-content/uploads/cog-tech-si-g4g-article-1-belman-and-flanagan-designing-games-to-foster-empathy.pdf\">research\u003c/a> supports that games can be designed to \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/11/teaching-empathy-through-digital-game-play/\">foster empathy\u003c/a>, a quality that not only produces better human beings, but also \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/01/empathy-the-key-to-social-and-emotional-learning/\">better learners\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Anytime, Anywhere World of United Colonies\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One fall morning, sixth grade students from the \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/07/a-school-that-ditches-all-the-rules-but-not-the-rigor-game-based-school-playmaker/\">PlayMaker School\u003c/a> in Santa Monica were surprised to find a mysterious note labeled “UV got a message” in their lockers. A few students eventually connected it to an ultraviolet bulb that had appeared in their classroom and, when the note was placed under the UV light, a secret set of instructions was revealed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_38071\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/10/UV-Message.png\">\u003cimg class=\"size-large wp-image-38071\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/10/UV-Message-640x88.png\" alt=\"The UV message from the United Colonies game. \" width=\"640\" height=\"88\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The UV message from the United Colonies game.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>For the rest of the school year, the United Colonies ARG led players along an elaborate \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5VZ_G8Pfz0\">trail of clues\u003c/a> that included books with hidden compartments, alien codes, meteors inscribed with cuneiforms, and even a bacon puzzle. Not tied to any one class or subject, but drawing from many, the game added an extracurricular layer that extended beyond the classroom. “The ARG made school an anytime, anywhere experience, a thread running between and within classes and carrying through to home,” said designer Mike Minadeo, the game’s creator.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Participation in the game was entirely voluntary and outcomes were not attached to grades or points. “Students self-selected to be involved and were driven purely by interest, curiosity, and excitement of the unknown to figure things out together,” said Higgin, who was lead researcher at \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/09/a-new-game-based-school-opens/\">GameDesk\u003c/a> when he worked with Minadeo to develop \u003cem>United Colonies\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Any object in their midst might be a code, a message or the start of a puzzle, so their learning environment was transformed into a spatial text that was alive with possibilities. The school’s neglected online discussion board was reinvigorated as game-related updates and information were actively exchanged. Students crafted their own riddles, and even started a club for designing ARGs, an important shift from students consuming games to creating them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students were \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dJfqeP3lFs\">clearly engaged\u003c/a>, but what did they learn?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The \u003cem>United Colonies\u003c/em> ARG explored how learning opportunities could be presented through a transmedia platform that inspired associative learning, gritty persistence, cross-disciplinary thinking, and critical analysis,” Minadeo said. The creators found academic support in Dr. Angela Lee Duckworth’s work on grit and a scholarly article from MIT press that identifies seven core literacies delivered by ARGs: gather, make sense, manage, solve, create, respect and collaborate. In an effort to make the project available to teachers, the game designers posted a detailed lesson plan to GameDesk’s \u003ca href=\"http://educade.org/lesson_plans/united-colonies-arg-module-1\">Educade site\u003c/a>, outlining how the game fulfills specific learning outcomes and Common Core standards.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>A Rethinking of Roles\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some educators are convinced that alternate reality games have huge potential to invigorate learning environments, but they face some \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/09/games-in-the-classroom-overcoming-the-obstacles/\">implementation challenges\u003c/a>. Administrators operating in a risk-averse climate of national standards and testing want to see clearly defined learning outcomes and assessment strategies to accompany any new teaching strategy. ARGs also take time to plan and ask that teachers think differently about how they delivery their instructional material.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Good ARGs are often custom crafted to specific classrooms and schools, making them difficult to transfer into new environments, Fallon said. Further study, experimentation, dedicated technology and user-friendly ARG designs will not only help overcome hurdles, but also open the door for other dynamic, immersive games that combine digital media and reality. ARGs may also occasion a rethinking of the roles of teachers and schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>United Colonies\u003c/em> is a product of the collaboration between educators and game designers; a model espoused by schools like \u003ca href=\"http://www.instituteofplay.org/work/projects/quest-schools/quest-to-learn/\">Quest to Learn\u003c/a> in New York City and \u003ca href=\"http://www.chicagoquest.org/\">CICS ChicagoQuest\u003c/a> in Chicago. These charters might be forecasting a future where game and learning environment designers become standard personnel who work in conjunction with teachers in schools and districts, making initiatives like ARGs more feasible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_38062\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/10/Fallon-Lapel.png\">\u003cimg class=\"size-large wp-image-38062\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/10/Fallon-Lapel-640x356.png\" alt=\"The discovery of this Freemasons pin helped students unlock the next phase of the Dolus game. (Courtesy of John Fallon)\" width=\"640\" height=\"356\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The discovery of this Freemasons pin helped students unlock the next phase of the Dolus game.(Courtesy of John Fallon)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alternately, John Fallon is a model of the autonomous teacher-designer, who relies more on holistic creativity and resourcefulness than specialized knowledge. Teachers may welcome the opportunity to engage their students and invigorate their practice with a unique creative outlet. Perhaps they need only take a page from Odysseus’s book and, like their students, push the creative boundaries, problem solve and overcome adversity with resilience.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/mindshift/37884/how-students-can-channel-the-odyssey-into-an-alternate-reality-epic",
"authors": [
"11107"
],
"categories": [
"mindshift_1"
],
"tags": [
"mindshift_20767",
"mindshift_20766",
"mindshift_20711",
"mindshift_1040",
"mindshift_548",
"mindshift_20704",
"mindshift_688",
"mindshift_20768"
],
"featImg": "mindshift_38068",
"label": "mindshift"
},
"mindshift_37450": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "mindshift_37450",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "37450",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1410962426000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "mindshift"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1410962426,
"format": "aside",
"disqusTitle": "How Virtual Reality Meets Real Life Learning With Mobile Games",
"title": "How Virtual Reality Meets Real Life Learning With Mobile Games",
"headTitle": "MindShift | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_37453\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/rosenfeldmedia/7095143045/in/photolist-iH98pX-5ngcJT-6eS6Wh-QaTah-bCSMuE-6Biz2M-3jFR8B-8NM84a-93c4vw-4VMShe-9pmJEi-8NMgQT-6eS6VQ-cZCJSu-bNYsQv-8bvNhp-7zgjmd-bvnyRK-5sgavg-5HVcnD-5z8FH3-oxYadi\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-37453\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/dow-day-pic.jpg\" alt=\"Participatory games let students see archival footage of events that happened in the places where they stand.(Rosenfeld Media/Flickr)\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/dow-day-pic.jpg 640w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/dow-day-pic-400x225.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/dow-day-pic-320x180.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Participatory games let students see archival footage of events that happened in the places where they stand. (Rosenfeld Media/Flickr)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp class=\"dropcap-serif\">The buzz around games and learning has mostly focused on how educators can learn from game structure to create engaging learning experiences. Or else, educators are experimenting with video games meant to help students practice academic skills. Less attention has been paid to a niche of mobile gaming seeking to bridge the gap between the screen and the real world -- pervasive gaming.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Most games are not automatically motivating,” said \u003ca href=\"http://benjaminstokes.net/\" target=\"_blank\">Benjamin Stokes\u003c/a>, postdoctoral scholar at the University of California, Berkeley School of Information and co-founder of \u003ca href=\"http://www.gamesforchange.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Games for Change\u003c/a>. “One of the things that makes a game engaging is that the choices are meaningful.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Giving students the opportunity to make meaningful choices isn't at the center of every classroom, especially when it comes to civics. Most civics classes focus on teaching about democracy and governance in its most ideal form, as a static system. The focus is on preparing students for their eventual participation in the system, without giving them a real-life experience of what it means to be civically engaged.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignleft\">'The breakthrough for me is that you are participating in the real world, so that participation has to be authentic to what the real world wants as well,' Stokes said.\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>In these situated games, students play a game on mobile devices that also requires them to interact with the real world. For example, the game might include a challenge to go to a park where something historically significant happened, like a famous protest. While looking at the historical marker, the game could require students to read the text out loud or to tell passers-by about the history that happened at that place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Part of what’s interesting about mobile is that it takes a speech students might have read in the classroom and puts them at the location,” Stokes said in an \u003ca href=\"http://home.edweb.net/\" target=\"_blank\">edWeb\u003c/a> webinar. In another instance, the game might ask students to act out a protest. “The goal of the game is not just to convey some facts, but to let people test out this disposition of protesting and engaging with the theater of it,” Stokes said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These games allow students to walk in the shoes of historical figures, make the tough decisions those figures faced and deal with the consequences of those choices. That’s very different from merely visualizing what it might have been like.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[contextly_sidebar id=\"zsGtdzipVFM8B9hOM5Dt13EDLnnckQWy\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the mobile game keeps track of students' progress, assigning different missions and cataloging evidence and the resulting points, the game is played out in the communities where students live, requiring them to engage with people of all ages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The breakthrough for me is that you are participating in the real world, so that participation has to be authentic to what the real world wants as well,” Stokes said. In other words, the game is not just a simulation of an event; it necessarily has an impact on the public spaces where it is played.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And because the game is on a mobile platform, students can reflect on the experience with pictures, videos and short writing exercises. “When we’re being social about our reflection, we often need the skill of writing quick, short things and then linking to longer pieces,” Stokes said. If students made those reflections on a public social media site, the community could even engage with them as they learn about what makes the place where they are from distinct.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the things we really need for civic renewal is having conversations with other generations about issues,” Stokes said. Allowing students to learn what it means to participate in a civics project by leading them through a mobile game might begin a conversation with adults about the past that never would have happened otherwise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>PARTICIPATORY MOBILE GAMES\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jim Matthews is a teacher and researcher interested in using games to promote place-based education about everything, not just civics. Communities that show pride in their distinctive qualities and cultures tend to be more resilient and capable of problem-solving. Matthews wants to help students and their families contribute their own stories to the local history to strengthen that sense of place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the strongest elements of a pervasive game is that the skills can’t be siloed into one academic discipline. “In order to solve some kinds of problems, by default they have to be multidisciplinary,” Matthews said in an \u003ca href=\"http://home.edweb.net/\" target=\"_blank\">edWeb\u003c/a> webinar. Many of the games he has experimented with require students to use cross-cutting skills that will help them solve a varied set of problems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://brianhouse.net/works/yellow_arrow/\" target=\"_blank\">\u003cstrong>YELLOW ARROW\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: This public art project started in 2004 in Manhattan and has spread across the world. Participants print out yellow arrow stickers from the website , each with a unique identifying code, and place them in public places that have important local meaning. People who know about the project can text the Yellow Arrow phone number with the unique code and instantly receive the story or piece of local lore the author marked. Other users can even add more stories to a location, creating a crowdsourced ethnography of place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://arisgames.org/featured/dow-day/\" target=\"_blank\">\u003cstrong>DOW DAY\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: In this game, players take on the role of a journalist on the Madison campus of the University of Wisconsin in 1967 during a protest against Dow Chemical and their product, napalm. Called a situational documentary, students explore different characters' perspectives, taking on their roles. The game also offers opportunities to research contemporary issues connected to the university and contribute stories using the platform.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://arisgames.org/featured/mentira/\" target=\"_blank\">\u003cstrong>MENTIRA\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: This game was started in Albuquerque to teach Spanish. Players interact with virtual characters as well as real residents of one of the city’s Spanish-speaking neighborhoods to investigate a fictional murder. Following clues given by game characters and real people, students must \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/04/augmented-reality-coming-soon-to-a-school-near-you/\" target=\"_blank\">play out the narrative and engage with people using their Spanish\u003c/a> at the same time. “One of the goals of this story is to get people out into a neighborhood, and the way you are doing it is through an invented story that uses Spanish,” Matthews said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://arisgames.org/jewish-time-jump/\" target=\"_blank\">\u003cstrong>JEWISH TIME JUMP\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Using GPS technology on students’ mobile devices, archival images and tidbits of information pop up as students move around a park that sits across the street from the \u003ca href=\"http://www.history.com/topics/triangle-shirtwaist-fire\" target=\"_blank\">Triangle Shirtwaist Factory\u003c/a>, site of the famous fire that drew attention to the dangerous conditions in sweatshops. Players interrogate virtual historical figures like Rose Schneiderman, read primary source documents and slowly piece together the history of Jewish immigration in New York, the labor movement and women’s rights. These kinds of place-based, augmented reality games have the potential to allow students to construct their own understanding of history, while tying it tightly to the physical place where it happened.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://www.colleenmacklin.com/projects/reactivism/\" target=\"_blank\">\u003cstrong>RE:ACTIVISM\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: This mobile game is similar to Jewish Time Jump in that it focuses on the civics history of locations, but it extends beyond New York. Teams compete to come up with visible, public actions that engage the public around different historical moments. Players are given cards associated with different sites and document their actions along the way. It requires creativity, research and knowledge to win the challenge. Players have to walk a fine line between being authentic to history and being playful -- one of the many interesting aspects of participatory gaming.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://mobile.wisc.edu/news/project-sustainable-u/\" target=\"_blank\">\u003cstrong>SUSTAINABLE U\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Players find themselves in a dystopian future where natural resources are running out and something must be done to change the course of history. Players receive quests to explore transportation, water and waste policies at a university. After researching what’s already been tried, they come up with new ways to address sustainability. “One of the challenges is to go out and find where energy is being wasted and change your own behavior,” Matthews said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://engagementgamelab.org/projects/upriver/\" target=\"_blank\">\u003cstrong>UP RIVER\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Designed to make learning about the St. Louis Estuary more participatory, this virtual game leads students through the estuary to various places, some more industrial, others that look like the natural habitat that once existed. Students investigate important scientific factors like oxygen levels in the water, vital for fish stocks, and interact with virtual historical characters who can describe what the area was once like. The game includes questions and challenges that require students to interact with contemporary people, like fishermen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the things we’re experimenting with is how can you integrate stories with field work,” Matthews said. Students are collecting water samples, but learning about the local lore of the place as well. This kind of game reinforces the notion that real problems aren’t siloed by discipline. Cleaning up an estuary has real effects on local businesses of all kinds, for good and bad.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://communityplanit.org/\" target=\"_blank\">\u003cstrong>COMMUNITY PLANIT\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: This game allows students to get involved in city planning at the local level. Students complete missions in the real world to win virtual coins. They can spend those coins to vote for how funds will be allocated for real city projects. “One of the neat things about this is that folks are tying it into planning projects that are already taking place,” Matthews said. The city of Philadelphia is using this game as it builds its Philadelphia 2035 plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://localgameslababq.wordpress.com/2011/11/21/playing-digital-graffiti-gallery/\" target=\"_blank\">\u003cstrong>DIGITAL GRAFFITI GALLERY\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: This game focuses on the ephemeral and often beautiful culture of street art. “You are capturing real-world graffiti that has been put out around the city before it gets painted over,” Matthews said. Capturing it creates a record of its existence, and players can curate their own list of favorite artwork.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://citydigits.org/\" target=\"_blank\">\u003cstrong>LOCAL LOTO\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Focusing on the lottery and its effects on communities, the game asks students to look at the quantitative data about the lottery and then go out into the community and gather stories of people who play and why. After they’ve conducted all their research, students form their own position about whether they think the lottery is good or bad for the neighborhood as a whole.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These are just a few examples of the kinds of activities local game labs, teachers and nonprofits have developed to connect mobile gaming to real places and the communities that bring them to life. “The games challenge learning to be relevant, using classroom skills and fascinating stories from life,” Stokes said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He thinks real-world gaming has the power to re-engage young people with civics and ignite their passion to have an impact. “Engage them in studying places where they already hang out and use technology that they already use,” Stokes said. Doing so not only helps teach them, but it could also empower them too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think we can actually try to be a little more ambitious beyond learning,” Stokes said. “Look at the contribution your young people might be able to make to their community.” As citizen scientists, community ethnographers and storytellers, chroniclers of injustice or city disfunction -- students can make a difference in their communities and often find great satisfaction in learning that allows them to do so.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "37450 http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/?p=37450",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/09/17/how-virtual-reality-meets-real-life-learning-with-mobile-games/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 1888,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 29
},
"modified": 1410971572,
"excerpt": "Games played on mobile devices allow teachers to leverage all the information on the internet along with the lived experiences of people in real life.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Games played on mobile devices allow teachers to leverage all the information on the internet along with the lived experiences of people in real life.",
"title": "How Virtual Reality Meets Real Life Learning With Mobile Games | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "How Virtual Reality Meets Real Life Learning With Mobile Games",
"datePublished": "2014-09-17T07:00:26-07:00",
"dateModified": "2014-09-17T09:32:52-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "how-virtual-reality-meets-real-life-learning-with-mobile-games",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/mindshift/37450/how-virtual-reality-meets-real-life-learning-with-mobile-games",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_37453\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/rosenfeldmedia/7095143045/in/photolist-iH98pX-5ngcJT-6eS6Wh-QaTah-bCSMuE-6Biz2M-3jFR8B-8NM84a-93c4vw-4VMShe-9pmJEi-8NMgQT-6eS6VQ-cZCJSu-bNYsQv-8bvNhp-7zgjmd-bvnyRK-5sgavg-5HVcnD-5z8FH3-oxYadi\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-37453\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/dow-day-pic.jpg\" alt=\"Participatory games let students see archival footage of events that happened in the places where they stand.(Rosenfeld Media/Flickr)\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/dow-day-pic.jpg 640w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/dow-day-pic-400x225.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/dow-day-pic-320x180.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Participatory games let students see archival footage of events that happened in the places where they stand. (Rosenfeld Media/Flickr)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp class=\"dropcap-serif\">The buzz around games and learning has mostly focused on how educators can learn from game structure to create engaging learning experiences. Or else, educators are experimenting with video games meant to help students practice academic skills. Less attention has been paid to a niche of mobile gaming seeking to bridge the gap between the screen and the real world -- pervasive gaming.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Most games are not automatically motivating,” said \u003ca href=\"http://benjaminstokes.net/\" target=\"_blank\">Benjamin Stokes\u003c/a>, postdoctoral scholar at the University of California, Berkeley School of Information and co-founder of \u003ca href=\"http://www.gamesforchange.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Games for Change\u003c/a>. “One of the things that makes a game engaging is that the choices are meaningful.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Giving students the opportunity to make meaningful choices isn't at the center of every classroom, especially when it comes to civics. Most civics classes focus on teaching about democracy and governance in its most ideal form, as a static system. The focus is on preparing students for their eventual participation in the system, without giving them a real-life experience of what it means to be civically engaged.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignleft\">'The breakthrough for me is that you are participating in the real world, so that participation has to be authentic to what the real world wants as well,' Stokes said.\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>In these situated games, students play a game on mobile devices that also requires them to interact with the real world. For example, the game might include a challenge to go to a park where something historically significant happened, like a famous protest. While looking at the historical marker, the game could require students to read the text out loud or to tell passers-by about the history that happened at that place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Part of what’s interesting about mobile is that it takes a speech students might have read in the classroom and puts them at the location,” Stokes said in an \u003ca href=\"http://home.edweb.net/\" target=\"_blank\">edWeb\u003c/a> webinar. In another instance, the game might ask students to act out a protest. “The goal of the game is not just to convey some facts, but to let people test out this disposition of protesting and engaging with the theater of it,” Stokes said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These games allow students to walk in the shoes of historical figures, make the tough decisions those figures faced and deal with the consequences of those choices. That’s very different from merely visualizing what it might have been like.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the mobile game keeps track of students' progress, assigning different missions and cataloging evidence and the resulting points, the game is played out in the communities where students live, requiring them to engage with people of all ages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The breakthrough for me is that you are participating in the real world, so that participation has to be authentic to what the real world wants as well,” Stokes said. In other words, the game is not just a simulation of an event; it necessarily has an impact on the public spaces where it is played.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And because the game is on a mobile platform, students can reflect on the experience with pictures, videos and short writing exercises. “When we’re being social about our reflection, we often need the skill of writing quick, short things and then linking to longer pieces,” Stokes said. If students made those reflections on a public social media site, the community could even engage with them as they learn about what makes the place where they are from distinct.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the things we really need for civic renewal is having conversations with other generations about issues,” Stokes said. Allowing students to learn what it means to participate in a civics project by leading them through a mobile game might begin a conversation with adults about the past that never would have happened otherwise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>PARTICIPATORY MOBILE GAMES\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jim Matthews is a teacher and researcher interested in using games to promote place-based education about everything, not just civics. Communities that show pride in their distinctive qualities and cultures tend to be more resilient and capable of problem-solving. Matthews wants to help students and their families contribute their own stories to the local history to strengthen that sense of place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the strongest elements of a pervasive game is that the skills can’t be siloed into one academic discipline. “In order to solve some kinds of problems, by default they have to be multidisciplinary,” Matthews said in an \u003ca href=\"http://home.edweb.net/\" target=\"_blank\">edWeb\u003c/a> webinar. Many of the games he has experimented with require students to use cross-cutting skills that will help them solve a varied set of problems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://brianhouse.net/works/yellow_arrow/\" target=\"_blank\">\u003cstrong>YELLOW ARROW\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: This public art project started in 2004 in Manhattan and has spread across the world. Participants print out yellow arrow stickers from the website , each with a unique identifying code, and place them in public places that have important local meaning. People who know about the project can text the Yellow Arrow phone number with the unique code and instantly receive the story or piece of local lore the author marked. Other users can even add more stories to a location, creating a crowdsourced ethnography of place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://arisgames.org/featured/dow-day/\" target=\"_blank\">\u003cstrong>DOW DAY\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: In this game, players take on the role of a journalist on the Madison campus of the University of Wisconsin in 1967 during a protest against Dow Chemical and their product, napalm. Called a situational documentary, students explore different characters' perspectives, taking on their roles. The game also offers opportunities to research contemporary issues connected to the university and contribute stories using the platform.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://arisgames.org/featured/mentira/\" target=\"_blank\">\u003cstrong>MENTIRA\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: This game was started in Albuquerque to teach Spanish. Players interact with virtual characters as well as real residents of one of the city’s Spanish-speaking neighborhoods to investigate a fictional murder. Following clues given by game characters and real people, students must \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/04/augmented-reality-coming-soon-to-a-school-near-you/\" target=\"_blank\">play out the narrative and engage with people using their Spanish\u003c/a> at the same time. “One of the goals of this story is to get people out into a neighborhood, and the way you are doing it is through an invented story that uses Spanish,” Matthews said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://arisgames.org/jewish-time-jump/\" target=\"_blank\">\u003cstrong>JEWISH TIME JUMP\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Using GPS technology on students’ mobile devices, archival images and tidbits of information pop up as students move around a park that sits across the street from the \u003ca href=\"http://www.history.com/topics/triangle-shirtwaist-fire\" target=\"_blank\">Triangle Shirtwaist Factory\u003c/a>, site of the famous fire that drew attention to the dangerous conditions in sweatshops. Players interrogate virtual historical figures like Rose Schneiderman, read primary source documents and slowly piece together the history of Jewish immigration in New York, the labor movement and women’s rights. These kinds of place-based, augmented reality games have the potential to allow students to construct their own understanding of history, while tying it tightly to the physical place where it happened.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://www.colleenmacklin.com/projects/reactivism/\" target=\"_blank\">\u003cstrong>RE:ACTIVISM\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: This mobile game is similar to Jewish Time Jump in that it focuses on the civics history of locations, but it extends beyond New York. Teams compete to come up with visible, public actions that engage the public around different historical moments. Players are given cards associated with different sites and document their actions along the way. It requires creativity, research and knowledge to win the challenge. Players have to walk a fine line between being authentic to history and being playful -- one of the many interesting aspects of participatory gaming.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://mobile.wisc.edu/news/project-sustainable-u/\" target=\"_blank\">\u003cstrong>SUSTAINABLE U\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Players find themselves in a dystopian future where natural resources are running out and something must be done to change the course of history. Players receive quests to explore transportation, water and waste policies at a university. After researching what’s already been tried, they come up with new ways to address sustainability. “One of the challenges is to go out and find where energy is being wasted and change your own behavior,” Matthews said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://engagementgamelab.org/projects/upriver/\" target=\"_blank\">\u003cstrong>UP RIVER\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Designed to make learning about the St. Louis Estuary more participatory, this virtual game leads students through the estuary to various places, some more industrial, others that look like the natural habitat that once existed. Students investigate important scientific factors like oxygen levels in the water, vital for fish stocks, and interact with virtual historical characters who can describe what the area was once like. The game includes questions and challenges that require students to interact with contemporary people, like fishermen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the things we’re experimenting with is how can you integrate stories with field work,” Matthews said. Students are collecting water samples, but learning about the local lore of the place as well. This kind of game reinforces the notion that real problems aren’t siloed by discipline. Cleaning up an estuary has real effects on local businesses of all kinds, for good and bad.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://communityplanit.org/\" target=\"_blank\">\u003cstrong>COMMUNITY PLANIT\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: This game allows students to get involved in city planning at the local level. Students complete missions in the real world to win virtual coins. They can spend those coins to vote for how funds will be allocated for real city projects. “One of the neat things about this is that folks are tying it into planning projects that are already taking place,” Matthews said. The city of Philadelphia is using this game as it builds its Philadelphia 2035 plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://localgameslababq.wordpress.com/2011/11/21/playing-digital-graffiti-gallery/\" target=\"_blank\">\u003cstrong>DIGITAL GRAFFITI GALLERY\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: This game focuses on the ephemeral and often beautiful culture of street art. “You are capturing real-world graffiti that has been put out around the city before it gets painted over,” Matthews said. Capturing it creates a record of its existence, and players can curate their own list of favorite artwork.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://citydigits.org/\" target=\"_blank\">\u003cstrong>LOCAL LOTO\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Focusing on the lottery and its effects on communities, the game asks students to look at the quantitative data about the lottery and then go out into the community and gather stories of people who play and why. After they’ve conducted all their research, students form their own position about whether they think the lottery is good or bad for the neighborhood as a whole.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These are just a few examples of the kinds of activities local game labs, teachers and nonprofits have developed to connect mobile gaming to real places and the communities that bring them to life. “The games challenge learning to be relevant, using classroom skills and fascinating stories from life,” Stokes said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He thinks real-world gaming has the power to re-engage young people with civics and ignite their passion to have an impact. “Engage them in studying places where they already hang out and use technology that they already use,” Stokes said. Doing so not only helps teach them, but it could also empower them too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think we can actually try to be a little more ambitious beyond learning,” Stokes said. “Look at the contribution your young people might be able to make to their community.” As citizen scientists, community ethnographers and storytellers, chroniclers of injustice or city disfunction -- students can make a difference in their communities and often find great satisfaction in learning that allows them to do so.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/mindshift/37450/how-virtual-reality-meets-real-life-learning-with-mobile-games",
"authors": [
"234"
],
"categories": [
"mindshift_195"
],
"tags": [
"mindshift_335",
"mindshift_1040",
"mindshift_548",
"mindshift_187"
],
"featImg": "mindshift_37453",
"label": "mindshift"
},
"mindshift_37627": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "mindshift_37627",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "37627",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1410876002000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "mindshift"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1410876002,
"format": "aside",
"disqusTitle": "Role-Playing Game Upends College Lecture and Ignites Fire in Students",
"title": "Role-Playing Game Upends College Lecture and Ignites Fire in Students",
"headTitle": "MindShift | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_37774\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/laenulfean/374398044\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-37774\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/09/role-playing.jpg\" alt=\"Carsten Tolkmit/Flickr\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/09/role-playing.jpg 640w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/09/role-playing-400x225.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/09/role-playing-320x180.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Carsten Tolkmit/Flickr\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The excerpt below is from the book \"Minds on Fire: How Role-Immersion Games Transform College,\" by Barnard University professor Mark C. Carnes.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"dropcap-serif\">Everyone responds to a role- immersion game in a different way. Some are stimulated by the competition, others by the imaginative reach, and others by the absurdity of it all. Gilberto G. Jimenez is among those who mostly enjoy its competitiveness. Gilberto was born in Monterrey, Mexico. After graduating from the local high school, he spent a few years racing a Formula 3 car. Th en he went to the University of Hartford, where he took a Reacting seminar in 2007. In the first game, set in Athens in 403 b.c.e., he was assigned a role as a radical democrat. It instantly engaged his competitive instincts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From the start he sought an edge over the other students. \"I knew my peers were doing the same thing, looking for an edge over me,\" he revealed, \"so I had to research topics I knew they would bring up so that I could defend my stance.\" His chances of winning improved if he could persuade the Athenian assembly to rebuild its navy. But Sparta had just crushed\u003cbr>\nAthens and Athenian remilitarization might provoke Spartan intervention. Gilberto went to the library to research the subject. He discovered that while the Spartans committed themselves wholly to war, they also indulged in a long period of recuperation afterwards. Athens could \"sneak up\" and rebuild its navy and defensive walls while the Spartans were still recovering, or so he argued.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignleft\">'The game was fake; we all knew that. But the goal — influencing your peers, making your voice heard, saying something worth hearing— that was very real.'\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>As he delivered his speech, Gilberto noticed that his heart was pounding. \"It was silly,\" he observed. He had raced cars at speeds in excess of 150 miles an hour; he was not in the least\u003cbr>\nintimidated by public speaking. His excitement was \"something more\": he wanted to win, just \"for the sake of it— to be number 1.\" Perhaps, he suggested, the compulsion to win was rooted in biology— part of our programming as a species to survive in a competitive world. A lust for competition was part of his own makeup: of that he was certain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other Reacting students care less about competition and instead enjoy imagining what it’s like to be someone else. Eric Welkos, a senior majoring in Asian art history at McDaniel College (Maryland), is an example. When he enrolled in an art course that included a Reacting game set in Paris in 1888, he considered himself a devotee of the avant- garde. Assigned the role of William Bouguereau, a staunch traditionalist and avowed foe of Gauguin and Van Gogh, Eric considered playing the part ironically: perhaps as a stuff y pedant whose retrograde views would send classmates into hysterics. But once immersed in Bouguereau’s writings and paintings, he uncovered more merit than he had thought. Traditional academic painting revealed a disciplined beauty and aesthetic power. Soon he found it easy to denounce Van Gogh and Gauguin “for slopping some paint on a canvas and calling it art.” For their part, the students playing Van Gogh and Gauguin tweaked Eric over Bouguereau's rotund cherubs and bare- breasted angels.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-37775\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/09/MindsOnFire-300x464.jpg\" alt=\"MindsOnFire\" width=\"300\" height=\"464\">Eric enjoyed the competitive banter and the debates. But what appealed to him most was becoming Bouguereau. \"I really absorbed him,\" Eric admitted. \"To play Bouguereau, you have to be Bouguereau inside and out.” Eric eschewed his customary bohemian garb and came to class in a black pinstripe suit, bow tie, and pink shirt. The other students in the class embraced their roles, too. When Eric met them outside of class, immediately they assumed their game identities: Bougeureau chatted with Monet and Meissonier. The student playing Van Gogh took to wearing a Band- Aid on her ear. Becoming other people was fun — researching their lives, writing papers from their perspective, voicing their ideas in class.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Often students find this surprising. Accustomed to hiding behind the glittering facade of their Facebook wall, many are initially unnerved by the idea of becoming someone else. For example, when Ashleigh Schap, a sophomore at the University of Texas at Austin, first heard about Reacting she was appalled by the prospect of \"weird role- playing games.\" An upper- class\u003cbr>\nstudent further warned that the workload in Reacting was \"brutal,\" so Ashleigh resolved to take nearly any other course. But scheduling problems intervened and she had no choice but to enroll in a Reacting class: \"I thought it was going to be a pain in the butt.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the first game, she was assigned the role of Thrasybulus, the general who led the radical democrats in Athens in 403 b.c.E. Her initial task was to persuade the Athenian assembly to punish those who had collaborated with the Spartan army of occupation. Lest she make a fool of herself, Ashleigh worked hard on her speech. At the beginning of the first game session, as she\u003cbr>\nwalked to the podium, stomach churning, she worried that the speech would bomb — and that the class would be a dud. But as she spoke, something clicked: her words made sense and she saw several other students — all of them strangers — nodding in agreement. Then, while looking at the impassive faces of the other students, she wanted them to nod, too. She poured emotion into her words, and soon she was hooked. When she returned to her dorm, she started her next paper. She had become Thrasybulus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>I really bought into it. I genuinely adopted a set of beliefs, and I very genuinely sought to defend them. The game was fake; we all knew that. But the goal — influencing\u003cbr>\nyour peers, making your voice heard, saying something worth hearing— that was very real. We weren't actually in Athens, but we were actively trying to change each other's minds.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>Perhaps the oddest aspect of Reacting is how readily students surrender their skepticism and, like Ashleigh, \"buy into\" Reacting. Partly this is because they take possession of the class. To be sure, students recognize that their sovereignty is illusory. Their thoughts and actions are constrained by the rules of the game, by the requirements of their particular roles, and by the ultimate authority of the instructor-as-gamemaster. Students perceive that the professor who has given them suggestions on how to win or write a persuasive paper has just walked over to their opponents and done the same with them. Students who are on the verge of winning chafe when the gamemaster folds in complications that make their task harder. A major element of all Reacting games is the tension between the students who run the class and the gamemaster who enforces the structure of the game. Th is dynamic invites students to subvert it and often they do: sometimes they undertake additional research to challenge gamemaster rulings and to propose rule modifications.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[contextly_sidebar id=\"R5bc0SlzvtSFW8egZLRZebqEmSRDuI3O\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sometimes, however, the subversions are more explicit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A vivid illustration occurred in Larry Carver’s Reacting class at the honors college at the University of Texas at Austin in March 2009. His students had finished \"Henry VIII and the Reformation Parliament\" and the class was midway through the set- up phase of \"Defining a Nation: The Indian Subcontinent on the Eve of Independence, 1945.\" The setup included a 100-question quiz on nearly 700 pages of readings: the 200-page game book, large sections of the \"Bhagavad Gita\" and the \"Qur'an,\" and a history of colonial India.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the day of the quiz, Ingrid Norton, a graduating senior, arrived early. Her reading of the materials had been perfunctory. The threat of a quiz had been insufficient to make her study\u003cbr>\nhard, and now it loomed. She grumbled about the quiz with her peers. \"Reacting absorbs students into ideas, gives them motivations for reading that are more organic (and internal) than\u003cbr>\nquizzes,\" she mentioned afterwards. \"We all knew we would eventually do the reading.\" But she was convinced that the forced quiz went against the spirit of Reacting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then an idea popped into her head. \"What if we hold a nonviolent protest against the quiz today? Like Gandhi?\" she asked her classmates. The idea caught fire, Ingrid recalled, because it \"tapped into the anarchic inclination\" of students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A few minutes later Carver entered the room, joking about the heat in India. The students stared at him with poker faces. \"OK, OK,\" Carver said. \"Must have been something I said, so let's try this again.\" He walked out and closed the door. The students looked at each other. Then Ingrid hurried to the center of the room and sat down, cross- legged. Everyone joined her, some giggling, others nervous and uncomfortable. When Carver re-entered, the protesters said nothing.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignleft\">\"This was what I felt about the best of my college classes, that I could go out and take on the world.\"\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>\"Ingrid,\" he asked, \"are you behind this?\" She smiled innocently. Then he walked out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"The emotional tenor changed instantly,\" Ingrid recalled. \"He had pulled out the rug from us.\" \"Go after him!\" several students pleaded.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ingrid and some others leaped up, ran out the door, and caught up with him down the hall. \"No,\" he replied. \"“I'm not coming back. The offices in India close early. Sorry.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ingrid saw the glint in his eyes: \"I felt frozen out, but I knew he was messing with us.\" The delegation returned to the classroom and the students spent the next hour in agitated debate. Had they erred in challenging authority? Carver was not just their instructor; he was also head of the honors college. Would he really punish them?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ingrid, however, put things together. The British, she argued, would have stormed off, too, or thrown the protesters in jail. Gandhi himself had said that those who engaged in civil disobedience should expect to suffer the consequences. The path to justice was never easy. Soon the students were lost in a debate over the tactics and philosophy of civil disobedience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Carver's ingenious response to the students' make - believe civil disobedience — to pretend that it was \u003cem>real\u003c/em> — transformed the class into a subversive play world within a subversive play world. Carver was both taking the protesters seriously — and playing with them. \"It had us a bit on edge,\" Ingrid recalled, \"but it energized us,\" eliciting\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>that lovely feeling of challenging authority, of being encouraged to be anarchic in an educational setting, of taking a class in your reins, and just that cool thing where you're admitted into a realm possessed by authority figures. ... This was what I felt about the best of my college classes, that I could go out and take on the world.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>Most subversive play — because it contravenes normal social structures or beliefs — edges toward man-bites-dog absurdity. And the first thing that strikes observers about a Reacting class is its weirdness: callow young men and women acting as if they were Ming emperors, or eminent scientists in the Royal Society, or Founding Fathers of the American nation. Whenever a Reacting course is first offered at a college, word spreads that something “strange” is going on. Soon a reporter shows up. What draws attention and generates headlines are the unusual happenings, such as Nate’s standing on a chair to incite the mob or Ingrid’s impromptu sit- down strike. Usually, toward the end of the article, the reporter quotes students on how hard they have worked, but the main point of the story is that Reacting classes are absurd.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As indeed they are. Yet the strangeness of Reacting is not limited to the occasional over- the- top actions of some students. Everything about the experience is weird: coming to class before sunrise; working all night to gain an advantage to win an academic game; identifying with historical figures with unusual beliefs; parading an eager- beaver enthusiasm in a student culture predicated on sophisticated disinterest. The permeating strangeness of Reacting is another reason it’s fun.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Mark C. Carnes is Professor of History at Barnard College, Columbia University. He teaches recent American history along with seminars in the \"Reacting to the Past\" program which he initiated in 1996. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "37627 http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/?p=37627",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/09/16/role-playing-game-upends-college-lecture-and-ignites-fire-in-students/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 2082,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 27
},
"modified": 1410826337,
"excerpt": "A complicated role-immersion game has a few college professors handing over control of the classroom to students who are suddenly showing more passion and interest than ever before.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "A complicated role-immersion game has a few college professors handing over control of the classroom to students who are suddenly showing more passion and interest than ever before.",
"title": "Role-Playing Game Upends College Lecture and Ignites Fire in Students | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Role-Playing Game Upends College Lecture and Ignites Fire in Students",
"datePublished": "2014-09-16T07:00:02-07:00",
"dateModified": "2014-09-15T17:12:17-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "role-playing-game-upends-college-lecture-and-ignites-fire-in-students",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/mindshift/37627/role-playing-game-upends-college-lecture-and-ignites-fire-in-students",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_37774\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/laenulfean/374398044\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-37774\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/09/role-playing.jpg\" alt=\"Carsten Tolkmit/Flickr\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/09/role-playing.jpg 640w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/09/role-playing-400x225.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/09/role-playing-320x180.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Carsten Tolkmit/Flickr\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The excerpt below is from the book \"Minds on Fire: How Role-Immersion Games Transform College,\" by Barnard University professor Mark C. Carnes.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"dropcap-serif\">Everyone responds to a role- immersion game in a different way. Some are stimulated by the competition, others by the imaginative reach, and others by the absurdity of it all. Gilberto G. Jimenez is among those who mostly enjoy its competitiveness. Gilberto was born in Monterrey, Mexico. After graduating from the local high school, he spent a few years racing a Formula 3 car. Th en he went to the University of Hartford, where he took a Reacting seminar in 2007. In the first game, set in Athens in 403 b.c.e., he was assigned a role as a radical democrat. It instantly engaged his competitive instincts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From the start he sought an edge over the other students. \"I knew my peers were doing the same thing, looking for an edge over me,\" he revealed, \"so I had to research topics I knew they would bring up so that I could defend my stance.\" His chances of winning improved if he could persuade the Athenian assembly to rebuild its navy. But Sparta had just crushed\u003cbr>\nAthens and Athenian remilitarization might provoke Spartan intervention. Gilberto went to the library to research the subject. He discovered that while the Spartans committed themselves wholly to war, they also indulged in a long period of recuperation afterwards. Athens could \"sneak up\" and rebuild its navy and defensive walls while the Spartans were still recovering, or so he argued.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignleft\">'The game was fake; we all knew that. But the goal — influencing your peers, making your voice heard, saying something worth hearing— that was very real.'\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>As he delivered his speech, Gilberto noticed that his heart was pounding. \"It was silly,\" he observed. He had raced cars at speeds in excess of 150 miles an hour; he was not in the least\u003cbr>\nintimidated by public speaking. His excitement was \"something more\": he wanted to win, just \"for the sake of it— to be number 1.\" Perhaps, he suggested, the compulsion to win was rooted in biology— part of our programming as a species to survive in a competitive world. A lust for competition was part of his own makeup: of that he was certain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other Reacting students care less about competition and instead enjoy imagining what it’s like to be someone else. Eric Welkos, a senior majoring in Asian art history at McDaniel College (Maryland), is an example. When he enrolled in an art course that included a Reacting game set in Paris in 1888, he considered himself a devotee of the avant- garde. Assigned the role of William Bouguereau, a staunch traditionalist and avowed foe of Gauguin and Van Gogh, Eric considered playing the part ironically: perhaps as a stuff y pedant whose retrograde views would send classmates into hysterics. But once immersed in Bouguereau’s writings and paintings, he uncovered more merit than he had thought. Traditional academic painting revealed a disciplined beauty and aesthetic power. Soon he found it easy to denounce Van Gogh and Gauguin “for slopping some paint on a canvas and calling it art.” For their part, the students playing Van Gogh and Gauguin tweaked Eric over Bouguereau's rotund cherubs and bare- breasted angels.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-37775\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/09/MindsOnFire-300x464.jpg\" alt=\"MindsOnFire\" width=\"300\" height=\"464\">Eric enjoyed the competitive banter and the debates. But what appealed to him most was becoming Bouguereau. \"I really absorbed him,\" Eric admitted. \"To play Bouguereau, you have to be Bouguereau inside and out.” Eric eschewed his customary bohemian garb and came to class in a black pinstripe suit, bow tie, and pink shirt. The other students in the class embraced their roles, too. When Eric met them outside of class, immediately they assumed their game identities: Bougeureau chatted with Monet and Meissonier. The student playing Van Gogh took to wearing a Band- Aid on her ear. Becoming other people was fun — researching their lives, writing papers from their perspective, voicing their ideas in class.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Often students find this surprising. Accustomed to hiding behind the glittering facade of their Facebook wall, many are initially unnerved by the idea of becoming someone else. For example, when Ashleigh Schap, a sophomore at the University of Texas at Austin, first heard about Reacting she was appalled by the prospect of \"weird role- playing games.\" An upper- class\u003cbr>\nstudent further warned that the workload in Reacting was \"brutal,\" so Ashleigh resolved to take nearly any other course. But scheduling problems intervened and she had no choice but to enroll in a Reacting class: \"I thought it was going to be a pain in the butt.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the first game, she was assigned the role of Thrasybulus, the general who led the radical democrats in Athens in 403 b.c.E. Her initial task was to persuade the Athenian assembly to punish those who had collaborated with the Spartan army of occupation. Lest she make a fool of herself, Ashleigh worked hard on her speech. At the beginning of the first game session, as she\u003cbr>\nwalked to the podium, stomach churning, she worried that the speech would bomb — and that the class would be a dud. But as she spoke, something clicked: her words made sense and she saw several other students — all of them strangers — nodding in agreement. Then, while looking at the impassive faces of the other students, she wanted them to nod, too. She poured emotion into her words, and soon she was hooked. When she returned to her dorm, she started her next paper. She had become Thrasybulus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>I really bought into it. I genuinely adopted a set of beliefs, and I very genuinely sought to defend them. The game was fake; we all knew that. But the goal — influencing\u003cbr>\nyour peers, making your voice heard, saying something worth hearing— that was very real. We weren't actually in Athens, but we were actively trying to change each other's minds.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>Perhaps the oddest aspect of Reacting is how readily students surrender their skepticism and, like Ashleigh, \"buy into\" Reacting. Partly this is because they take possession of the class. To be sure, students recognize that their sovereignty is illusory. Their thoughts and actions are constrained by the rules of the game, by the requirements of their particular roles, and by the ultimate authority of the instructor-as-gamemaster. Students perceive that the professor who has given them suggestions on how to win or write a persuasive paper has just walked over to their opponents and done the same with them. Students who are on the verge of winning chafe when the gamemaster folds in complications that make their task harder. A major element of all Reacting games is the tension between the students who run the class and the gamemaster who enforces the structure of the game. Th is dynamic invites students to subvert it and often they do: sometimes they undertake additional research to challenge gamemaster rulings and to propose rule modifications.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sometimes, however, the subversions are more explicit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A vivid illustration occurred in Larry Carver’s Reacting class at the honors college at the University of Texas at Austin in March 2009. His students had finished \"Henry VIII and the Reformation Parliament\" and the class was midway through the set- up phase of \"Defining a Nation: The Indian Subcontinent on the Eve of Independence, 1945.\" The setup included a 100-question quiz on nearly 700 pages of readings: the 200-page game book, large sections of the \"Bhagavad Gita\" and the \"Qur'an,\" and a history of colonial India.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the day of the quiz, Ingrid Norton, a graduating senior, arrived early. Her reading of the materials had been perfunctory. The threat of a quiz had been insufficient to make her study\u003cbr>\nhard, and now it loomed. She grumbled about the quiz with her peers. \"Reacting absorbs students into ideas, gives them motivations for reading that are more organic (and internal) than\u003cbr>\nquizzes,\" she mentioned afterwards. \"We all knew we would eventually do the reading.\" But she was convinced that the forced quiz went against the spirit of Reacting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then an idea popped into her head. \"What if we hold a nonviolent protest against the quiz today? Like Gandhi?\" she asked her classmates. The idea caught fire, Ingrid recalled, because it \"tapped into the anarchic inclination\" of students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A few minutes later Carver entered the room, joking about the heat in India. The students stared at him with poker faces. \"OK, OK,\" Carver said. \"Must have been something I said, so let's try this again.\" He walked out and closed the door. The students looked at each other. Then Ingrid hurried to the center of the room and sat down, cross- legged. Everyone joined her, some giggling, others nervous and uncomfortable. When Carver re-entered, the protesters said nothing.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignleft\">\"This was what I felt about the best of my college classes, that I could go out and take on the world.\"\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>\"Ingrid,\" he asked, \"are you behind this?\" She smiled innocently. Then he walked out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"The emotional tenor changed instantly,\" Ingrid recalled. \"He had pulled out the rug from us.\" \"Go after him!\" several students pleaded.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ingrid and some others leaped up, ran out the door, and caught up with him down the hall. \"No,\" he replied. \"“I'm not coming back. The offices in India close early. Sorry.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ingrid saw the glint in his eyes: \"I felt frozen out, but I knew he was messing with us.\" The delegation returned to the classroom and the students spent the next hour in agitated debate. Had they erred in challenging authority? Carver was not just their instructor; he was also head of the honors college. Would he really punish them?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ingrid, however, put things together. The British, she argued, would have stormed off, too, or thrown the protesters in jail. Gandhi himself had said that those who engaged in civil disobedience should expect to suffer the consequences. The path to justice was never easy. Soon the students were lost in a debate over the tactics and philosophy of civil disobedience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Carver's ingenious response to the students' make - believe civil disobedience — to pretend that it was \u003cem>real\u003c/em> — transformed the class into a subversive play world within a subversive play world. Carver was both taking the protesters seriously — and playing with them. \"It had us a bit on edge,\" Ingrid recalled, \"but it energized us,\" eliciting\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>that lovely feeling of challenging authority, of being encouraged to be anarchic in an educational setting, of taking a class in your reins, and just that cool thing where you're admitted into a realm possessed by authority figures. ... This was what I felt about the best of my college classes, that I could go out and take on the world.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>Most subversive play — because it contravenes normal social structures or beliefs — edges toward man-bites-dog absurdity. And the first thing that strikes observers about a Reacting class is its weirdness: callow young men and women acting as if they were Ming emperors, or eminent scientists in the Royal Society, or Founding Fathers of the American nation. Whenever a Reacting course is first offered at a college, word spreads that something “strange” is going on. Soon a reporter shows up. What draws attention and generates headlines are the unusual happenings, such as Nate’s standing on a chair to incite the mob or Ingrid’s impromptu sit- down strike. Usually, toward the end of the article, the reporter quotes students on how hard they have worked, but the main point of the story is that Reacting classes are absurd.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As indeed they are. Yet the strangeness of Reacting is not limited to the occasional over- the- top actions of some students. Everything about the experience is weird: coming to class before sunrise; working all night to gain an advantage to win an academic game; identifying with historical figures with unusual beliefs; parading an eager- beaver enthusiasm in a student culture predicated on sophisticated disinterest. The permeating strangeness of Reacting is another reason it’s fun.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Mark C. Carnes is Professor of History at Barnard College, Columbia University. He teaches recent American history along with seminars in the \"Reacting to the Past\" program which he initiated in 1996. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/mindshift/37627/role-playing-game-upends-college-lecture-and-ignites-fire-in-students",
"authors": [
"4354"
],
"categories": [
"mindshift_193"
],
"tags": [
"mindshift_1040",
"mindshift_548",
"mindshift_68"
],
"label": "mindshift"
},
"mindshift_37516": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "mindshift_37516",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "37516",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1410530436000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "mindshift",
"term": 20669
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1410530436,
"format": "aside",
"disqusTitle": "Games in the Classroom: Overcoming the Obstacles",
"title": "Games in the Classroom: Overcoming the Obstacles",
"headTitle": "The MindShift Guide to Digital Games and Learning | MindShift | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_37734\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/56155476@N08/5667864872\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-37734 size-full\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games-obstacles.jpg\" alt=\"Brad Flickinger/Flickr\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games-obstacles.jpg 640w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games-obstacles-400x225.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games-obstacles-320x180.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Brad Flickinger/Flickr\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Part #20 of \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/series/guide-to-games-and-learning/\" target=\"_blank\">MindShift's Guide to Games and Learning Series\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"dropcap-serif\">Even for educators who are excited about using games in the classroom, questions inevitably come up around the very real obstacles to implementation, and strategies for overcoming them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"http://www.gamesandlearning.org/2014/06/09/teachers-on-using-games-in-class/\">recent survey\u003c/a> from the Games and Learning Publishing Council asked 700 teachers to identify and rank the major barriers to using games in the classroom. Here are the top 10 obstacles they list and ideas about how to overcome each one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>1. Insufficient Time\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Forty-five percent of teachers surveyed reported that insufficient time is a barrier to implementing game-based teaching strategies. But this concern presumes that video games would take time \u003ci>away\u003c/i> from instruction. It’s a matter of changing tactics and presumptions: games can be integrated into everyday curricula because they enable teachers to \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/05/how-games-based-learning-teaches-problem-solving-in-context/\">present academic concepts in a contextualized, experiential way\u003c/a>. Imagine games like activities or projects that can either reinforce or introduce new concepts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>2. Cost\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Forty-four percent of teachers surveyed reported that cost is prohibitive. It’s all too true that teachers lack the financial resources they need and often use their own money to purchase supplies. There's not much that can be done to ameliorate this obstacle, though for motivated teachers, resources like \u003ca href=\"http://www.donorschoose.org/teachers\">Donors Choose\u003c/a> and other crowd-sourced fundraising sites can certainly provide some options. The majority of tablet games are fairly cheap, ranging from $1 to $10. Many are also free, such as \u003ca href=\"http://motionmathgames.com/questimate/\">Questimate!\u003c/a>, a game that introduces students to estimation skills. The cost of using any kind of new tool in school can be prohibitive, but for educators who want to make it happen, trying free games is a great first step.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[contextly_sidebar id=\"0XMqDMAOLONQtLvX9u1aYZTcBvbBJ4vd\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>3. Lack of Tech Resources\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thirty-five percent of teachers surveyed reported that they lack the technology resources to introduce game-based teaching strategies. This obstacle might have more to do with perception than reality. Though some tech corporations may push the notion that one-to-one device-to-student ratio is necessary, that's not necessarily the case. Teachers can go a long way with learning games using just a few devices. Students can play the game in groups, collaborating and working together. Follow it up with a group writing project to describe how the game impacted their thinking about the subject matter. Have one group play the game while the others do non-digital activities. Rotate your students from one project to another.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>4. Hard To Find Games That Fit Curriculum\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thirty-four percent of teachers surveyed reported that it’s hard to find games that fit the current curriculum. Check out \u003ca href=\"http://www.graphite.org/\">Graphite\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"http://playfullearning.com/\">Playful Learning\u003c/a>, and \u003ca href=\"http://educade.org/\">Educade\u003c/a> for ideas. All three of these sites allow you to filter information about games by traditional subject areas and by grade level. Remember that the best way to use games is as a supplemental reinforcement for your traditional teaching. Don’t look for games that will teach your curriculum. Instead, look for games that might approach the same subject area from a different perspective.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>5. Emphasis On Standardized Test Scores\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Twenty-nine percent of teachers surveyed reported that an emphasis on standardized tests makes using learning games difficult. Game-design companies have been addressing this by attempting to align games with standards. Filament Games, for example, offers many learning games and each one includes a \"standards map.\" Check out their \u003ca href=\"https://d2kx2fvqbvh3da.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/product-info-downloads/PLEx%20Life%20Scince%20Standards%20Correlations_3.pdf\">PLEX Life Science suite\u003c/a> of games and how they map to various sets of science standards. These are fun, playful games that don’t \"teach to the test,\" but do align directly with state standards.\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-35359\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401.png\" alt=\"MindShiftGames\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401.png 140w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-32x32.png 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-64x64.png 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-96x96.png 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-128x128.png 128w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 140px) 100vw, 140px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>6. Not Sure Where To Find Quality Games\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Twenty-seven percent of teachers surveyed reported that they don’t know where to find quality games. The big app stores don’t help much either; they want to sell games and apps more than they want to help students. See the sites listed above (number 4). All three of these sites offer sophisticated ways to filter search results and find specific games. Also, read \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/08/how-to-choose-a-learning-game/\">How To Choose A Learning Game\u003c/a> for more ideas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>7. Not Sure How To Integrate Games Into Instruction\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Twenty-three percent of teachers surveyed reported that they're not sure how to integrate games into instruction -- thus the need for this guide! You'll find ways to implement game-based learning, and understand the theoretical, pedagogical, and practical uses. In this guide, we show how to apply games to \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/06/digital-games-and-the-future-of-math-class-a-conversation-with-keith-devlin/\">math\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/07/how-teachers-can-use-video-games-in-the-humanities-classroom/\">humanities education,\u003c/a> as well as how games can facilitate \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/05/math-science-history-games-break-boundaries-between-subjects-interdisciplinary-learning/\">interdisciplinary learning.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>8. Unfamiliar With Technology\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Seventeen percent of teachers surveyed reported that they’re unfamiliar with technology. That’s okay. Most of the writing about game-based learning focuses on digital media, but the truth is that you don’t necessarily need devices. At the Quest To Learn School in New York City, \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/07/what-happens-when-school-design-looks-like-game-design/\">game design is a way of thinking, a paradigm\u003c/a>. A great deal of their curriculum uses paper-based games rather than digital games. Check out their \u003ca href=\"http://www.instituteofplay.org/work/projects/print-play-games-2/\">print and play\u003c/a> games. There's also the great \u003ca href=\"http://www.instituteofplay.org/work/projects/print-play-games-2/socratic-smackdown/\">Socratic Smackdown,\u003c/a> which is makes it easier to add games to your classroom without technology.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>9. Lack Of Administrative Support\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fourteen percent of teachers surveyed reported that lack of administrative support when it comes to games in the classroom. But with more and more data to support the use of games, teachers can use the new research to convince administrators. For example, an \u003ca href=\"http://www.sri.com/work/projects/glasslab-research\">SRI research\u003c/a> showed that students on the median \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/06/games-in-the-classroom-what-the-research-says/\">score 12 percent better on standardized tests\u003c/a>. This kind of research can help you make a strong case for using games for learning with your administrator.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>10. Lack Of Parental Support\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nine percent of teachers surveyed reported a lack of parental support for games in the classroom. That's clearly not the majority of parents' perspectives as evidenced by the small percentage; what’s more, a Cooney Center report, \u003ca href=\"http://www.joanganzcooneycenter.org/publication/learning-at-home/\"> Learning at Home: Families’ Educational Media Use in America\u003c/a>, showed that more than half (57 percent) of parents say their children have learned \"a lot\" from educational media. Still, teachers may have to account for their use of games for learning, and in those cases, start slowly. Demonstrate to parents (as you may have done with administrators) why you're using these tactics with evidence to back it up, and you'll prove over time how well it's working.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "37516 http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/?p=37516",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/09/12/games-in-the-classroom-overcoming-the-obstacles/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 1102,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 25
},
"modified": 1410481590,
"excerpt": "There are ways around every obstacle.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "There are ways around every obstacle.",
"title": "Games in the Classroom: Overcoming the Obstacles | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Games in the Classroom: Overcoming the Obstacles",
"datePublished": "2014-09-12T07:00:36-07:00",
"dateModified": "2014-09-11T17:26:30-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "games-in-the-classroom-overcoming-the-obstacles",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/mindshift/37516/games-in-the-classroom-overcoming-the-obstacles",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_37734\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/56155476@N08/5667864872\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-37734 size-full\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games-obstacles.jpg\" alt=\"Brad Flickinger/Flickr\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games-obstacles.jpg 640w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games-obstacles-400x225.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games-obstacles-320x180.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Brad Flickinger/Flickr\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Part #20 of \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/series/guide-to-games-and-learning/\" target=\"_blank\">MindShift's Guide to Games and Learning Series\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"dropcap-serif\">Even for educators who are excited about using games in the classroom, questions inevitably come up around the very real obstacles to implementation, and strategies for overcoming them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"http://www.gamesandlearning.org/2014/06/09/teachers-on-using-games-in-class/\">recent survey\u003c/a> from the Games and Learning Publishing Council asked 700 teachers to identify and rank the major barriers to using games in the classroom. Here are the top 10 obstacles they list and ideas about how to overcome each one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>1. Insufficient Time\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Forty-five percent of teachers surveyed reported that insufficient time is a barrier to implementing game-based teaching strategies. But this concern presumes that video games would take time \u003ci>away\u003c/i> from instruction. It’s a matter of changing tactics and presumptions: games can be integrated into everyday curricula because they enable teachers to \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/05/how-games-based-learning-teaches-problem-solving-in-context/\">present academic concepts in a contextualized, experiential way\u003c/a>. Imagine games like activities or projects that can either reinforce or introduce new concepts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>2. Cost\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Forty-four percent of teachers surveyed reported that cost is prohibitive. It’s all too true that teachers lack the financial resources they need and often use their own money to purchase supplies. There's not much that can be done to ameliorate this obstacle, though for motivated teachers, resources like \u003ca href=\"http://www.donorschoose.org/teachers\">Donors Choose\u003c/a> and other crowd-sourced fundraising sites can certainly provide some options. The majority of tablet games are fairly cheap, ranging from $1 to $10. Many are also free, such as \u003ca href=\"http://motionmathgames.com/questimate/\">Questimate!\u003c/a>, a game that introduces students to estimation skills. The cost of using any kind of new tool in school can be prohibitive, but for educators who want to make it happen, trying free games is a great first step.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>3. Lack of Tech Resources\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thirty-five percent of teachers surveyed reported that they lack the technology resources to introduce game-based teaching strategies. This obstacle might have more to do with perception than reality. Though some tech corporations may push the notion that one-to-one device-to-student ratio is necessary, that's not necessarily the case. Teachers can go a long way with learning games using just a few devices. Students can play the game in groups, collaborating and working together. Follow it up with a group writing project to describe how the game impacted their thinking about the subject matter. Have one group play the game while the others do non-digital activities. Rotate your students from one project to another.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>4. Hard To Find Games That Fit Curriculum\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thirty-four percent of teachers surveyed reported that it’s hard to find games that fit the current curriculum. Check out \u003ca href=\"http://www.graphite.org/\">Graphite\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"http://playfullearning.com/\">Playful Learning\u003c/a>, and \u003ca href=\"http://educade.org/\">Educade\u003c/a> for ideas. All three of these sites allow you to filter information about games by traditional subject areas and by grade level. Remember that the best way to use games is as a supplemental reinforcement for your traditional teaching. Don’t look for games that will teach your curriculum. Instead, look for games that might approach the same subject area from a different perspective.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>5. Emphasis On Standardized Test Scores\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Twenty-nine percent of teachers surveyed reported that an emphasis on standardized tests makes using learning games difficult. Game-design companies have been addressing this by attempting to align games with standards. Filament Games, for example, offers many learning games and each one includes a \"standards map.\" Check out their \u003ca href=\"https://d2kx2fvqbvh3da.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/product-info-downloads/PLEx%20Life%20Scince%20Standards%20Correlations_3.pdf\">PLEX Life Science suite\u003c/a> of games and how they map to various sets of science standards. These are fun, playful games that don’t \"teach to the test,\" but do align directly with state standards.\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-35359\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401.png\" alt=\"MindShiftGames\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401.png 140w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-32x32.png 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-64x64.png 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-96x96.png 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-128x128.png 128w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 140px) 100vw, 140px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>6. Not Sure Where To Find Quality Games\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Twenty-seven percent of teachers surveyed reported that they don’t know where to find quality games. The big app stores don’t help much either; they want to sell games and apps more than they want to help students. See the sites listed above (number 4). All three of these sites offer sophisticated ways to filter search results and find specific games. Also, read \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/08/how-to-choose-a-learning-game/\">How To Choose A Learning Game\u003c/a> for more ideas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>7. Not Sure How To Integrate Games Into Instruction\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Twenty-three percent of teachers surveyed reported that they're not sure how to integrate games into instruction -- thus the need for this guide! You'll find ways to implement game-based learning, and understand the theoretical, pedagogical, and practical uses. In this guide, we show how to apply games to \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/06/digital-games-and-the-future-of-math-class-a-conversation-with-keith-devlin/\">math\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/07/how-teachers-can-use-video-games-in-the-humanities-classroom/\">humanities education,\u003c/a> as well as how games can facilitate \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/05/math-science-history-games-break-boundaries-between-subjects-interdisciplinary-learning/\">interdisciplinary learning.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>8. Unfamiliar With Technology\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Seventeen percent of teachers surveyed reported that they’re unfamiliar with technology. That’s okay. Most of the writing about game-based learning focuses on digital media, but the truth is that you don’t necessarily need devices. At the Quest To Learn School in New York City, \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/07/what-happens-when-school-design-looks-like-game-design/\">game design is a way of thinking, a paradigm\u003c/a>. A great deal of their curriculum uses paper-based games rather than digital games. Check out their \u003ca href=\"http://www.instituteofplay.org/work/projects/print-play-games-2/\">print and play\u003c/a> games. There's also the great \u003ca href=\"http://www.instituteofplay.org/work/projects/print-play-games-2/socratic-smackdown/\">Socratic Smackdown,\u003c/a> which is makes it easier to add games to your classroom without technology.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>9. Lack Of Administrative Support\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fourteen percent of teachers surveyed reported that lack of administrative support when it comes to games in the classroom. But with more and more data to support the use of games, teachers can use the new research to convince administrators. For example, an \u003ca href=\"http://www.sri.com/work/projects/glasslab-research\">SRI research\u003c/a> showed that students on the median \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/06/games-in-the-classroom-what-the-research-says/\">score 12 percent better on standardized tests\u003c/a>. This kind of research can help you make a strong case for using games for learning with your administrator.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>10. Lack Of Parental Support\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nine percent of teachers surveyed reported a lack of parental support for games in the classroom. That's clearly not the majority of parents' perspectives as evidenced by the small percentage; what’s more, a Cooney Center report, \u003ca href=\"http://www.joanganzcooneycenter.org/publication/learning-at-home/\"> Learning at Home: Families’ Educational Media Use in America\u003c/a>, showed that more than half (57 percent) of parents say their children have learned \"a lot\" from educational media. Still, teachers may have to account for their use of games for learning, and in those cases, start slowly. Demonstrate to parents (as you may have done with administrators) why you're using these tactics with evidence to back it up, and you'll prove over time how well it's working.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/mindshift/37516/games-in-the-classroom-overcoming-the-obstacles",
"authors": [
"4557"
],
"series": [
"mindshift_20669"
],
"categories": [
"mindshift_193"
],
"tags": [
"mindshift_1040",
"mindshift_548",
"mindshift_20902"
],
"featImg": "mindshift_37734",
"label": "mindshift_20669"
},
"mindshift_37518": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "mindshift_37518",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "37518",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1409925621000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "mindshift",
"term": 20669
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1409925621,
"format": "aside",
"disqusTitle": "Using Games for Learning: Practical Steps to Get Started",
"title": "Using Games for Learning: Practical Steps to Get Started",
"headTitle": "The MindShift Guide to Digital Games and Learning | MindShift | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_37659\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-37659\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/kids-gaming.jpg\" alt=\"Joan Ganz Cooney Center\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/kids-gaming.jpg 640w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/kids-gaming-400x225.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/kids-gaming-320x180.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Joan Ganz Cooney Center\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Part 19 of \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/series/guide-to-games-and-learning/\" target=\"_blank\">MindShift's Guide to Games and Learning\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"dropcap-serif\">By now, you've probably read enough to be convinced that it's worth trying games in your classroom. You understand that games are not meant to be robot teachers, replacing the human-to-human relationship. Games are a tool that teachers can use to do their jobs more effectively and more efficiently. Games provide a different approach to developing metacognitive skills through persistent self-reflection and iteration of particular skill sets. Games offer experiential contextualized learning through virtual simulation. Games can also offer an especially engaging interdisciplinary learning space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are so many great reasons to include digital games among classroom activities. But the landscape of learning games is very confusing and many teachers understandably have no idea how or where to begin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though every educator can find her own way, here are ideas for the first four steps to getting started with digital games in the classroom.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Step 1: Assess Your Resources\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>What platforms do you have available in your class? Is yours a BYOD (bring your own device) classroom, or do you have school-owned hardware to work with? Will games be a full class activity or just one station in a room full of learning activities?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hardware is one of the biggest determining factors, and it will have a significant impact on the way you use games in the classroom. Each different platform has its pros and cons, and few teachers are actually in control of the purchasing decisions. If you’re fortunate enough to make decisions about which hardware to use, a variety is nice -- students shouldn't be siloed into one platform or another. Provide them with exposure to a variety of computing devices.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[contextly_sidebar id=\"6G8FaaqJcAofwK0ptGxuUijI0DnbFrHw\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tablets work great for lots of different reasons. Whether it's an iPad or an Android, tablets offer a touchscreen interface and are still mostly used for entertainment, which makes them a good choice for gaming, but not necessarily for word processing. The old paradigm of one desktop PC for everything is quickly being replaced by single-use devices. Tablets have the largest selection of educational games, and at this point, the majority of developers seem to be focusing their attention there. \u003ca href=\"http://motionmathgames.com/motion-math-pizza/\">Motion Math: Pizza!\u003c/a>, for example, is a great tablet drill and practice app that contextualizes basic arithmetic. And \u003ca href=\"http://www.launchpadtoys.com/toontastic/\">Toontastic\u003c/a> is a simple drag and drop animation and storytelling app that will get even very young kids thinking about writing their own stories.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Laptops also have their virtues. There’s no denying the convenience of a portable multi-use device with lots of processing power. There are different operating systems: Windows, Mac, Chromebook. The Windows/Mac debate has been going on for decades. It's like arguing between a Honda and a Mercedes: both can reliably get you from point A to point B, but the Mercedes has a lot of luxury additions that make the ride smoother. If you’re willing to pay a premium for a more deluxe experience, go with a Mac. If not, the Windows laptop is sometimes a much more powerful option albeit with a bumpier ride. Chromebooks are basically web browsers; they can run any web-based software, but little else. The advantage is less technical problems and a lower price point. The sacrifice is that you can’t run a lot of popular software options. However, in the world of learning games, web-based options are more common than Windows or Mac specific options. The Chromebook, therefore, is adequate for many of the best learning games.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re using Mac or Windows, \u003ca href=\"http://www.spore.com/\">Spore\u003c/a> is a popular game that introduces students to the basics of biological adaptation. \u003ca href=\"https://www.duolingo.com/\">Duolingo\u003c/a>, maker of the popular smartphone language learning app, also makes a web-based version that will work on any laptop (including Chromebooks). And \u003ca href=\"http://www.lightsailed.com/\">Lightsail\u003c/a> is web-based responsive literacy platform that many teachers rave about.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are hybrid devices, too, of which the Microsoft Surface is the best example. It can function as a tablet or (with the keyboard attachment) as a full Windows laptop. Right now, most tablet game developers are not yet making Windows Tablet versions, but this will likely change in the near future. Microsoft is very dedicated to serving the education market (check out \u003ca href=\"http://www.bing.com/classroom\">Bing for Education\u003c/a>, a truly ad-free, completely private search engine for students).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The key point here is that before you can even begin your search, you'll need to know how the hardware impacts your options.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Step 2: Find Games\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Once you know what kind of hardware you have at your disposal, you can begin to search for games. But you probably already know from trying to find apps for your smartphone that searching the Google Play Store or the iOS App store can be overwhelming. Likewise, the Windows and Mac app stores can also be frustrating.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All of these companies have added education specific stores and/or categories, but it still feels like shopping in a department store: The big players can pay for featured placement and some of the best independent options remain buried at the bottom of pages and pages of search results. How can you get better, more even recommendations, or information about the lesser known games that are available?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-35359\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401.png\" alt=\"MindShiftGames\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401.png 140w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-32x32.png 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-64x64.png 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-96x96.png 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-128x128.png 128w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 140px) 100vw, 140px\">\u003c/a>One option is to read blogs that regularly review learning games. MindShift has\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/feature/educational-apps/\"> a long list of game reviews and descriptions\u003c/a>. You can also read my \u003ca href=\"http://www.forbes.com/sites/jordanshapiro/\">Forbes blog\u003c/a>, as well as columns in Edutopia, EdSurge, Edudemic, TeachThought, and Gamesandlearning.org. Still, no matter how hard bloggers try to cover everything, the game developers that can afford expensive professional public relations firms are always going to get the most coverage. Where is a teacher to go for reliable information that puts students, rather than profit, first? My first choice is \u003ca href=\"http://www.graphite.org/\">Graphite, \u003c/a>a rating site developed by \u003ca href=\"https://www.commonsensemedia.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Common Sense Media\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"http://www.graphite.org/\">.\u003c/a> (Disclosure: Graphite has a monthly app review column on MindShift that's not related to this series, and no paid advertising.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Graphite is a bit like Yelp -- a crowd-sourced, (actually, teacher-sourced) site full of listings and ratings of educational apps and games. The site's objective, according to Seeta Pai*, Common Sense Media's vice president of research and digital content, is to reveal the vast amounts of games out there to educators and to \"raise the bar of quality in the marketplace.\" Teachers can filter Graphite ratings by platform, subject matter, and age level, looking for the right app. One of the most useful features are the editorial reviews and comments from other teachers, who comment on the practicality and effectiveness of the games and apps.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Take, for example, \u003ci>Slice Fractions\u003c/i>, a short-form game that aims to teach fractions to students grades 2-5. Graphite rates it highly in all three categories: engagement, pedagogy, and support. It lists pros and cons. The review categories -- What’s it like? Is it good for learning? How can teachers use it? -- provide usable information written specifically for teachers. A sample teacher review includes: \"v\u003ca href=\"http://www.graphite.org/app/slice-fractions-teacher-review/3998031\">isually based math app is like 'angry birds' for fractions\u003c/a>,\" writes one teacher from Virginia.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After you determine what kind of hardware you’ll be using, Graphite is the easiest way to search for games. The only limitation is that the site breaks down games and apps into traditional education categories. This is great, but if it's your only source, you might miss useful but obscure ways of thinking outside the common learning paradigm. So it's also important to keep reading the blogs for outside-the-norm ideas. Because they're beholden to \"newsworthiness,\" blogs tend to cover the more innovative, or seemingly revolutionary, ed-tech.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Step 3: Play Games\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>After choosing a game, you have to play it. Really play it. Play it all the way through and make sure you know it intimately.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Games are not the same as textbooks or handouts. You don't prepare in the same way. This is not about just making sure you're familiar enough with the material that you can facilitate a discussion. Nor is it about just understanding the mechanics well enough that you can provide technical support, helping your students understand how to operate the game. Instead, preparing to assign a game is about play.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Play is exploration. It involves imagination. It means investigating the world of the game and feeling the frustration, flow, and \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/04/tapping-into-the-potential-of-video-games-and-uninhibited-play-for-learning-education/\" target=\"_blank\">fiero\u003c/a> that goes along with playing it. When you engage with the game, you not only try to see the game from the perspective of your students, you also understand how the game presents the material. Before students play, teachers can introduce concepts in ways that resonate with the game. After students play, teachers can refer back to the game's particular way of conceptualizing an idea.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The goal is not just to add games; it is to integrate learning games into existing curricula. If games are used as babysitters, simply to keep the students occupied, or superficially \"engaged,\" or to fill the time, the criticisms will be true: games are problematic. Nobody needs robot teachers. But when great teachers use the games to introduce and/or reinforce material, they become another extremely effective classroom project or activity. In order to do this, teachers need to play the games themselves. Or even better, when time permits, play alongside students.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Step 4: See How Others Do It\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>The Joan Ganz Cooney Center has a great video series about how teachers are using games in the classroom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In this video, Joel Levin talks about the \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/05/teachers-transform-commercial-video-game-for-class-use/\" target=\"_blank\">way he uses MinecraftEDU\u003c/a> in his second grade classroom. He's clear that it involves creating a structure with boundaries, designing activities, that provide meaningful learning experiences for the students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mTf3j2koJA]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>See how Ginger Stevens uses games for sixth grade special education at Quest to Learn School. The immersive environment that she spotlights in this video is especially interesting, it's a reminder that game-based learning doesn't always mean kids glued to a computer screen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRxLMcjbpig]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lisa Parisi describes how she uses games freely available from BrainPop in her fourth grade classroom. Note how she ties it together with project-based learning. Plus, she describes the transitions from board games to digital games.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e54Vq3W8kNM]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Seventh and eighth graders learn computer science and coding in Steve Isaacs' classroom. He uses Gamestar mechanic to teach game design. But it goes beyond the computer, his students write up game plans first and workshop the games together after they're built.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN8o7Mv6Tlc]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Check out the entire series, \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA3C69D48D4FFE87E\">Teaching With Games: Video Case Studies\u003c/a> to get an idea of what other teachers are doing with games in the classroom.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Step 5: Find Support\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Game-based learning is getting very popular, but finding support remains difficult. Most education conferences are adding games and learning tracks, or at least adding games to their ed-tech tracks. In addition, most game developers recognize that professional development is one of the biggest obstacles to adoption, and often provide video tutorials and other materials for teachers on their websites.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For more general support and resources, there are a number of websites cropping up specifically for the purpose of providing teachers with resources around ed-tech. Two sites that are specifically focused on games in the classroom are \u003ca href=\"http://playfullearning.com/\">Playful Learning\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"http://educade.org/\">Educade\u003c/a>. Both are full of articles, videos, and other resources that can help you think of creative ways to integrate games into your teaching. For example, learn how to use the game \u003ca href=\"http://educade.org/teaching_tools/quandary\">Quandary\u003c/a> to teach ethics. Find lesson plans for \u003ca href=\"http://educade.org/teaching_tools/angry-birds\">using Angry Birds as an intro to Physics.\u003c/a> (They also have reviews that can help you choose a game).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"http://www.joanganzcooneycenter.org/\">Joan Ganz Cooney Center at the Sesame Workshop\u003c/a> and the \u003ca href=\"http://www.instituteofplay.org/\">Institute of Play\u003c/a> are also good places to look for information and support. The Joan Ganz Cooney Center focuses on research and evidence around digital media and learning. The Institute of Play is focused on helping to bring a game-based mindset into our common education practices. Check out \u003ca href=\"http://www.instituteofplay.org/work/projects/teacherquest-2/\">TeacherQuest\u003c/a> for game design inspired professional development, or the \u003ca href=\"http://www.instituteofplay.org/work/projects/mobilequest-colab/\">MobileQuest CoLab\u003c/a> for a two week summer camp like introduction to game-based curriculum design and ed-tech integration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It can feel overwhelming to consider adding learning games to the classroom. But once you get started you’ll be amazed at the results. But don’t be afraid to jump right in -- it's worth the effort!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>*The original version of this story incorrectly identified Seeta Pai as a vice president of Graphite. We regret the error.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "37518 http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/?p=37518",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/09/05/using-games-for-learning-practical-steps-to-get-started/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": true,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 2155,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 38
},
"modified": 1409959799,
"excerpt": "Check your hardware, find suitable games, play and learn from colleagues - tips for getting started with game-based learning.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Check your hardware, find suitable games, play and learn from colleagues - tips for getting started with game-based learning.",
"title": "Using Games for Learning: Practical Steps to Get Started | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Using Games for Learning: Practical Steps to Get Started",
"datePublished": "2014-09-05T07:00:21-07:00",
"dateModified": "2014-09-05T16:29:59-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "using-games-for-learning-practical-steps-to-get-started",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/mindshift/37518/using-games-for-learning-practical-steps-to-get-started",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_37659\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-37659\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/kids-gaming.jpg\" alt=\"Joan Ganz Cooney Center\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/kids-gaming.jpg 640w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/kids-gaming-400x225.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/kids-gaming-320x180.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Joan Ganz Cooney Center\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Part 19 of \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/series/guide-to-games-and-learning/\" target=\"_blank\">MindShift's Guide to Games and Learning\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"dropcap-serif\">By now, you've probably read enough to be convinced that it's worth trying games in your classroom. You understand that games are not meant to be robot teachers, replacing the human-to-human relationship. Games are a tool that teachers can use to do their jobs more effectively and more efficiently. Games provide a different approach to developing metacognitive skills through persistent self-reflection and iteration of particular skill sets. Games offer experiential contextualized learning through virtual simulation. Games can also offer an especially engaging interdisciplinary learning space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are so many great reasons to include digital games among classroom activities. But the landscape of learning games is very confusing and many teachers understandably have no idea how or where to begin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though every educator can find her own way, here are ideas for the first four steps to getting started with digital games in the classroom.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Step 1: Assess Your Resources\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>What platforms do you have available in your class? Is yours a BYOD (bring your own device) classroom, or do you have school-owned hardware to work with? Will games be a full class activity or just one station in a room full of learning activities?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hardware is one of the biggest determining factors, and it will have a significant impact on the way you use games in the classroom. Each different platform has its pros and cons, and few teachers are actually in control of the purchasing decisions. If you’re fortunate enough to make decisions about which hardware to use, a variety is nice -- students shouldn't be siloed into one platform or another. Provide them with exposure to a variety of computing devices.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tablets work great for lots of different reasons. Whether it's an iPad or an Android, tablets offer a touchscreen interface and are still mostly used for entertainment, which makes them a good choice for gaming, but not necessarily for word processing. The old paradigm of one desktop PC for everything is quickly being replaced by single-use devices. Tablets have the largest selection of educational games, and at this point, the majority of developers seem to be focusing their attention there. \u003ca href=\"http://motionmathgames.com/motion-math-pizza/\">Motion Math: Pizza!\u003c/a>, for example, is a great tablet drill and practice app that contextualizes basic arithmetic. And \u003ca href=\"http://www.launchpadtoys.com/toontastic/\">Toontastic\u003c/a> is a simple drag and drop animation and storytelling app that will get even very young kids thinking about writing their own stories.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Laptops also have their virtues. There’s no denying the convenience of a portable multi-use device with lots of processing power. There are different operating systems: Windows, Mac, Chromebook. The Windows/Mac debate has been going on for decades. It's like arguing between a Honda and a Mercedes: both can reliably get you from point A to point B, but the Mercedes has a lot of luxury additions that make the ride smoother. If you’re willing to pay a premium for a more deluxe experience, go with a Mac. If not, the Windows laptop is sometimes a much more powerful option albeit with a bumpier ride. Chromebooks are basically web browsers; they can run any web-based software, but little else. The advantage is less technical problems and a lower price point. The sacrifice is that you can’t run a lot of popular software options. However, in the world of learning games, web-based options are more common than Windows or Mac specific options. The Chromebook, therefore, is adequate for many of the best learning games.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re using Mac or Windows, \u003ca href=\"http://www.spore.com/\">Spore\u003c/a> is a popular game that introduces students to the basics of biological adaptation. \u003ca href=\"https://www.duolingo.com/\">Duolingo\u003c/a>, maker of the popular smartphone language learning app, also makes a web-based version that will work on any laptop (including Chromebooks). And \u003ca href=\"http://www.lightsailed.com/\">Lightsail\u003c/a> is web-based responsive literacy platform that many teachers rave about.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are hybrid devices, too, of which the Microsoft Surface is the best example. It can function as a tablet or (with the keyboard attachment) as a full Windows laptop. Right now, most tablet game developers are not yet making Windows Tablet versions, but this will likely change in the near future. Microsoft is very dedicated to serving the education market (check out \u003ca href=\"http://www.bing.com/classroom\">Bing for Education\u003c/a>, a truly ad-free, completely private search engine for students).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The key point here is that before you can even begin your search, you'll need to know how the hardware impacts your options.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Step 2: Find Games\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Once you know what kind of hardware you have at your disposal, you can begin to search for games. But you probably already know from trying to find apps for your smartphone that searching the Google Play Store or the iOS App store can be overwhelming. Likewise, the Windows and Mac app stores can also be frustrating.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All of these companies have added education specific stores and/or categories, but it still feels like shopping in a department store: The big players can pay for featured placement and some of the best independent options remain buried at the bottom of pages and pages of search results. How can you get better, more even recommendations, or information about the lesser known games that are available?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-35359\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401.png\" alt=\"MindShiftGames\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401.png 140w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-32x32.png 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-64x64.png 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-96x96.png 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-128x128.png 128w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 140px) 100vw, 140px\">\u003c/a>One option is to read blogs that regularly review learning games. MindShift has\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/feature/educational-apps/\"> a long list of game reviews and descriptions\u003c/a>. You can also read my \u003ca href=\"http://www.forbes.com/sites/jordanshapiro/\">Forbes blog\u003c/a>, as well as columns in Edutopia, EdSurge, Edudemic, TeachThought, and Gamesandlearning.org. Still, no matter how hard bloggers try to cover everything, the game developers that can afford expensive professional public relations firms are always going to get the most coverage. Where is a teacher to go for reliable information that puts students, rather than profit, first? My first choice is \u003ca href=\"http://www.graphite.org/\">Graphite, \u003c/a>a rating site developed by \u003ca href=\"https://www.commonsensemedia.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Common Sense Media\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"http://www.graphite.org/\">.\u003c/a> (Disclosure: Graphite has a monthly app review column on MindShift that's not related to this series, and no paid advertising.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Graphite is a bit like Yelp -- a crowd-sourced, (actually, teacher-sourced) site full of listings and ratings of educational apps and games. The site's objective, according to Seeta Pai*, Common Sense Media's vice president of research and digital content, is to reveal the vast amounts of games out there to educators and to \"raise the bar of quality in the marketplace.\" Teachers can filter Graphite ratings by platform, subject matter, and age level, looking for the right app. One of the most useful features are the editorial reviews and comments from other teachers, who comment on the practicality and effectiveness of the games and apps.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Take, for example, \u003ci>Slice Fractions\u003c/i>, a short-form game that aims to teach fractions to students grades 2-5. Graphite rates it highly in all three categories: engagement, pedagogy, and support. It lists pros and cons. The review categories -- What’s it like? Is it good for learning? How can teachers use it? -- provide usable information written specifically for teachers. A sample teacher review includes: \"v\u003ca href=\"http://www.graphite.org/app/slice-fractions-teacher-review/3998031\">isually based math app is like 'angry birds' for fractions\u003c/a>,\" writes one teacher from Virginia.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After you determine what kind of hardware you’ll be using, Graphite is the easiest way to search for games. The only limitation is that the site breaks down games and apps into traditional education categories. This is great, but if it's your only source, you might miss useful but obscure ways of thinking outside the common learning paradigm. So it's also important to keep reading the blogs for outside-the-norm ideas. Because they're beholden to \"newsworthiness,\" blogs tend to cover the more innovative, or seemingly revolutionary, ed-tech.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Step 3: Play Games\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>After choosing a game, you have to play it. Really play it. Play it all the way through and make sure you know it intimately.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Games are not the same as textbooks or handouts. You don't prepare in the same way. This is not about just making sure you're familiar enough with the material that you can facilitate a discussion. Nor is it about just understanding the mechanics well enough that you can provide technical support, helping your students understand how to operate the game. Instead, preparing to assign a game is about play.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Play is exploration. It involves imagination. It means investigating the world of the game and feeling the frustration, flow, and \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/04/tapping-into-the-potential-of-video-games-and-uninhibited-play-for-learning-education/\" target=\"_blank\">fiero\u003c/a> that goes along with playing it. When you engage with the game, you not only try to see the game from the perspective of your students, you also understand how the game presents the material. Before students play, teachers can introduce concepts in ways that resonate with the game. After students play, teachers can refer back to the game's particular way of conceptualizing an idea.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The goal is not just to add games; it is to integrate learning games into existing curricula. If games are used as babysitters, simply to keep the students occupied, or superficially \"engaged,\" or to fill the time, the criticisms will be true: games are problematic. Nobody needs robot teachers. But when great teachers use the games to introduce and/or reinforce material, they become another extremely effective classroom project or activity. In order to do this, teachers need to play the games themselves. Or even better, when time permits, play alongside students.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Step 4: See How Others Do It\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>The Joan Ganz Cooney Center has a great video series about how teachers are using games in the classroom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In this video, Joel Levin talks about the \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/05/teachers-transform-commercial-video-game-for-class-use/\" target=\"_blank\">way he uses MinecraftEDU\u003c/a> in his second grade classroom. He's clear that it involves creating a structure with boundaries, designing activities, that provide meaningful learning experiences for the students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/-mTf3j2koJA'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/-mTf3j2koJA'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>See how Ginger Stevens uses games for sixth grade special education at Quest to Learn School. The immersive environment that she spotlights in this video is especially interesting, it's a reminder that game-based learning doesn't always mean kids glued to a computer screen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/YRxLMcjbpig'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/YRxLMcjbpig'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lisa Parisi describes how she uses games freely available from BrainPop in her fourth grade classroom. Note how she ties it together with project-based learning. Plus, she describes the transitions from board games to digital games.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/e54Vq3W8kNM'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/e54Vq3W8kNM'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Seventh and eighth graders learn computer science and coding in Steve Isaacs' classroom. He uses Gamestar mechanic to teach game design. But it goes beyond the computer, his students write up game plans first and workshop the games together after they're built.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/PN8o7Mv6Tlc'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/PN8o7Mv6Tlc'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Check out the entire series, \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA3C69D48D4FFE87E\">Teaching With Games: Video Case Studies\u003c/a> to get an idea of what other teachers are doing with games in the classroom.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Step 5: Find Support\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Game-based learning is getting very popular, but finding support remains difficult. Most education conferences are adding games and learning tracks, or at least adding games to their ed-tech tracks. In addition, most game developers recognize that professional development is one of the biggest obstacles to adoption, and often provide video tutorials and other materials for teachers on their websites.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For more general support and resources, there are a number of websites cropping up specifically for the purpose of providing teachers with resources around ed-tech. Two sites that are specifically focused on games in the classroom are \u003ca href=\"http://playfullearning.com/\">Playful Learning\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"http://educade.org/\">Educade\u003c/a>. Both are full of articles, videos, and other resources that can help you think of creative ways to integrate games into your teaching. For example, learn how to use the game \u003ca href=\"http://educade.org/teaching_tools/quandary\">Quandary\u003c/a> to teach ethics. Find lesson plans for \u003ca href=\"http://educade.org/teaching_tools/angry-birds\">using Angry Birds as an intro to Physics.\u003c/a> (They also have reviews that can help you choose a game).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"http://www.joanganzcooneycenter.org/\">Joan Ganz Cooney Center at the Sesame Workshop\u003c/a> and the \u003ca href=\"http://www.instituteofplay.org/\">Institute of Play\u003c/a> are also good places to look for information and support. The Joan Ganz Cooney Center focuses on research and evidence around digital media and learning. The Institute of Play is focused on helping to bring a game-based mindset into our common education practices. Check out \u003ca href=\"http://www.instituteofplay.org/work/projects/teacherquest-2/\">TeacherQuest\u003c/a> for game design inspired professional development, or the \u003ca href=\"http://www.instituteofplay.org/work/projects/mobilequest-colab/\">MobileQuest CoLab\u003c/a> for a two week summer camp like introduction to game-based curriculum design and ed-tech integration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It can feel overwhelming to consider adding learning games to the classroom. But once you get started you’ll be amazed at the results. But don’t be afraid to jump right in -- it's worth the effort!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>*The original version of this story incorrectly identified Seeta Pai as a vice president of Graphite. We regret the error.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/mindshift/37518/using-games-for-learning-practical-steps-to-get-started",
"authors": [
"4557"
],
"series": [
"mindshift_20669"
],
"categories": [
"mindshift_193"
],
"tags": [
"mindshift_1040",
"mindshift_548",
"mindshift_114"
],
"featImg": "mindshift_37659",
"label": "mindshift_20669"
},
"mindshift_37514": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "mindshift_37514",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "37514",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1409320852000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "mindshift",
"term": 20669
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1409320852,
"format": "aside",
"disqusTitle": "Need Help Picking the Right Learning Game? Some Things to Consider",
"title": "Need Help Picking the Right Learning Game? Some Things to Consider",
"headTitle": "The MindShift Guide to Digital Games and Learning | MindShift | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_37583\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-37583\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games.jpg\" alt=\"Getty\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games.jpg 640w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games-400x225.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games-320x180.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Getty\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Part 18 of \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/series/guide-to-games-and-learning/\" target=\"_blank\">MindShift's Guide to Games and Learning\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"dropcap-serif\">To make sense of the broad and complex world of games and learning, we’re inclined to create neatly organized lists and categories. The truth is that there are so many different kinds of learning games, it's difficult to break them down into clear-cut categories. Especially in an atmosphere of ed-tech entrepreneurship that aims to disrupt our habitual way of thinking about education, familiar classification structures can sometimes hold us back more than they move us forward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It feels contradictory to divide up the learning games landscape after arguing, earlier in this series, that games can help address the educational need to \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/05/math-science-history-games-break-boundaries-between-subjects-interdisciplinary-learning/\">break down the boundaries\u003c/a> between traditional academic content areas. Taxonomy is always tricky and useful only to the degree in which it simultaneously acknowledges ambiguity and fuzziness. But to make it easier to digest, let’s explore some classifications.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What criteria matter when considering learning games? First, ask the broad questions: How and when a game can be used? Then, be more specific: What kind of game is best suited to particular learning objectives?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Short-form, Long-form and Crossover Games\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When teachers plan activities for the classroom, we're usually constrained by the school schedule. Time is set aside for class and we need to work within this framework. Teachers, therefore, think in blocks of time; video game developers don’t. Most video games are played over a longer period of time, often broken down into smaller individual sessions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[contextly_sidebar id=\"6co4wDTE1G50fXB2gNUASQm9L52u2Tfh\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Think about the earliest iterations of \"Super Mario Brothers.\" Although you may play only for 30-40 minutes at a time, the game remembers your progress and you can come back to start again from just where you left off last time. Gamers remain on a long continuum toward mastery. How does such a journey translate into the classroom?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In their report, \u003ca href=\"http://www.joanganzcooneycenter.org/publication/games-for-a-digital-age/\">Games for a Digital Age: K-12 Market Map and Investment Analysis\u003c/a>, the \u003ca href=\"http://www.joanganzcooneycenter.org/\">Joan Ganz Cooney Center\u003c/a> makes the distinction between short-form and long-form games. They point out that in a day that’s divided into 40-minute class periods, “transition time and time for instruction or discussion connected to curricular material frequently leaves only 20 to 30 minutes for actually using a learning game.” Short-form games can easily fit within that time frame, but long-form games require a multi-period commitment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Short-form games\u003c/b> tend to resemble the kinds of casual smartphone games that even adults tend to fiddle with during idle time. The majority of games recommended in this series have been short form. \"\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/05/how-games-based-learning-teaches-problem-solving-in-context/\">Wuzzit Trouble\u003c/a>,\" for example, the game \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/06/digital-games-and-the-future-of-math-class-a-conversation-with-keith-devlin/\">Keith Devlin\u003c/a> created in order to allow students to actively experience number partitions, can occupy a player for hours, or it can be played for 10-15 minutes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Played in small doses, short-form games can serve as great interactive examples, reinforcing and supplementing a teacher-driven curriculum. Short-form games tend to work best for learning when they're focused on a specific skill set or concept. Think of them like brief simulations. For argumentation and rhetoric, check out GlassLab’s \"\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/07/from-minecraft-to-mars-teachers-bring-the-arcade-to-the-games-learning-classroom/\">Mars Generation One: Argubot Academy\u003c/a>.\" For environmental science, try Filament Games’ \"\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/05/social-and-emotional-benefits-of-video-games-metacognition-and-relationships/\">Reach For The Sun\u003c/a>.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Long-form games \u003c/b>tend to be more open-ended and intricate. These games often start simply and expand over time, so they can easily form the backbone of an entire curriculum. Games like Muzzy Lane’s \"Government In Action\"\u003ci> \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/08/video-games-and-the-future-of-the-textbook/\">can replace a textbook.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Cooney Center reports that recent research “points to the significant engagement factor produced by long-form learning games.” The coherent unification around both short-term and long-term goals leads increased motivation and ongoing commitment to class projects. In addition, long-form games tend to foster skills like “critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, creativity, and communication.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Long-form games, such as \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/08/video-games-and-the-future-of-the-textbook/\">Amplify Learning’s \"Lexica\u003c/a>,\" are great for teachers who are really comfortable with video games and have dependable access to newer hardware. Or, try a game-based curriculum, like \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/08/in-the-bustling-interactive-classroom-a-place-for-digital-games/\">the Mind Research Institute’s \"ST Math.\u003c/a>\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Crossover Creative Game-based Platforms \u003c/b>can fit into either one of these categories. They are flexible in the way they can be implemented. \"\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/07/from-minecraft-to-mars-teachers-bring-the-arcade-to-the-games-learning-classroom/\">Minecraft\u003c/a>\" is a great example of a game that can be used as either short form or long form. Teachers can create short one-time simulation-based assignments, or longer multi-period projects. Game design and coding platforms, such as \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/06/making-games-the-ultimate-project-based-learning/\">Gamestar Mechanic\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/08/screen-time-games-learning-thats-valuable-for-young-kids/\">Scratch, or ScratchJr\u003c/a>, also cross over and can be used in either short-form or long-form applications. Teachers could introduce these platforms early in the year so that kids become familiar with the interfaces; then they can be used throughout the year for a variety of projects that don’t even have to be related to one another.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>GAME GENRES\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are also different genres of games. \u003cb>Puzzlers \u003c/b>are probably the most familiar kind of game. They involve identifying a pattern or system and arranging objects according to a certain set of rules. \"Tetris\" is not only the best-selling video game of all time, but also a fairly simple puzzle game. Many games that began in non-digital versions -- solitaire, mahjong, Sudoku -- are also puzzlers. In fact, almost all games have an underlying puzzle structure. Otherwise, they’d be completely random, with no patterns whatsoever, and not much fun.\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-35359\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401.png\" alt=\"MindShiftGames\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401.png 140w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-32x32.png 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-64x64.png 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-96x96.png 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-128x128.png 128w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 140px) 100vw, 140px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All video games, like puzzlers, are about pattern recognition. And once the player understands the pattern, the challenge comes from either more intricate puzzles (more complicated levels), or from changing the speed or circumstances in which the player needs to solve the puzzle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When this happens, the game becomes a \u003cb>Drill and Practice \u003c/b>game. Great games like \"DragonBox Algebra\" and \"DragonBox Elements\" combine drill and practice with increasingly difficult puzzles. Both of these types of games are especially well suited to mathematics. Traditional manipulatives and non-digital games are plentiful in math because those skills are easily translated into simple patterns. Video game technologies allow developers to design interactive versions of classic math problems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When developers add compounding puzzles to be solved through a series of moves, it becomes a \u003cb>Strategy Game. \u003c/b>Strategy games are also often multiplayer. And when it comes to learning games, it's common for them to be focused on history. Games like \"Historia\" or \"Making History\" can offer experiential simulations of historical events. When students control the armies, key moments in geopolitics suddenly feel substantially more dynamic than just a chronological account of battles. Games like these work well when implemented alongside traditional lecture and research strategies. The long-form strategy games offer an engaging motivation for students to understand and internalize the material.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some strategy games ask players to embody individual characters. These become \u003cb>Role-Playing Games. \u003c/b>Think of \"Dungeons and Dragons.\" Digital role-playing games are very similar to dice-based role-playing games. Digital platforms, however, make the logistics easy and efficient. No need for tons of cards, binders of scenarios, and little pieces; these things can be employed virtually.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"\u003ca href=\"http://www.mission-us.org/pages/landing-mission-3\">Mission US: Cheyenne Odyssey\u003c/a>\" is a great example of an educational role-playing game. As the game is described, players become Little Fox, a Northern Cheyenne boy whose life is changed by the encroachment of white settlers, railroads, and U.S. military expeditions. Think of it like a historically accurate digital choose-your-own-adventure book that takes place between 1866 and 1876. Students imagine themselves in the role of a Cheyenne youth. It makes something that seems initially foreign immediately relatable. All of the \"Mission US\" games are free and come with exhaustive teacher guides.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some games offer a world of experience without clear objectives. These are called \u003cb>Sandbox Games. \u003c/b>Minecraft is the most well-known example of a sandbox game. Just like its life-world namesake, Minecraft is an open-ended creative space but with virtual shovels. Certainly the block world has unique properties (physics engine), but players can do whatever they want within those parameters. MinecraftEdu is a version of the game modified for education that allows teachers to create even more specific parameters that correlate to lesson plans. You can read a lot more about how teachers use \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/05/teachers-transform-commercial-video-game-for-class-use/\">Minecraft here\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This list is certainly not exhaustive. There are other kinds of game genres and even subcategories within each genre. But the learning game space is still in its infancy. So many possibilities have not yet been explored. Platformers, fighters and first-person shooters, for example, are among the most popular commercial genres, though I’ve yet to see a good educational implementation of these genres’ conventions. One thing is for sure: creative educators will continue surprising us with ingenious game-based tools that can help teachers and students achieve success together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Let this list be a starting point to help you to choose appropriate games for your classroom.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "37514 http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/?p=37514",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/08/29/need-help-picking-the-right-learning-game-some-things-to-consider/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 1515,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 26
},
"modified": 1409863546,
"excerpt": "Understanding gaming genres can help teachers pick the right one for specific learning goals.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Understanding gaming genres can help teachers pick the right one for specific learning goals.",
"title": "Need Help Picking the Right Learning Game? Some Things to Consider | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Need Help Picking the Right Learning Game? Some Things to Consider",
"datePublished": "2014-08-29T07:00:52-07:00",
"dateModified": "2014-09-04T13:45:46-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "need-help-picking-the-right-learning-game-some-things-to-consider",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/mindshift/37514/need-help-picking-the-right-learning-game-some-things-to-consider",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_37583\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-37583\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games.jpg\" alt=\"Getty\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games.jpg 640w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games-400x225.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/games-320x180.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Getty\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Part 18 of \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/series/guide-to-games-and-learning/\" target=\"_blank\">MindShift's Guide to Games and Learning\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"dropcap-serif\">To make sense of the broad and complex world of games and learning, we’re inclined to create neatly organized lists and categories. The truth is that there are so many different kinds of learning games, it's difficult to break them down into clear-cut categories. Especially in an atmosphere of ed-tech entrepreneurship that aims to disrupt our habitual way of thinking about education, familiar classification structures can sometimes hold us back more than they move us forward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It feels contradictory to divide up the learning games landscape after arguing, earlier in this series, that games can help address the educational need to \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/05/math-science-history-games-break-boundaries-between-subjects-interdisciplinary-learning/\">break down the boundaries\u003c/a> between traditional academic content areas. Taxonomy is always tricky and useful only to the degree in which it simultaneously acknowledges ambiguity and fuzziness. But to make it easier to digest, let’s explore some classifications.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What criteria matter when considering learning games? First, ask the broad questions: How and when a game can be used? Then, be more specific: What kind of game is best suited to particular learning objectives?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Short-form, Long-form and Crossover Games\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When teachers plan activities for the classroom, we're usually constrained by the school schedule. Time is set aside for class and we need to work within this framework. Teachers, therefore, think in blocks of time; video game developers don’t. Most video games are played over a longer period of time, often broken down into smaller individual sessions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Think about the earliest iterations of \"Super Mario Brothers.\" Although you may play only for 30-40 minutes at a time, the game remembers your progress and you can come back to start again from just where you left off last time. Gamers remain on a long continuum toward mastery. How does such a journey translate into the classroom?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In their report, \u003ca href=\"http://www.joanganzcooneycenter.org/publication/games-for-a-digital-age/\">Games for a Digital Age: K-12 Market Map and Investment Analysis\u003c/a>, the \u003ca href=\"http://www.joanganzcooneycenter.org/\">Joan Ganz Cooney Center\u003c/a> makes the distinction between short-form and long-form games. They point out that in a day that’s divided into 40-minute class periods, “transition time and time for instruction or discussion connected to curricular material frequently leaves only 20 to 30 minutes for actually using a learning game.” Short-form games can easily fit within that time frame, but long-form games require a multi-period commitment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Short-form games\u003c/b> tend to resemble the kinds of casual smartphone games that even adults tend to fiddle with during idle time. The majority of games recommended in this series have been short form. \"\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/05/how-games-based-learning-teaches-problem-solving-in-context/\">Wuzzit Trouble\u003c/a>,\" for example, the game \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/06/digital-games-and-the-future-of-math-class-a-conversation-with-keith-devlin/\">Keith Devlin\u003c/a> created in order to allow students to actively experience number partitions, can occupy a player for hours, or it can be played for 10-15 minutes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Played in small doses, short-form games can serve as great interactive examples, reinforcing and supplementing a teacher-driven curriculum. Short-form games tend to work best for learning when they're focused on a specific skill set or concept. Think of them like brief simulations. For argumentation and rhetoric, check out GlassLab’s \"\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/07/from-minecraft-to-mars-teachers-bring-the-arcade-to-the-games-learning-classroom/\">Mars Generation One: Argubot Academy\u003c/a>.\" For environmental science, try Filament Games’ \"\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/05/social-and-emotional-benefits-of-video-games-metacognition-and-relationships/\">Reach For The Sun\u003c/a>.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Long-form games \u003c/b>tend to be more open-ended and intricate. These games often start simply and expand over time, so they can easily form the backbone of an entire curriculum. Games like Muzzy Lane’s \"Government In Action\"\u003ci> \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/08/video-games-and-the-future-of-the-textbook/\">can replace a textbook.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Cooney Center reports that recent research “points to the significant engagement factor produced by long-form learning games.” The coherent unification around both short-term and long-term goals leads increased motivation and ongoing commitment to class projects. In addition, long-form games tend to foster skills like “critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, creativity, and communication.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Long-form games, such as \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/08/video-games-and-the-future-of-the-textbook/\">Amplify Learning’s \"Lexica\u003c/a>,\" are great for teachers who are really comfortable with video games and have dependable access to newer hardware. Or, try a game-based curriculum, like \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/08/in-the-bustling-interactive-classroom-a-place-for-digital-games/\">the Mind Research Institute’s \"ST Math.\u003c/a>\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Crossover Creative Game-based Platforms \u003c/b>can fit into either one of these categories. They are flexible in the way they can be implemented. \"\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/07/from-minecraft-to-mars-teachers-bring-the-arcade-to-the-games-learning-classroom/\">Minecraft\u003c/a>\" is a great example of a game that can be used as either short form or long form. Teachers can create short one-time simulation-based assignments, or longer multi-period projects. Game design and coding platforms, such as \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/06/making-games-the-ultimate-project-based-learning/\">Gamestar Mechanic\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/08/screen-time-games-learning-thats-valuable-for-young-kids/\">Scratch, or ScratchJr\u003c/a>, also cross over and can be used in either short-form or long-form applications. Teachers could introduce these platforms early in the year so that kids become familiar with the interfaces; then they can be used throughout the year for a variety of projects that don’t even have to be related to one another.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>GAME GENRES\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are also different genres of games. \u003cb>Puzzlers \u003c/b>are probably the most familiar kind of game. They involve identifying a pattern or system and arranging objects according to a certain set of rules. \"Tetris\" is not only the best-selling video game of all time, but also a fairly simple puzzle game. Many games that began in non-digital versions -- solitaire, mahjong, Sudoku -- are also puzzlers. In fact, almost all games have an underlying puzzle structure. Otherwise, they’d be completely random, with no patterns whatsoever, and not much fun.\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-35359\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401.png\" alt=\"MindShiftGames\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401.png 140w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-32x32.png 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-64x64.png 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-96x96.png 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-128x128.png 128w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 140px) 100vw, 140px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All video games, like puzzlers, are about pattern recognition. And once the player understands the pattern, the challenge comes from either more intricate puzzles (more complicated levels), or from changing the speed or circumstances in which the player needs to solve the puzzle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When this happens, the game becomes a \u003cb>Drill and Practice \u003c/b>game. Great games like \"DragonBox Algebra\" and \"DragonBox Elements\" combine drill and practice with increasingly difficult puzzles. Both of these types of games are especially well suited to mathematics. Traditional manipulatives and non-digital games are plentiful in math because those skills are easily translated into simple patterns. Video game technologies allow developers to design interactive versions of classic math problems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When developers add compounding puzzles to be solved through a series of moves, it becomes a \u003cb>Strategy Game. \u003c/b>Strategy games are also often multiplayer. And when it comes to learning games, it's common for them to be focused on history. Games like \"Historia\" or \"Making History\" can offer experiential simulations of historical events. When students control the armies, key moments in geopolitics suddenly feel substantially more dynamic than just a chronological account of battles. Games like these work well when implemented alongside traditional lecture and research strategies. The long-form strategy games offer an engaging motivation for students to understand and internalize the material.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some strategy games ask players to embody individual characters. These become \u003cb>Role-Playing Games. \u003c/b>Think of \"Dungeons and Dragons.\" Digital role-playing games are very similar to dice-based role-playing games. Digital platforms, however, make the logistics easy and efficient. No need for tons of cards, binders of scenarios, and little pieces; these things can be employed virtually.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"\u003ca href=\"http://www.mission-us.org/pages/landing-mission-3\">Mission US: Cheyenne Odyssey\u003c/a>\" is a great example of an educational role-playing game. As the game is described, players become Little Fox, a Northern Cheyenne boy whose life is changed by the encroachment of white settlers, railroads, and U.S. military expeditions. Think of it like a historically accurate digital choose-your-own-adventure book that takes place between 1866 and 1876. Students imagine themselves in the role of a Cheyenne youth. It makes something that seems initially foreign immediately relatable. All of the \"Mission US\" games are free and come with exhaustive teacher guides.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some games offer a world of experience without clear objectives. These are called \u003cb>Sandbox Games. \u003c/b>Minecraft is the most well-known example of a sandbox game. Just like its life-world namesake, Minecraft is an open-ended creative space but with virtual shovels. Certainly the block world has unique properties (physics engine), but players can do whatever they want within those parameters. MinecraftEdu is a version of the game modified for education that allows teachers to create even more specific parameters that correlate to lesson plans. You can read a lot more about how teachers use \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/05/teachers-transform-commercial-video-game-for-class-use/\">Minecraft here\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This list is certainly not exhaustive. There are other kinds of game genres and even subcategories within each genre. But the learning game space is still in its infancy. So many possibilities have not yet been explored. Platformers, fighters and first-person shooters, for example, are among the most popular commercial genres, though I’ve yet to see a good educational implementation of these genres’ conventions. One thing is for sure: creative educators will continue surprising us with ingenious game-based tools that can help teachers and students achieve success together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Let this list be a starting point to help you to choose appropriate games for your classroom.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/mindshift/37514/need-help-picking-the-right-learning-game-some-things-to-consider",
"authors": [
"4557"
],
"series": [
"mindshift_20669"
],
"categories": [
"mindshift_193"
],
"tags": [
"mindshift_1040",
"mindshift_548"
],
"featImg": "mindshift_37583",
"label": "mindshift_20669"
},
"mindshift_37259": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "mindshift_37259",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "37259",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1409148032000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "mindshift"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1409148032,
"format": "aside",
"disqusTitle": "Three Video Games That Teach Programming Through Play",
"title": "Three Video Games That Teach Programming Through Play",
"headTitle": "MindShift | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_37261\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/code-game.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-37261\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/code-game.jpg\" alt=\"Beta The Game (left) and Hack 'n Slash (right)\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/code-game.jpg 640w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/code-game-400x225.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/code-game-320x180.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Beta The Game (left) and Hack 'n Slash (right)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>By Tanner Higgin, \u003ca href=\"http://www.graphite.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Graphite\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"dropcap-serif\">The push to get kids to code has been such a \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/05/ali-partovi-why-learning-to-code-is-imperative-in-public-education/\" target=\"_blank\">hot topic\u003c/a> these past few years you might be sick of hearing about it. There are those that see code as a critical skill -- like learning a second language -- which all kids need to learn. Others question whether programming is as important as \u003ca href=\"http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2013/08/everybody_does_not_need_to_learn_to_code.2.html\" target=\"_blank\">critical thinking\u003c/a>, or if code literacy is more or less important than \u003ca href=\"http://venturebeat.com/2014/06/09/linux-creator-linus-torvalds-i-do-not-believe-everybody-should-learn-to-code/\" target=\"_blank\">traditional textual/numerical literacy\u003c/a>. While this controversy continues to circulate, most people can agree that a basic \u003ca href=\"http://www.fastcolabs.com/3020126/no-you-dont-need-to-learn-to-code\" target=\"_blank\">understanding of code and coders\u003c/a> is an increasingly important part of being a critical thinker in a world that's full of screens and data.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since digital games are both coded objects and systems that can be critiqued and better understood, they sit nicely between the evangelistic and tempered supporters of code literacy. Games build critical thinking skills and teach code literacy, offering authentic experiences that let kids experiment with how code works. They're solid platforms to begin exploring programming.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Code-focused learning games run the gamut of age/grade ranges and level of code complexity. They can also be split into two discrete but interconnected camps: those that teach the procedural logics of programming -- like Kodable Pro or Cargo-Bot -- and those that dig into programming and scripting, most often using visual metaphors for code -- like Tynker or Gamestar Mechanic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[contextly_sidebar id=\"5k4yyYLIauETWQMdTUGmlL6MHeqRf2nb\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>More recently, there's been a few games that up the ante of authentic code-based learning -- games that peel back the façade and allow players to tweak the code of the game as they play. Confused? Think of it like opening up the hood of a game, and fiddling with the engine -- as you drive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Take, \u003ca href=\"http://www.betathegame.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Beta The Game\u003c/a>, for example. It's a run and jump style platform that uses a custom-built language called codePOP. Via an in-game coding terminal, players use the codePOP language to modify the world around them, adding platforms and changing properties and behaviors of objects. David Thomas, who \u003ca href=\"http://www.graphite.org/game/beta-the-game\" target=\"_blank\">reviewed the game for Graphite\u003c/a>, points out how this unique language has its benefits and drawbacks: offering a nice blend of \"code scripting and object-oriented programming\" while also carrying with it some \"idiosyncrasies.\" Still it's got a great set of support features, and level sharing provides users with tons of additional player-designed challenges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thomas also\u003ca href=\"http://www.graphite.org/game/codecombat\" target=\"_blank\"> reviewed CodeCombat\u003c/a>, and found it more promising, even if the player community isn't quite as strong yet. Unlike Beta The Game, \u003ca href=\"http://codecombat.com/\" target=\"_blank\">CodeCombat\u003c/a> uses non-proprietary languages -- JavaScript and Python (in beta). It also delves into the dungeon crawler genre, letting players explore, kill monsters, and loot treasure. The result is an experience that \"never feels like code school,\" although Thomas notes that the fantasy setting means it's best for students \"motivated by the idea of battling knights and ogres.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While these two games are a bit under the radar,\u003ca href=\"http://www.hacknslashthegame.com/\" target=\"_blank\"> Hack 'n' Slash\u003c/a> has more reach due to the big name talent behind it. Developed by fan favorite studio Double Fine Productions -- the company behind critical darlings like Psychonauts and Broken Age -- Hack 'n' Slash aims to push the learn-to-code game genre into new territory. Modeled on the Zelda series, and trading on Double Fine's signature charm and inventiveness, Hack 'n' Slash mixes adventuring and puzzling and doesn't pull any punches in terms of what players can do with the game's code. Just about everything in-game can be tweaked and modified in whatever ways the player chooses. In fact, the same code that underlies the game is the code the players see. And, bravely, Double Fine made a decision early on in development to not wall off or gate the code; instead, it's set up like a sandcastle waiting to be stomped. For players that's an empowering feeling – like the game can be fooled. Graphite hasn't reviewed it yet because it's still in-development, but are interested to \u003ca href=\"http://www.graphite.org/game/hack-n-slash\" target=\"_blank\">hear what teachers who have already played it think\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All of the games mentioned above represent and expose a key quality of play that's often lost in stuffy, overly-scaffolded learning games -- subversion. While code might be all about rules and procedure, play isn't. Games are the things that harness play through rules, but play -- and players -- can never quite be tamed. Play is too big and too slippery, ever redefining itself and evolving. Yet code -- and in some sense games -- are defined by stability. How can the two be reconciled? By letting games be games -- finicky and structured -- and players be players -- risky and inventive. This offers an appealing counterpoint to the dominant and perhaps tired code literacy rhetoric: stop 'learning to code' and start messing with it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Tanner Higgin is Senior Manager, Education Content, at \u003ca href=\"http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators\" target=\"_blank\">Common Sense Media\u003c/a>, creator of \u003ca href=\"http://www.graphite.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Graphite ™\u003c/a>, a free service for educators in search of the best apps, games, and websites rated for learning. This post is one in a series collaboration. Games included here have received high ratings on Graphite by educators and by the editorial staff at Common Sense Media. Go to Graphite to read full reviews of games and how teachers use them for learning in class.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "37259 http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/?p=37259",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/08/27/three-video-games-that-teach-programming-through-game-play/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 895,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 12
},
"modified": 1409160318,
"excerpt": "Play can release code from the rules and structures that drive it.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Play can release code from the rules and structures that drive it.",
"title": "Three Video Games That Teach Programming Through Play | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Three Video Games That Teach Programming Through Play",
"datePublished": "2014-08-27T07:00:32-07:00",
"dateModified": "2014-08-27T10:25:18-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "three-video-games-that-teach-programming-through-game-play",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/mindshift/37259/three-video-games-that-teach-programming-through-game-play",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_37261\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/code-game.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-37261\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/code-game.jpg\" alt=\"Beta The Game (left) and Hack 'n Slash (right)\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/code-game.jpg 640w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/code-game-400x225.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/code-game-320x180.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Beta The Game (left) and Hack 'n Slash (right)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>By Tanner Higgin, \u003ca href=\"http://www.graphite.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Graphite\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"dropcap-serif\">The push to get kids to code has been such a \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/05/ali-partovi-why-learning-to-code-is-imperative-in-public-education/\" target=\"_blank\">hot topic\u003c/a> these past few years you might be sick of hearing about it. There are those that see code as a critical skill -- like learning a second language -- which all kids need to learn. Others question whether programming is as important as \u003ca href=\"http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2013/08/everybody_does_not_need_to_learn_to_code.2.html\" target=\"_blank\">critical thinking\u003c/a>, or if code literacy is more or less important than \u003ca href=\"http://venturebeat.com/2014/06/09/linux-creator-linus-torvalds-i-do-not-believe-everybody-should-learn-to-code/\" target=\"_blank\">traditional textual/numerical literacy\u003c/a>. While this controversy continues to circulate, most people can agree that a basic \u003ca href=\"http://www.fastcolabs.com/3020126/no-you-dont-need-to-learn-to-code\" target=\"_blank\">understanding of code and coders\u003c/a> is an increasingly important part of being a critical thinker in a world that's full of screens and data.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since digital games are both coded objects and systems that can be critiqued and better understood, they sit nicely between the evangelistic and tempered supporters of code literacy. Games build critical thinking skills and teach code literacy, offering authentic experiences that let kids experiment with how code works. They're solid platforms to begin exploring programming.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Code-focused learning games run the gamut of age/grade ranges and level of code complexity. They can also be split into two discrete but interconnected camps: those that teach the procedural logics of programming -- like Kodable Pro or Cargo-Bot -- and those that dig into programming and scripting, most often using visual metaphors for code -- like Tynker or Gamestar Mechanic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>More recently, there's been a few games that up the ante of authentic code-based learning -- games that peel back the façade and allow players to tweak the code of the game as they play. Confused? Think of it like opening up the hood of a game, and fiddling with the engine -- as you drive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Take, \u003ca href=\"http://www.betathegame.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Beta The Game\u003c/a>, for example. It's a run and jump style platform that uses a custom-built language called codePOP. Via an in-game coding terminal, players use the codePOP language to modify the world around them, adding platforms and changing properties and behaviors of objects. David Thomas, who \u003ca href=\"http://www.graphite.org/game/beta-the-game\" target=\"_blank\">reviewed the game for Graphite\u003c/a>, points out how this unique language has its benefits and drawbacks: offering a nice blend of \"code scripting and object-oriented programming\" while also carrying with it some \"idiosyncrasies.\" Still it's got a great set of support features, and level sharing provides users with tons of additional player-designed challenges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thomas also\u003ca href=\"http://www.graphite.org/game/codecombat\" target=\"_blank\"> reviewed CodeCombat\u003c/a>, and found it more promising, even if the player community isn't quite as strong yet. Unlike Beta The Game, \u003ca href=\"http://codecombat.com/\" target=\"_blank\">CodeCombat\u003c/a> uses non-proprietary languages -- JavaScript and Python (in beta). It also delves into the dungeon crawler genre, letting players explore, kill monsters, and loot treasure. The result is an experience that \"never feels like code school,\" although Thomas notes that the fantasy setting means it's best for students \"motivated by the idea of battling knights and ogres.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While these two games are a bit under the radar,\u003ca href=\"http://www.hacknslashthegame.com/\" target=\"_blank\"> Hack 'n' Slash\u003c/a> has more reach due to the big name talent behind it. Developed by fan favorite studio Double Fine Productions -- the company behind critical darlings like Psychonauts and Broken Age -- Hack 'n' Slash aims to push the learn-to-code game genre into new territory. Modeled on the Zelda series, and trading on Double Fine's signature charm and inventiveness, Hack 'n' Slash mixes adventuring and puzzling and doesn't pull any punches in terms of what players can do with the game's code. Just about everything in-game can be tweaked and modified in whatever ways the player chooses. In fact, the same code that underlies the game is the code the players see. And, bravely, Double Fine made a decision early on in development to not wall off or gate the code; instead, it's set up like a sandcastle waiting to be stomped. For players that's an empowering feeling – like the game can be fooled. Graphite hasn't reviewed it yet because it's still in-development, but are interested to \u003ca href=\"http://www.graphite.org/game/hack-n-slash\" target=\"_blank\">hear what teachers who have already played it think\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All of the games mentioned above represent and expose a key quality of play that's often lost in stuffy, overly-scaffolded learning games -- subversion. While code might be all about rules and procedure, play isn't. Games are the things that harness play through rules, but play -- and players -- can never quite be tamed. Play is too big and too slippery, ever redefining itself and evolving. Yet code -- and in some sense games -- are defined by stability. How can the two be reconciled? By letting games be games -- finicky and structured -- and players be players -- risky and inventive. This offers an appealing counterpoint to the dominant and perhaps tired code literacy rhetoric: stop 'learning to code' and start messing with it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Tanner Higgin is Senior Manager, Education Content, at \u003ca href=\"http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators\" target=\"_blank\">Common Sense Media\u003c/a>, creator of \u003ca href=\"http://www.graphite.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Graphite ™\u003c/a>, a free service for educators in search of the best apps, games, and websites rated for learning. This post is one in a series collaboration. Games included here have received high ratings on Graphite by educators and by the editorial staff at Common Sense Media. Go to Graphite to read full reviews of games and how teachers use them for learning in class.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/mindshift/37259/three-video-games-that-teach-programming-through-game-play",
"authors": [
"4354"
],
"categories": [
"mindshift_195"
],
"tags": [
"mindshift_981",
"mindshift_1040",
"mindshift_548",
"mindshift_499",
"mindshift_114"
],
"featImg": "mindshift_37261",
"label": "mindshift"
},
"mindshift_37413": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "mindshift_37413",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "37413",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1408716023000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "mindshift",
"term": 20669
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1408716023,
"format": "aside",
"disqusTitle": "How To Choose A Learning Game",
"title": "How To Choose A Learning Game",
"headTitle": "The MindShift Guide to Digital Games and Learning | MindShift | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_37460\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/choice.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-37460 size-full\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/choice.jpg\" alt=\"Getty\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/choice.jpg 640w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/choice-400x225.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/choice-320x180.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Getty\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Part 17 of \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/series/guide-to-games-and-learning/\" target=\"_blank\">MindShift's Guide to Games and Learning\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"dropcap-serif\">Many teachers are excited about trying games in the classroom but don’t know where to begin. The landscape of \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/01/explosive-growth-in-education-apps/\" target=\"_blank\">learning games is vast and confusing\u003c/a> -- and it's growing and changing rapidly. Moving at the pace of the software industry, games are often updated and iterated so that new versions replace familiar ones before you’ve even had a chance to implement them in your classroom routine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And teachers have busy schedules. We have barely enough time to complete our prep or even to provide students with as much written feedback as they deserve. Exploring such unfamiliar territory as games for learning takes a considerable investment of time and energy. For over-scheduled and underpaid teachers, available time and energy is already scarce and face-to-face classroom time is our top priority.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the other hand, not exploring, updating and reinventing our teaching strategies can cause us to miss valuable opportunities to reach students. We all chose teaching because we love it, and a good teacher is constantly motivated to improve the classroom experience. Games are a great tool that can add a spark of new vitality. But how do you go about choosing the right game? What criteria should you use to pick a game for your classroom?\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cb>Is It Fun? Or, Is It Cool?\u003c/b>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Selecting the right game can be like walking the teachers’ tightrope. Both engagement and academic rigor need to be priorities, but there is often tension between them.\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-35359\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401.png\" alt=\"MindShiftGames\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401.png 140w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-32x32.png 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-64x64.png 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-96x96.png 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-128x128.png 128w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 140px) 100vw, 140px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is the same tension an English teacher might be forced to mediate when picking a text. For example, as much as I might want to assign James Joyce’s \"Ulysses\" to a class of sixth-graders, the chance that it will engage them is pretty slim. They would likely struggle with the complexity of the language and we would hardly be able to address the thematics. It would be an uphill battle against student boredom that would not serve anyone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A great literature curriculum considers the particular students in the class and chooses books that are simultaneously fun to read, academically challenging and provide important canonical touchstones that can help contextualize future learning. Satisfying any one of these criteria, without the others, is problematic. The same is true for learning games. But for some reason, when it comes to games, many teachers are confused about the difference between “cool” and “fun.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cool and fun are not the same thing. Cool has to do with a game’s aesthetics: the art, sound design, characters, narrative, et cetera. But a game does not need to be cool in order to to be fun. Don’t be seduced by the spectacle. Making coolness a priority is tantamount to choosing to teach literature with \"People\" magazine because the students like to read it. Sure, pop culture gossip would satisfy the engagement criteria, but it wouldn’t satisfy any of the other academic criteria.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Think about games the same way. There’s nothing wrong with cool, but if it's our primary criterion, we are catering to our students instead of challenging them. Don’t meet the students where they are: Help them to move incrementally from one place to another. Look for games that are fun rather than games that are cool.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cb>The Mechanics Matter Most\u003c/b>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>The best learning games are always fun. Try playing them yourself and see if \u003cem>you\u003c/em> enjoy them. No matter how advanced your understanding of the subject matter, a \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2011/04/dont-forget-the-fun-factor-in-educational-games/\" target=\"_blank\">good game should still be fun\u003c/a>. I’ve understood algebra and number partitions for decades, but \"DragonBox\" and \"Wuzzit Trouble\" are still challenging puzzlers that I like to fiddle with on long airline flights. All good games offer challenges in intuitive ways. In fact, this is the reason games work so well for learning: Players are intrinsically motivated to identify and succeed at understanding the game’s mechanics.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[contextly_sidebar id=\"BoGU1Vk11hWVPmYZZvktqTFyLi9dTQdE\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mechanics are what game designers call the collection of rules and structures that produce the actual game play. The mechanics organize the game’s components in the way that defines how a player’s actions will have an impact. In good learning games, the subject matter is always embedded into the mechanics themselves. Learning to navigate the game’s mechanics and learning the academic subject matter are one and the same.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bad games sometimes attempt to simply graft a topic onto existing game mechanics. They might add vocabulary words to \"Angry Birds,\" or multiplication tables to \"Temple Run.\" It never works. The best learning games teach in the same way good teachers teach: They don’t trick students into being interested, they help students find genuine excitement in learning a subject.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cb>Are You Comfortable?\u003c/b>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>In order to find genuine excitement in learning a subject, students need to be comfortable with the game. In order to leverage the potential of learning games in the classroom, teachers need to be comfortable, too. When choosing a game for the classroom, you’ll need to assess comfort levels. And the factors that influence a teacher’s comfort level are not necessarily the same factors that will influence the students’.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For students, playability is the most important comfort factor. If the game is too complicated, they’ll spend more time trying to play than they do learning from playing. Look for \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/04/whats-the-secret-sauce-to-a-great-educational-game/\" target=\"_blank\">games that seem simple to play\u003c/a>. Paradoxically, the games that seem the simplest are usually the most complex. That’s because they do a good job at instructing students slowly. They teach one action at a time, in baby steps, until the complex world of the game seems intuitive. Suddenly, the students get it. And simultaneously, because the mechanics and the academics are one and the same, they’ve succeeded in meeting the learning objectives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In order to facilitate this, teachers need to be comfortable, too. You should be comfortable not only playing the game, but also integrating it into your curriculum. Make sure that you remain in the curricular driver's seat. Don’t allow the game to dictate the curriculum, nor the assessment strategy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From a curricular perspective, the best implementations see learning games as just one of many learning activities. The combination of activities are designed to offer multiple entry points to a key academic lesson. Each entry point is a perspective -- a single lens into a complex subject. Allowing any one perspective to dominate the conversation does your students a disservice. Look for games that enhance what you already do, not for games that disrupt your current strategies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When it comes to assessment, many \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/08/could-video-games-measure-skills-that-tests-cant-capture/\" target=\"_blank\">games have robust back ends \u003c/a>that provide assessment data about the students that play them. The data can be extremely useful, providing information about your students that is applicable well beyond the game itself. Teachers, however, need to make sure they’re comfortable with the game’s assessment strategies. Don’t allow the game to tell you how to assess, make sure it strengthens your current practices.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Remember, the games are tools to make your work more efficient and effective. Make sure you’re using the game, and that the game is not using you. And make sure you explain to your students how and why the game fits into the larger context of the classroom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students might play the game willingly, but that doesn’t mean they understand how it relates to the other activities. Take the time to explain why you’ve chosen the game. Or, even better, let it be a class discussion. Ask your students to discuss what they’ve learned from the game and how it fits into the larger class context. You’ll likely discover that the game is working in ways you never could have imagined.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "37413 http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/?p=37413",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/08/22/how-to-choose-a-learning-game/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 1334,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 21
},
"modified": 1409007903,
"excerpt": "Keep in mind some of the key elements of a good educational game when trying to sort through the hundreds of games available.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Keep in mind some of the key elements of a good educational game when trying to sort through the hundreds of games available.",
"title": "How To Choose A Learning Game | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "How To Choose A Learning Game",
"datePublished": "2014-08-22T07:00:23-07:00",
"dateModified": "2014-08-25T16:05:03-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "how-to-choose-a-learning-game",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/mindshift/37413/how-to-choose-a-learning-game",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_37460\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/choice.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-37460 size-full\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/choice.jpg\" alt=\"Getty\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/choice.jpg 640w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/choice-400x225.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/choice-320x180.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Getty\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Part 17 of \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/series/guide-to-games-and-learning/\" target=\"_blank\">MindShift's Guide to Games and Learning\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"dropcap-serif\">Many teachers are excited about trying games in the classroom but don’t know where to begin. The landscape of \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/01/explosive-growth-in-education-apps/\" target=\"_blank\">learning games is vast and confusing\u003c/a> -- and it's growing and changing rapidly. Moving at the pace of the software industry, games are often updated and iterated so that new versions replace familiar ones before you’ve even had a chance to implement them in your classroom routine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And teachers have busy schedules. We have barely enough time to complete our prep or even to provide students with as much written feedback as they deserve. Exploring such unfamiliar territory as games for learning takes a considerable investment of time and energy. For over-scheduled and underpaid teachers, available time and energy is already scarce and face-to-face classroom time is our top priority.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the other hand, not exploring, updating and reinventing our teaching strategies can cause us to miss valuable opportunities to reach students. We all chose teaching because we love it, and a good teacher is constantly motivated to improve the classroom experience. Games are a great tool that can add a spark of new vitality. But how do you go about choosing the right game? What criteria should you use to pick a game for your classroom?\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cb>Is It Fun? Or, Is It Cool?\u003c/b>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Selecting the right game can be like walking the teachers’ tightrope. Both engagement and academic rigor need to be priorities, but there is often tension between them.\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-35359\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401.png\" alt=\"MindShiftGames\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401.png 140w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-32x32.png 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-64x64.png 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-96x96.png 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401-128x128.png 128w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 140px) 100vw, 140px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is the same tension an English teacher might be forced to mediate when picking a text. For example, as much as I might want to assign James Joyce’s \"Ulysses\" to a class of sixth-graders, the chance that it will engage them is pretty slim. They would likely struggle with the complexity of the language and we would hardly be able to address the thematics. It would be an uphill battle against student boredom that would not serve anyone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A great literature curriculum considers the particular students in the class and chooses books that are simultaneously fun to read, academically challenging and provide important canonical touchstones that can help contextualize future learning. Satisfying any one of these criteria, without the others, is problematic. The same is true for learning games. But for some reason, when it comes to games, many teachers are confused about the difference between “cool” and “fun.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cool and fun are not the same thing. Cool has to do with a game’s aesthetics: the art, sound design, characters, narrative, et cetera. But a game does not need to be cool in order to to be fun. Don’t be seduced by the spectacle. Making coolness a priority is tantamount to choosing to teach literature with \"People\" magazine because the students like to read it. Sure, pop culture gossip would satisfy the engagement criteria, but it wouldn’t satisfy any of the other academic criteria.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Think about games the same way. There’s nothing wrong with cool, but if it's our primary criterion, we are catering to our students instead of challenging them. Don’t meet the students where they are: Help them to move incrementally from one place to another. Look for games that are fun rather than games that are cool.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cb>The Mechanics Matter Most\u003c/b>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>The best learning games are always fun. Try playing them yourself and see if \u003cem>you\u003c/em> enjoy them. No matter how advanced your understanding of the subject matter, a \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2011/04/dont-forget-the-fun-factor-in-educational-games/\" target=\"_blank\">good game should still be fun\u003c/a>. I’ve understood algebra and number partitions for decades, but \"DragonBox\" and \"Wuzzit Trouble\" are still challenging puzzlers that I like to fiddle with on long airline flights. All good games offer challenges in intuitive ways. In fact, this is the reason games work so well for learning: Players are intrinsically motivated to identify and succeed at understanding the game’s mechanics.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mechanics are what game designers call the collection of rules and structures that produce the actual game play. The mechanics organize the game’s components in the way that defines how a player’s actions will have an impact. In good learning games, the subject matter is always embedded into the mechanics themselves. Learning to navigate the game’s mechanics and learning the academic subject matter are one and the same.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bad games sometimes attempt to simply graft a topic onto existing game mechanics. They might add vocabulary words to \"Angry Birds,\" or multiplication tables to \"Temple Run.\" It never works. The best learning games teach in the same way good teachers teach: They don’t trick students into being interested, they help students find genuine excitement in learning a subject.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cb>Are You Comfortable?\u003c/b>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>In order to find genuine excitement in learning a subject, students need to be comfortable with the game. In order to leverage the potential of learning games in the classroom, teachers need to be comfortable, too. When choosing a game for the classroom, you’ll need to assess comfort levels. And the factors that influence a teacher’s comfort level are not necessarily the same factors that will influence the students’.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For students, playability is the most important comfort factor. If the game is too complicated, they’ll spend more time trying to play than they do learning from playing. Look for \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/04/whats-the-secret-sauce-to-a-great-educational-game/\" target=\"_blank\">games that seem simple to play\u003c/a>. Paradoxically, the games that seem the simplest are usually the most complex. That’s because they do a good job at instructing students slowly. They teach one action at a time, in baby steps, until the complex world of the game seems intuitive. Suddenly, the students get it. And simultaneously, because the mechanics and the academics are one and the same, they’ve succeeded in meeting the learning objectives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In order to facilitate this, teachers need to be comfortable, too. You should be comfortable not only playing the game, but also integrating it into your curriculum. Make sure that you remain in the curricular driver's seat. Don’t allow the game to dictate the curriculum, nor the assessment strategy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From a curricular perspective, the best implementations see learning games as just one of many learning activities. The combination of activities are designed to offer multiple entry points to a key academic lesson. Each entry point is a perspective -- a single lens into a complex subject. Allowing any one perspective to dominate the conversation does your students a disservice. Look for games that enhance what you already do, not for games that disrupt your current strategies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When it comes to assessment, many \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/08/could-video-games-measure-skills-that-tests-cant-capture/\" target=\"_blank\">games have robust back ends \u003c/a>that provide assessment data about the students that play them. The data can be extremely useful, providing information about your students that is applicable well beyond the game itself. Teachers, however, need to make sure they’re comfortable with the game’s assessment strategies. Don’t allow the game to tell you how to assess, make sure it strengthens your current practices.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Remember, the games are tools to make your work more efficient and effective. Make sure you’re using the game, and that the game is not using you. And make sure you explain to your students how and why the game fits into the larger context of the classroom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students might play the game willingly, but that doesn’t mean they understand how it relates to the other activities. Take the time to explain why you’ve chosen the game. Or, even better, let it be a class discussion. Ask your students to discuss what they’ve learned from the game and how it fits into the larger class context. You’ll likely discover that the game is working in ways you never could have imagined.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/mindshift/37413/how-to-choose-a-learning-game",
"authors": [
"4557"
],
"series": [
"mindshift_20669"
],
"categories": [
"mindshift_195"
],
"tags": [
"mindshift_20583",
"mindshift_1040",
"mindshift_548"
],
"featImg": "mindshift_37460",
"label": "mindshift_20669"
},
"mindshift_37276": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "mindshift_37276",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "37276",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1407765637000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "mindshift"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1407765637,
"format": "aside",
"disqusTitle": "Could Video Games Measure Skills That Tests Can't Capture?",
"title": "Could Video Games Measure Skills That Tests Can't Capture?",
"headTitle": "MindShift | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_37279\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/posterlet2-e6ddbc7791828b57ffcd00a8958fee46a13f6f91-e1407528764883.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-37279\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/posterlet2-e6ddbc7791828b57ffcd00a8958fee46a13f6f91-e1407528764883.jpg\" alt=\"A screenshot from the Posterlet game: choosing negative or positive feedback.\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/posterlet2-e6ddbc7791828b57ffcd00a8958fee46a13f6f91-e1407528764883.jpg 640w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/posterlet2-e6ddbc7791828b57ffcd00a8958fee46a13f6f91-e1407528764883-400x225.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/posterlet2-e6ddbc7791828b57ffcd00a8958fee46a13f6f91-e1407528764883-320x180.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A screenshot from the Posterlet game: choosing negative or positive feedback.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp class=\"dropcap-serif\">Imagine you're playing a computer game that asks you to design a poster for the school fair. You're fiddling with fonts, changing background colors and deciding what activity to feature: Will a basketball toss appeal to more people than a pie bake-off?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, animal characters — maybe a panda or an ostrich — offer feedback on your design. You can choose whether to hear a compliment or a complaint: \"The words are overlapping too much,\" or, \"I like that you put in the dates.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignleft\">\"They're not just measures of what the student already knows, but attempts to measure whether they are prepared to continue learning when they're no longer told exactly what to do.\"\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>You can use their critiques as guides to help you revise your poster. Finally, you get to see how many tickets your poster sold.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This little Web-based game isn't just a game. It's a test, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"In our assessments we make little fun games, and to do well at the games you need to learn something,\" says Dan Schwartz, the director of the \u003ca href=\"http://aaalab.stanford.edu/\">AAA Lab at Stanford University\u003c/a>. \"So they're not just measures of what the student already knows, but attempts to measure whether they are prepared to continue learning when they're no longer told exactly what to do.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Schwartz is among a new breed of researchers who are applying the mechanics of games to the science of psychometrics — the measurement of the mind.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Right now, he's working on a series of video games called Choicelets. They're designed to evaluate students on factors that traditional tests can't assess. He wants to measure how students learn, how they make decisions and how they respond to feedback.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>A Test Or A Learning Encounter?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most kids like video games — a lot more than they like taking tests.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the purpose of making tests more like games isn't just to add a spoonful of sugar to the medicine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scholars like \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/07/games-can-advance-education-a-conversation-with-james-paul-gee/\" target=\"_blank\">James Paul Gee\u003c/a> believe video games actually come much closer to capturing the learning process in action than traditional fill-in-the-bubble tests.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[contextly_sidebar id=\"AEMyggVrb11GysQCIi4T20XLCX9mVZWB\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gee, a professor of education at Arizona State University, is considered the godfather of game-based assessment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Is a video game a test or a learning encounter? It's both,\" he said. In fact, in a video game, \"you're always being tested — you can't get out of a level until you finish it.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gee and other experts explain that classic video games, like Mario Brothers or Tetris, are designed to adapt as the player gets better. Each level moves faster, or presents harder obstacles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The game tugs you along, held in a \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/04/whats-the-secret-sauce-to-a-great-educational-game/\" target=\"_blank\">state of \"flow\" \u003c/a>between anxiety (when things get too hard) and boredom (when they're too easy).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And, the researchers point out, at the same time you're playing a game, the game can record your actions. When it's over, the software can create a report: not just a record of right and wrong answers, but all the steps you took to get there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Schwartz's \u003ca href=\"http://aaalab.stanford.edu/papers/Measuring_What_Matters_Most.pdf\">theory of assessment\u003c/a> focuses on choice. He argues that the ultimate goal of education is to create independent thinkers who make good decisions. And so we need assessments that test how students think, not what they happen to know at a given moment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For example, the real point of the school-fair game, called Posterlet, is not to test how good students are at graphic design.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Instead, the crux of the game comes when students choose to hear comments on their work. Seeking negative feedback, it turns out, is the best way to improve the design of your posters quickly. It's also a healthy strategy for doing well in school and in life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Photolet, another game from Schwartz's lab, players pretend to take photos of animals. Then they edit, crop and filter the shots.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the surface, the game is about photography skills like focus and composition. Underneath, it emphasizes another concept: making several versions of your work and then self-editing to choose the best.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of Schwartz's experiments took place recently at \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/02/what-will-it-take-for-ipads-to-upend-teaching-and-learning/\" target=\"_blank\">Hillview Middle School\u003c/a> in Menlo Park, Calif. \"We took over their sixth grade and taught design thinking for five weeks,\" he says. Design thinking includes using empathy and fact-finding to understand people's needs, generate prototype solutions to problems and test them out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Schwartz's study showed that students were able to apply the concepts they learned in social studies or science class to improve their performance on Posterlet or Photolet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Larra Olson, who teaches humanities at Hillview, says her students loved playing the games. \"They were completely engaged,\" she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Olson said the project left her \"totally open\" to the potential of games as assessments, especially as an alternative to the traditional emphasis on grades and multiple-choice tests.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I think you have to figure out the structure of the game so you're not 'leading the witness,' \" she said. \"But I think they're very powerful.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">\u003cem>Copyright 2014 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.\u003cimg src=\"http://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=Tests+That+Look+Like+Video+Games&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\" alt=\"\">\u003c/em>\u003c/div>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "37276 http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/?p=37276",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/08/11/could-video-games-measure-skills-that-tests-cant-capture/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 876,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 28
},
"modified": 1407530640,
"excerpt": "Researchers are experimenting with playable tests capable of capturing learning in action.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Researchers are experimenting with playable tests capable of capturing learning in action.",
"title": "Could Video Games Measure Skills That Tests Can't Capture? | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Could Video Games Measure Skills That Tests Can't Capture?",
"datePublished": "2014-08-11T07:00:37-07:00",
"dateModified": "2014-08-08T13:44:00-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "could-video-games-measure-skills-that-tests-cant-capture",
"status": "publish",
"nprApiLink": "http://api.npr.org/query?id=337129961&apiKey=MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004",
"nprByline": "Anya Kamenetz ",
"nprStoryDate": "Thu, 07 Aug 2014 08:03:00 -0400",
"nprLastModifiedDate": "Thu, 07 Aug 2014 11:21:29 -0400",
"nprHtmlLink": "http://www.npr.org/blogs/ed/2014/08/07/337129961/tests-that-look-like-video-games?ft=3&f=337129961",
"nprStoryId": "337129961",
"nprRetrievedStory": "1",
"nprPubDate": "Thu, 07 Aug 2014 11:21:00 -0400",
"path": "/mindshift/37276/could-video-games-measure-skills-that-tests-cant-capture",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_37279\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/posterlet2-e6ddbc7791828b57ffcd00a8958fee46a13f6f91-e1407528764883.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-37279\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/posterlet2-e6ddbc7791828b57ffcd00a8958fee46a13f6f91-e1407528764883.jpg\" alt=\"A screenshot from the Posterlet game: choosing negative or positive feedback.\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/posterlet2-e6ddbc7791828b57ffcd00a8958fee46a13f6f91-e1407528764883.jpg 640w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/posterlet2-e6ddbc7791828b57ffcd00a8958fee46a13f6f91-e1407528764883-400x225.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2014/08/posterlet2-e6ddbc7791828b57ffcd00a8958fee46a13f6f91-e1407528764883-320x180.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A screenshot from the Posterlet game: choosing negative or positive feedback.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp class=\"dropcap-serif\">Imagine you're playing a computer game that asks you to design a poster for the school fair. You're fiddling with fonts, changing background colors and deciding what activity to feature: Will a basketball toss appeal to more people than a pie bake-off?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, animal characters — maybe a panda or an ostrich — offer feedback on your design. You can choose whether to hear a compliment or a complaint: \"The words are overlapping too much,\" or, \"I like that you put in the dates.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignleft\">\"They're not just measures of what the student already knows, but attempts to measure whether they are prepared to continue learning when they're no longer told exactly what to do.\"\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>You can use their critiques as guides to help you revise your poster. Finally, you get to see how many tickets your poster sold.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This little Web-based game isn't just a game. It's a test, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"In our assessments we make little fun games, and to do well at the games you need to learn something,\" says Dan Schwartz, the director of the \u003ca href=\"http://aaalab.stanford.edu/\">AAA Lab at Stanford University\u003c/a>. \"So they're not just measures of what the student already knows, but attempts to measure whether they are prepared to continue learning when they're no longer told exactly what to do.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Schwartz is among a new breed of researchers who are applying the mechanics of games to the science of psychometrics — the measurement of the mind.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Right now, he's working on a series of video games called Choicelets. They're designed to evaluate students on factors that traditional tests can't assess. He wants to measure how students learn, how they make decisions and how they respond to feedback.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>A Test Or A Learning Encounter?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most kids like video games — a lot more than they like taking tests.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the purpose of making tests more like games isn't just to add a spoonful of sugar to the medicine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scholars like \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/07/games-can-advance-education-a-conversation-with-james-paul-gee/\" target=\"_blank\">James Paul Gee\u003c/a> believe video games actually come much closer to capturing the learning process in action than traditional fill-in-the-bubble tests.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gee, a professor of education at Arizona State University, is considered the godfather of game-based assessment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Is a video game a test or a learning encounter? It's both,\" he said. In fact, in a video game, \"you're always being tested — you can't get out of a level until you finish it.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gee and other experts explain that classic video games, like Mario Brothers or Tetris, are designed to adapt as the player gets better. Each level moves faster, or presents harder obstacles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The game tugs you along, held in a \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/04/whats-the-secret-sauce-to-a-great-educational-game/\" target=\"_blank\">state of \"flow\" \u003c/a>between anxiety (when things get too hard) and boredom (when they're too easy).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And, the researchers point out, at the same time you're playing a game, the game can record your actions. When it's over, the software can create a report: not just a record of right and wrong answers, but all the steps you took to get there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Schwartz's \u003ca href=\"http://aaalab.stanford.edu/papers/Measuring_What_Matters_Most.pdf\">theory of assessment\u003c/a> focuses on choice. He argues that the ultimate goal of education is to create independent thinkers who make good decisions. And so we need assessments that test how students think, not what they happen to know at a given moment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For example, the real point of the school-fair game, called Posterlet, is not to test how good students are at graphic design.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Instead, the crux of the game comes when students choose to hear comments on their work. Seeking negative feedback, it turns out, is the best way to improve the design of your posters quickly. It's also a healthy strategy for doing well in school and in life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Photolet, another game from Schwartz's lab, players pretend to take photos of animals. Then they edit, crop and filter the shots.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the surface, the game is about photography skills like focus and composition. Underneath, it emphasizes another concept: making several versions of your work and then self-editing to choose the best.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of Schwartz's experiments took place recently at \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/02/what-will-it-take-for-ipads-to-upend-teaching-and-learning/\" target=\"_blank\">Hillview Middle School\u003c/a> in Menlo Park, Calif. \"We took over their sixth grade and taught design thinking for five weeks,\" he says. Design thinking includes using empathy and fact-finding to understand people's needs, generate prototype solutions to problems and test them out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Schwartz's study showed that students were able to apply the concepts they learned in social studies or science class to improve their performance on Posterlet or Photolet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Larra Olson, who teaches humanities at Hillview, says her students loved playing the games. \"They were completely engaged,\" she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Olson said the project left her \"totally open\" to the potential of games as assessments, especially as an alternative to the traditional emphasis on grades and multiple-choice tests.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I think you have to figure out the structure of the game so you're not 'leading the witness,' \" she said. \"But I think they're very powerful.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">\u003cem>Copyright 2014 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.\u003cimg src=\"http://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=Tests+That+Look+Like+Video+Games&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\" alt=\"\">\u003c/em>\u003c/div>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/mindshift/37276/could-video-games-measure-skills-that-tests-cant-capture",
"authors": [
"byline_mindshift_37276"
],
"categories": [
"mindshift_195"
],
"tags": [
"mindshift_108",
"mindshift_1040",
"mindshift_548",
"mindshift_20902"
],
"featImg": "mindshift_37279",
"label": "mindshift"
},
"mindshift_32982": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "mindshift_32982",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "32982",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1388772812000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "mindshift"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1388772812,
"format": "aside",
"disqusTitle": "How Can Developers Make Meaningful Learning Games for Classrooms?",
"title": "How Can Developers Make Meaningful Learning Games for Classrooms?",
"headTitle": "MindShift | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_32988\" class=\"wp-caption center\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jflinchbaugh/5329187584/sizes/l/\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-32988\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2013/12/playing-games300.jpg\" alt=\"playing-games300\" width=\"640\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2013/12/playing-games300.jpg 640w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2013/12/playing-games300-400x188.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2013/12/playing-games300-320x150.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"> \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp class=\"dropcap-serif\">Though many educators are excited about game-based learning, the movement is still very much in a state of transition. Commercial game developers have quickly discovered it’s easier and quicker to develop mobile apps aimed at parent consumers than it is to create an easy-to-use yet robust product to make a meaningful impact on classroom learning. Meanwhile, the education sector is focusing on how to use assessments with games, because although test scores certainly don’t paint the whole picture, they remain the main data point for administrators and policymakers assessing schools and teachers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As game developers look at a complicated education marketplace studded with persistent challenges, a few guidelines have begun to emerge to help make it easier for teachers to use and see value in educational games.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One big misperception of educational games and a turn-off for some educators is the idea that games are meant to entertain students when they're in school. “Learning is already fun,” said Dan White, CEO and founder of educational gaming company \u003ca href=\"http://www.filamentgames.com/\">Filament Games\u003c/a> in a recent \u003ca href=\"http://home.edweb.net/\">edWeb \u003c/a>webinar. “The objective of game technology isn’t to sugar coat learning, it’s to give a nice entree into the learning. If you are really teaching somebody something, they’ll have a good time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignleft\"> “It’s not obvious what sort of pain points we are trying to address by creating learning games. If it was easy, a McGraw or Pearson would be waiting at the top, they’d have already figured this out.” \u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>Not every student will love every educational game, but that's not the point -- the point is to help different types of learners access the information. White says the term “game” can lead to the misperception that it's all about entertainment, when to him the point is reaching learning goals and targeting the kinds of classroom challenges that traditional teaching has difficulty addressing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Creating games that tackle tough concepts is a huge challenge. “It’s not obvious what sort of pain points we are trying to address by creating learning games,” White said. “If it was easy, a McGraw or Pearson would be waiting at the top, they’d have already figured this out.” Topics that games have the potential to add a meaningful learning layer are those that require a lot of class time to do in the real world, like watching a plant grow; subjects that would cost money, like science experiments; or concepts that students persistently have difficulty grasping. But to find out what schools really need, developers have to ask teachers and listen closely to the answers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Historically, we’ve done a bad job about this,” White said. But if developers want games used in classrooms, they must be responsive to teachers. “When we integrated teachers directly into the design process and asked them to help us address some of the misperceptions about fractions, they pointed us in the direction of a game where you just mess around with fractions a whole bunch,” White said. The final product had little narrative and no complex graphics to get in the way of the goal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[contextly_sidebar id=\"ebaecec0bbb6c52b20a2bf47435bdd9d\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One way to help teachers use games in the classroom is to build support materials that flow seamlessly from the game. With strong professional development, lesson plans, discussion questions and assessment tools, the game developer can help scaffold learning in classrooms, an important element of transferring in-game learning from the virtual to real world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Conner’s brainchild \u003ca href=\"http://www.icivics.org/\">iCivics\u003c/a> is a great example of how well this strategy can work, White said. “In addition to creating the games, they created an entire website with tools for how to implement the games in the classroom,” White said. The game boasts 10 million plays, partly because it’s free and partly because Justice O’Conner used her position to promote it. But the supportive material also made using the game feel more comfortable for teachers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The games can’t do it all,” White said. “Games are great at drilling deep and relatively narrow, but they’re not great at covering a wide swath.” That’s important to know if teachers want to take advantage of the powerful teaching moments that games can produce. They help get students excited about a topic and its the \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/11/teaching-empathy-through-digital-game-play/\">teacher’s job to connect it to other learning,\u003c/a> he said. “Games are really awesome and rich content for a student to experience before going on to do a more traditional learning experience, like reading,” White said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>NEXT ITERATION OF GAMES\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Filament is now experimenting with ways to leverage the unique qualities of school -- mainly, that they're in one physical space together at the same time -- into another iteration of games. White wants to figure out how to create a game that would focus on increasing students' interactions with each other, as much as with their gaming devices. He's also interested in creating mobile games that capitalize on their mobility, rather than providing the same desktop game for mobile devices.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All of these new ideas go back to the core challenge of finding the connection between formal and informal learning. “It’s where we can make the most impact,” White said. “Good parents are going to go out and find ways to educate their children, but in schools we have an opportunity to reach everybody.” That’s why he thinks it's so important to help teachers along the gaming path. White isn’t interested in only reaching eager early adopters; he wants to reach the \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/12/what-teachers-really-think-about-game-based-learning/\">average, harried, reticent teacher\u003c/a> and he understands they’re under a lot of pressure to prove that any educational tool they use is effective and worth the time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Proving the effectiveness of a game is no simple proposition. Games are all different. When students play a game that focuses on a particular skill, often called “drill-and-kill” games, they often see improved test scores. But those games don’t necessarily get at the \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/08/mit-unleashes-new-online-game-for-math-and-science/\">higher order thinking skills\u003c/a> that games have the potential to help develop. But more complex games often don’t offer clearly correlated outcomes that a teacher can use to prove effectiveness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The debate has led some game developers and their funders to focus on how the game itself can be used to assess learning -- how the game can become a test. But White says that also changes the nature of the game. When a child sits down to play a game, he assumes it’s \"failure agnostic\" and that allows him to experiment and meander his way through the game freely. When assessment is involved, it changes his relationship to the game. White isn’t against using games for assessment, but he doesn’t think anyone has really figured out how to accurately use the data that games provide to assess in a meaningful way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Glasslab’s \u003ca href=\"http://www.simcityedu.org/\">SimCityEDU\u003c/a>, funded by the Gates and MacArthur Foundations, is the highest profile example of \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/03/video-games-as-assessment-tools-game-changer/\">gaming for assessment\u003c/a>. White says if they can crack the code he’ll license it from them, but it’s a lot easier to pull analytics and metrics for a single game than it is to generalize those principles into something that could be applied to all educational games. And, when assessment is involved, the price of developing a game skyrockets.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>White doesn’t want to sell the idea that games can be assessment tools to his customers until it has been proven to really work. He’s actually a little conflicted about the idea. He’d love the game to provide a deep and unique learning experience separate from assessment, but he understands that, from a practical point of view, using games for assessment meets a real need in education.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "32982 http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/?p=32982",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/01/03/how-can-developers-make-meaningful-learning-games-for-classrooms/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 1364,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 18
},
"modified": 1388776363,
"excerpt": "As game developers look at a complicated education marketplace studded with persistent challenges, a few guidelines have begun to emerge to help make it easier for teachers to use and see value in educational games.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "As game developers look at a complicated education marketplace studded with persistent challenges, a few guidelines have begun to emerge to help make it easier for teachers to use and see value in educational games.",
"title": "How Can Developers Make Meaningful Learning Games for Classrooms? | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "How Can Developers Make Meaningful Learning Games for Classrooms?",
"datePublished": "2014-01-03T10:13:32-08:00",
"dateModified": "2014-01-03T11:12:43-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "how-can-developers-make-meaningful-learning-games-for-classrooms",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/mindshift/32982/how-can-developers-make-meaningful-learning-games-for-classrooms",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_32988\" class=\"wp-caption center\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jflinchbaugh/5329187584/sizes/l/\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-32988\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2013/12/playing-games300.jpg\" alt=\"playing-games300\" width=\"640\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2013/12/playing-games300.jpg 640w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2013/12/playing-games300-400x188.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/23/2013/12/playing-games300-320x150.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"> \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp class=\"dropcap-serif\">Though many educators are excited about game-based learning, the movement is still very much in a state of transition. Commercial game developers have quickly discovered it’s easier and quicker to develop mobile apps aimed at parent consumers than it is to create an easy-to-use yet robust product to make a meaningful impact on classroom learning. Meanwhile, the education sector is focusing on how to use assessments with games, because although test scores certainly don’t paint the whole picture, they remain the main data point for administrators and policymakers assessing schools and teachers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As game developers look at a complicated education marketplace studded with persistent challenges, a few guidelines have begun to emerge to help make it easier for teachers to use and see value in educational games.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One big misperception of educational games and a turn-off for some educators is the idea that games are meant to entertain students when they're in school. “Learning is already fun,” said Dan White, CEO and founder of educational gaming company \u003ca href=\"http://www.filamentgames.com/\">Filament Games\u003c/a> in a recent \u003ca href=\"http://home.edweb.net/\">edWeb \u003c/a>webinar. “The objective of game technology isn’t to sugar coat learning, it’s to give a nice entree into the learning. If you are really teaching somebody something, they’ll have a good time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignleft\"> “It’s not obvious what sort of pain points we are trying to address by creating learning games. If it was easy, a McGraw or Pearson would be waiting at the top, they’d have already figured this out.” \u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>Not every student will love every educational game, but that's not the point -- the point is to help different types of learners access the information. White says the term “game” can lead to the misperception that it's all about entertainment, when to him the point is reaching learning goals and targeting the kinds of classroom challenges that traditional teaching has difficulty addressing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Creating games that tackle tough concepts is a huge challenge. “It’s not obvious what sort of pain points we are trying to address by creating learning games,” White said. “If it was easy, a McGraw or Pearson would be waiting at the top, they’d have already figured this out.” Topics that games have the potential to add a meaningful learning layer are those that require a lot of class time to do in the real world, like watching a plant grow; subjects that would cost money, like science experiments; or concepts that students persistently have difficulty grasping. But to find out what schools really need, developers have to ask teachers and listen closely to the answers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Historically, we’ve done a bad job about this,” White said. But if developers want games used in classrooms, they must be responsive to teachers. “When we integrated teachers directly into the design process and asked them to help us address some of the misperceptions about fractions, they pointed us in the direction of a game where you just mess around with fractions a whole bunch,” White said. The final product had little narrative and no complex graphics to get in the way of the goal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One way to help teachers use games in the classroom is to build support materials that flow seamlessly from the game. With strong professional development, lesson plans, discussion questions and assessment tools, the game developer can help scaffold learning in classrooms, an important element of transferring in-game learning from the virtual to real world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Conner’s brainchild \u003ca href=\"http://www.icivics.org/\">iCivics\u003c/a> is a great example of how well this strategy can work, White said. “In addition to creating the games, they created an entire website with tools for how to implement the games in the classroom,” White said. The game boasts 10 million plays, partly because it’s free and partly because Justice O’Conner used her position to promote it. But the supportive material also made using the game feel more comfortable for teachers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The games can’t do it all,” White said. “Games are great at drilling deep and relatively narrow, but they’re not great at covering a wide swath.” That’s important to know if teachers want to take advantage of the powerful teaching moments that games can produce. They help get students excited about a topic and its the \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/11/teaching-empathy-through-digital-game-play/\">teacher’s job to connect it to other learning,\u003c/a> he said. “Games are really awesome and rich content for a student to experience before going on to do a more traditional learning experience, like reading,” White said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>NEXT ITERATION OF GAMES\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Filament is now experimenting with ways to leverage the unique qualities of school -- mainly, that they're in one physical space together at the same time -- into another iteration of games. White wants to figure out how to create a game that would focus on increasing students' interactions with each other, as much as with their gaming devices. He's also interested in creating mobile games that capitalize on their mobility, rather than providing the same desktop game for mobile devices.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All of these new ideas go back to the core challenge of finding the connection between formal and informal learning. “It’s where we can make the most impact,” White said. “Good parents are going to go out and find ways to educate their children, but in schools we have an opportunity to reach everybody.” That’s why he thinks it's so important to help teachers along the gaming path. White isn’t interested in only reaching eager early adopters; he wants to reach the \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/12/what-teachers-really-think-about-game-based-learning/\">average, harried, reticent teacher\u003c/a> and he understands they’re under a lot of pressure to prove that any educational tool they use is effective and worth the time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Proving the effectiveness of a game is no simple proposition. Games are all different. When students play a game that focuses on a particular skill, often called “drill-and-kill” games, they often see improved test scores. But those games don’t necessarily get at the \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/08/mit-unleashes-new-online-game-for-math-and-science/\">higher order thinking skills\u003c/a> that games have the potential to help develop. But more complex games often don’t offer clearly correlated outcomes that a teacher can use to prove effectiveness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The debate has led some game developers and their funders to focus on how the game itself can be used to assess learning -- how the game can become a test. But White says that also changes the nature of the game. When a child sits down to play a game, he assumes it’s \"failure agnostic\" and that allows him to experiment and meander his way through the game freely. When assessment is involved, it changes his relationship to the game. White isn’t against using games for assessment, but he doesn’t think anyone has really figured out how to accurately use the data that games provide to assess in a meaningful way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Glasslab’s \u003ca href=\"http://www.simcityedu.org/\">SimCityEDU\u003c/a>, funded by the Gates and MacArthur Foundations, is the highest profile example of \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/03/video-games-as-assessment-tools-game-changer/\">gaming for assessment\u003c/a>. White says if they can crack the code he’ll license it from them, but it’s a lot easier to pull analytics and metrics for a single game than it is to generalize those principles into something that could be applied to all educational games. And, when assessment is involved, the price of developing a game skyrockets.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>White doesn’t want to sell the idea that games can be assessment tools to his customers until it has been proven to really work. He’s actually a little conflicted about the idea. He’d love the game to provide a deep and unique learning experience separate from assessment, but he understands that, from a practical point of view, using games for assessment meets a real need in education.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/mindshift/32982/how-can-developers-make-meaningful-learning-games-for-classrooms",
"authors": [
"234"
],
"categories": [
"mindshift_195"
],
"tags": [
"mindshift_108",
"mindshift_1040",
"mindshift_548",
"mindshift_20902"
],
"featImg": "mindshift_32990",
"label": "mindshift"
}
},
"podcastsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"podcasts": {}
},
"radioProgramsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"radioPrograms": {}
},
"programsReducer": {
"all-things-considered": {
"id": "all-things-considered",
"title": "All Things Considered",
"info": "Every weekday, \u003cem>All Things Considered\u003c/em> hosts Robert Siegel, Audie Cornish, Ari Shapiro, and Kelly McEvers present the program's trademark mix of news, interviews, commentaries, reviews, and offbeat features. Michel Martin hosts on the weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 1pm-2pm, 4:30pm-6:30pm\u003cbr />SAT-SUN 5pm-6pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/All-Things-Considered-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/all-things-considered/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/all-things-considered"
},
"american-suburb-podcast": {
"id": "american-suburb-podcast",
"title": "American Suburb: The Podcast",
"tagline": "The flip side of gentrification, told through one town",
"info": "Gentrification is changing cities across America, forcing people from neighborhoods they have long called home. Call them the displaced. Now those priced out of the Bay Area are looking for a better life in an unlikely place. American Suburb follows this migration to one California town along the Delta, 45 miles from San Francisco. But is this once sleepy suburb ready for them?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/American-Suburb-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 19
},
"link": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/RBrW",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=1287748328",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/American-Suburb-p1086805/",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/feed/podcast",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMzMDExODgxNjA5"
}
},
"baycurious": {
"id": "baycurious",
"title": "Bay Curious",
"tagline": "Exploring the Bay Area, one question at a time",
"info": "KQED’s new podcast, Bay Curious, gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we’ll do it with your help! You ask the questions. You decide what Bay Curious investigates. And you join us on the journey to find the answers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Bay-Curious-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Bay Curious",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/baycurious",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 3
},
"link": "/podcasts/baycurious",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bay-curious/id1172473406",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/500557090/bay-curious",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/category/bay-curious-podcast/feed/podcast",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9a90d476-aa04-455d-9a4c-0871ed6216d4/bay-curious",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/bay-curious",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6O76IdmhixfijmhTZLIJ8k"
}
},
"bbc-world-service": {
"id": "bbc-world-service",
"title": "BBC World Service",
"info": "The day's top stories from BBC News compiled twice daily in the week, once at weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9pm-10pm, TUE-FRI 1am-2am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/BBC-World-Service-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_world_service",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "BBC World Service"
},
"link": "/radio/program/bbc-world-service",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/global-news-podcast/id135067274?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/BBC-World-Service-p455581/",
"rss": "https://podcasts.files.bbci.co.uk/p02nq0gn.rss"
}
},
"californiareport": {
"id": "californiareport",
"title": "The California Report",
"tagline": "California, day by day",
"info": "KQED’s statewide radio news program providing daily coverage of issues, trends and public policy decisions.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareport",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 8
},
"link": "/californiareport",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-the-california-report/id79681292",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/26099305-72af-4542-9dde-ac1807fe36d5/kqed-s-the-california-report",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432285393/the-california-report",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-the-california-report-podcast-8838",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcram/feed/podcast"
}
},
"californiareportmagazine": {
"id": "californiareportmagazine",
"title": "The California Report Magazine",
"tagline": "Your state, your stories",
"info": "Every week, The California Report Magazine takes you on a road trip for the ears: to visit the places and meet the people who make California unique. The in-depth storytelling podcast from the California Report.",
"airtime": "FRI 4:30pm-5pm, 6:30pm-7pm, 11pm-11:30pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Magazine-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report Magazine",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareportmagazine",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 10
},
"link": "/californiareportmagazine",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-california-report-magazine/id1314750545",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM3NjkwNjk1OTAz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/564733126/the-california-report-magazine",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-california-report-magazine",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcrmag/feed/podcast"
}
},
"city-arts": {
"id": "city-arts",
"title": "City Arts & Lectures",
"info": "A one-hour radio program to hear celebrated writers, artists and thinkers address contemporary ideas and values, often discussing the creative process. Please note: tapes or transcripts are not available",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/cityartsandlecture-300x300.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.cityarts.net/",
"airtime": "SUN 1pm-2pm, TUE 10pm, WED 1am",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "City Arts & Lectures"
},
"link": "https://www.cityarts.net",
"subscribe": {
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/City-Arts-and-Lectures-p692/",
"rss": "https://www.cityarts.net/feed/"
}
},
"closealltabs": {
"id": "closealltabs",
"title": "Close All Tabs",
"tagline": "Your irreverent guide to the trends redefining our world",
"info": "Close All Tabs breaks down how digital culture shapes our world through thoughtful insights and irreverent humor.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/CAT_2_Tile-scaled.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Close All Tabs",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 1
},
"link": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/close-all-tabs/id214663465",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC6993880386",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/92d9d4ac-67a3-4eed-b10a-fb45d45b1ef2/close-all-tabs",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6LAJFHnGK1pYXYzv6SIol6?si=deb0cae19813417c"
}
},
"code-switch-life-kit": {
"id": "code-switch-life-kit",
"title": "Code Switch / Life Kit",
"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
"airtime": "SUN 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Code-Switch-Life-Kit-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/code-switch-life-kit",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/1112190608?mt=2&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnByLm9yZy9yc3MvcG9kY2FzdC5waHA_aWQ9NTEwMzEy",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3bExJ9JQpkwNhoHvaIIuyV",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510312/podcast.xml"
}
},
"commonwealth-club": {
"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
"airtime": "THU 10pm, FRI 1am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.commonwealthclub.org/podcasts",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
"link": "/radio/program/commonwealth-club",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/commonwealth-club-of-california-podcast/id976334034?mt=2",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Commonwealth-Club-of-California-p1060/"
}
},
"forum": {
"id": "forum",
"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/forum",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 9
},
"link": "/forum",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-forum/id73329719",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5NTU3MzgxNjMz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432307980/forum",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-forum-podcast",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9557381633"
}
},
"freakonomics-radio": {
"id": "freakonomics-radio",
"title": "Freakonomics Radio",
"info": "Freakonomics Radio is a one-hour award-winning podcast and public-radio project hosted by Stephen Dubner, with co-author Steve Levitt as a regular guest. It is produced in partnership with WNYC.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/freakonomicsRadio.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://freakonomics.com/",
"airtime": "SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/freakonomics-radio",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/freakonomicsradio"
}
},
"fresh-air": {
"id": "fresh-air",
"title": "Fresh Air",
"info": "Hosted by Terry Gross, \u003cem>Fresh Air from WHYY\u003c/em> is the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues. One of public radio's most popular programs, Fresh Air features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Fresh-Air-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/fresh-air",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Fresh-Air-p17/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/381444908/podcast.xml"
}
},
"here-and-now": {
"id": "here-and-now",
"title": "Here & Now",
"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
"airtime": "MON-THU 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Here-And-Now-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/here-and-now",
"subsdcribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=426698661",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Here--Now-p211/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510051/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hidden-brain": {
"id": "hidden-brain",
"title": "Hidden Brain",
"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/hiddenbrain.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/423302056/hidden-brain",
"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "NPR"
},
"link": "/radio/program/hidden-brain",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hidden-brain/id1028908750?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Science-Podcasts/Hidden-Brain-p787503/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510308/podcast.xml"
}
},
"how-i-built-this": {
"id": "how-i-built-this",
"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/howIBuiltThis.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this",
"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/how-i-built-this",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/3zxy",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/How-I-Built-This-p910896/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510313/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
"title": "Hyphenación",
"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Hyphenacion_FinalAssets_PodcastTile.png",
"imageAlt": "KQED Hyphenación",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 15
},
"link": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hyphenaci%C3%B3n/id1191591838",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/2p3Fifq96nw9BPcmFdIq0o?si=39209f7b25774f38",
"youtube": "https://www.youtube.com/c/kqedarts",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6c3dd23c-93fb-4aab-97ba-1725fa6315f1/hyphenaci%C3%B3n",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC2275451163"
}
},
"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Political-Mind-of-Jerry-Brown-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 18
},
"link": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/790253322/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1492194549",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/jerrybrown/feed/podcast/",
"tuneIn": "http://tun.in/pjGcK",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/54C1dmuyFyKMFttY6X2j6r?si=K8SgRCoISNK6ZbjpXrX5-w",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/44420f75-3b0e-4301-ab3b-16da6b09e543/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown"
}
},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/xtTd",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Latino-USA-p621/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
}
},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201853034&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/APM-Marketplace-p88/",
"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
}
},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Masters-of-Scale-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WaitWhat"
},
"link": "/radio/program/masters-of-scale",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "http://mastersofscale.app.link/",
"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mindshift-podcast/id1078765985",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/464615685/mind-shift-podcast",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/stories-teachers-share",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0MxSpNYZKNprFLCl7eEtyx"
}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
},
"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "On Our Watch from NPR and KQED",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 11
},
"link": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1567098962",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM2MC9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbD9zYz1nb29nbGVwb2RjYXN0cw",
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/onourwatch",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0OLWoyizopu6tY1XiuX70x",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-Our-Watch-p1436229/",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/show/on-our-watch",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510360/podcast.xml"
}
},
"on-the-media": {
"id": "on-the-media",
"title": "On The Media",
"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm-3pm, MON 12am-1am",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/onTheMedia.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/otm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wnyc"
},
"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-media/id73330715?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-the-Media-p69/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/onthemedia"
}
},
"pbs-newshour": {
"id": "pbs-newshour",
"title": "PBS NewsHour",
"info": "Analysis, background reports and updates from the PBS NewsHour putting today's news in context.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PBS-News-Hour-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "pbs"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pbs-newshour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pbs-newshour-full-show/id394432287?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/PBS-NewsHour---Full-Show-p425698/",
"rss": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/feeds/rss/podcasts/show"
}
},
"perspectives": {
"id": "perspectives",
"title": "Perspectives",
"tagline": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991",
"info": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Perspectives_Tile_Final.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Perspectives",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/perspectives/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 14
},
"link": "/perspectives",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id73801135",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432309616/perspectives",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/perspectives/category/perspectives/feed/",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93dzIua3FlZC5vcmcvcGVyc3BlY3RpdmVzL2NhdGVnb3J5L3BlcnNwZWN0aXZlcy9mZWVkLw"
}
},
"planet-money": {
"id": "planet-money",
"title": "Planet Money",
"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/planetmoney.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/sections/money/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/planet-money",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/M4f5",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/planet-money/id290783428?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Business--Economics-Podcasts/Planet-Money-p164680/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510289/podcast.xml"
}
},
"politicalbreakdown": {
"id": "politicalbreakdown",
"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Political-Breakdown-2024-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Political Breakdown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 5
},
"link": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/political-breakdown/id1327641087",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0c2d153-ad36-4c8d-901d-f1da6a724824/political-breakdown",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/572155894/political-breakdown",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/political-breakdown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/07RVyIjIdk2WDuVehvBMoN",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/political-breakdown/feed/podcast"
}
},
"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.possible.fm/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Possible"
},
"link": "/radio/program/possible",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/possible/id1677184070",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/730YpdUSNlMyPQwNnyjp4k"
}
},
"pri-the-world": {
"id": "pri-the-world",
"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pri.org/programs/the-world",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "PRI"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pri-the-world",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pris-the-world-latest-edition/id278196007?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/PRIs-The-World-p24/",
"rss": "http://feeds.feedburner.com/pri/theworld"
}
},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
"title": "Radiolab",
"info": "A two-time Peabody Award-winner, Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder. WNYC Studios is the producer of other leading podcasts including Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, On the Media and many more.",
"airtime": "SUN 12am-1am, SAT 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/radiolab1400.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/radiolab/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/radiolab",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/radiolab/id152249110?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/RadioLab-p68032/",
"rss": "https://feeds.wnyc.org/radiolab"
}
},
"reveal": {
"id": "reveal",
"title": "Reveal",
"info": "Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, Reveal is public radios first one-hour weekly radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting. Credible, fact based and without a partisan agenda, Reveal combines the power and artistry of driveway moment storytelling with data-rich reporting on critically important issues. The result is stories that inform and inspire, arming our listeners with information to right injustices, hold the powerful accountable and improve lives.Reveal is hosted by Al Letson and showcases the award-winning work of CIR and newsrooms large and small across the nation. In a radio and podcast market crowded with choices, Reveal focuses on important and often surprising stories that illuminate the world for our listeners.",
"airtime": "SAT 4pm-5pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/reveal300px.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/reveal",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/reveal/id886009669",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Reveal-p679597/",
"rss": "http://feeds.revealradio.org/revealpodcast"
}
},
"rightnowish": {
"id": "rightnowish",
"title": "Rightnowish",
"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
"info": "Rightnowish digs into life in the Bay Area right now… ish. Journalist Pendarvis Harshaw takes us to galleries painted on the sides of liquor stores in West Oakland. We'll dance in warehouses in the Bayview, make smoothies with kids in South Berkeley, and listen to classical music in a 1984 Cutlass Supreme in Richmond. Every week, Pen talks to movers and shakers about how the Bay Area shapes what they create, and how they shape the place we call home.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rightnowish-Podcast-Tile-500x500-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Rightnowish with Pendarvis Harshaw",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 16
},
"link": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/721590300/rightnowish",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/programs/rightnowish/feed/podcast",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rightnowish/id1482187648",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/rightnowish",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMxMjU5MTY3NDc4",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/7kEJuafTzTVan7B78ttz1I"
}
},
"science-friday": {
"id": "science-friday",
"title": "Science Friday",
"info": "Science Friday is a weekly science talk show, broadcast live over public radio stations nationwide. Each week, the show focuses on science topics that are in the news and tries to bring an educated, balanced discussion to bear on the scientific issues at hand. Panels of expert guests join host Ira Flatow, a veteran science journalist, to discuss science and to take questions from listeners during the call-in portion of the program.",
"airtime": "FRI 11am-1pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Science-Friday-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/science-friday",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/science-friday",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=73329284&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Science-Friday-p394/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/science-friday"
}
},
"snap-judgment": {
"id": "snap-judgment",
"title": "Snap Judgment",
"tagline": "Real stories with killer beats",
"info": "The Snap Judgment radio show and podcast mixes real stories with killer beats to produce cinematic, dramatic radio. Snap's musical brand of storytelling dares listeners to see the world through the eyes of another. This is storytelling... with a BEAT!! Snap first aired on public radio stations nationwide in July 2010. Today, Snap Judgment airs on over 450 public radio stations and is brought to the airwaves by KQED & PRX.",
"airtime": "SAT 1pm-2pm, 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Snap-Judgment-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Snap Judgment",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 4
},
"link": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/snap-judgment/id283657561",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/449018144/snap-judgment",
"stitcher": "https://www.pandora.com/podcast/snap-judgment/PC:241?source=stitcher-sunset",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3Cct7ZWmxHNAtLgBTqjC5v",
"rss": "https://snap.feed.snapjudgment.org/"
}
},
"soldout": {
"id": "soldout",
"title": "SOLD OUT: Rethinking Housing in America",
"tagline": "A new future for housing",
"info": "Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Sold-Out-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/soldout",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 13
},
"link": "/podcasts/soldout",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/911586047/s-o-l-d-o-u-t-a-new-future-for-housing",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/introducing-sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america/id1531354937",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/soldout",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/38dTBSk2ISFoPiyYNoKn1X",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america",
"tunein": "https://tunein.com/radio/SOLD-OUT-Rethinking-Housing-in-America-p1365871/"
}
},
"spooked": {
"id": "spooked",
"title": "Spooked",
"tagline": "True-life supernatural stories",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Spooked-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Spooked",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 7
},
"link": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spooked/id1279361017",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/549547848/snap-judgment-presents-spooked",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/76571Rfl3m7PLJQZKQIGCT",
"rss": "https://feeds.simplecast.com/TBotaapn"
}
},
"tech-nation": {
"id": "tech-nation",
"title": "Tech Nation Radio Podcast",
"info": "Tech Nation is a weekly public radio program, hosted by Dr. Moira Gunn. Founded in 1993, it has grown from a simple interview show to a multi-faceted production, featuring conversations with noted technology and science leaders, and a weekly science and technology-related commentary.",
"airtime": "FRI 10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Tech-Nation-Radio-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://technation.podomatic.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "Tech Nation Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tech-nation",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://technation.podomatic.com/rss2.xml"
}
},
"ted-radio-hour": {
"id": "ted-radio-hour",
"title": "TED Radio Hour",
"info": "The TED Radio Hour is a journey through fascinating ideas, astonishing inventions, fresh approaches to old problems, and new ways to think and create.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm, SAT 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/tedRadioHour.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/?showDate=2018-06-22",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/ted-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/8vsS",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=523121474&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/TED-Radio-Hour-p418021/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510298/podcast.xml"
}
},
"thebay": {
"id": "thebay",
"title": "The Bay",
"tagline": "Local news to keep you rooted",
"info": "Host Devin Katayama walks you through the biggest story of the day with reporters and newsmakers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Bay-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Bay",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/thebay",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 2
},
"link": "/podcasts/thebay",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bay/id1350043452",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d800ea4c-7a2c-42f2-b861-edaf78a5db0b/the-bay",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/586725995/the-bay",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-bay",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/4BIKBKIujizLHlIlBNaAqQ",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC8259786327"
}
},
"thelatest": {
"id": "thelatest",
"title": "The Latest",
"tagline": "Trusted local news in real time",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/The-Latest-2025-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Latest",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/thelatest",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 6
},
"link": "/thelatest",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-latest-from-kqed/id1197721799",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/1257949365/the-latest-from-k-q-e-d",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/5KIIXMgM9GTi5AepwOYvIZ?si=bd3053fec7244dba",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9137121918"
}
},
"theleap": {
"id": "theleap",
"title": "The Leap",
"tagline": "What if you closed your eyes, and jumped?",
"info": "Stories about people making dramatic, risky changes, told by award-winning public radio reporter Judy Campbell.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Leap-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Leap",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/theleap",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 17
},
"link": "/podcasts/theleap",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leap/id1046668171",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/447248267/the-leap",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-leap",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3sSlVHHzU0ytLwuGs1SD1U",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/programs/the-leap/feed/podcast"
}
},
"the-moth-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-moth-radio-hour",
"title": "The Moth Radio Hour",
"info": "Since its launch in 1997, The Moth has presented thousands of true stories, told live and without notes, to standing-room-only crowds worldwide. Moth storytellers stand alone, under a spotlight, with only a microphone and a roomful of strangers. The storyteller and the audience embark on a high-wire act of shared experience which is both terrifying and exhilarating. Since 2008, The Moth podcast has featured many of our favorite stories told live on Moth stages around the country. For information on all of our programs and live events, visit themoth.org.",
"airtime": "SAT 8pm-9pm and SUN 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/theMoth.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://themoth.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "prx"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-moth-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-moth-podcast/id275699983?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/The-Moth-p273888/",
"rss": "http://feeds.themoth.org/themothpodcast"
}
},
"the-new-yorker-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"title": "The New Yorker Radio Hour",
"info": "The New Yorker Radio Hour is a weekly program presented by the magazine's editor, David Remnick, and produced by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker. Each episode features a diverse mix of interviews, profiles, storytelling, and an occasional burst of humor inspired by the magazine, and shaped by its writers, artists, and editors. This isn't a radio version of a magazine, but something all its own, reflecting the rich possibilities of audio storytelling and conversation. Theme music for the show was composed and performed by Merrill Garbus of tUnE-YArDs.",
"airtime": "SAT 10am-11am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-New-Yorker-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/tnyradiohour",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1050430296",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/New-Yorker-Radio-Hour-p803804/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/newyorkerradiohour"
}
},
"the-sam-sanders-show": {
"id": "the-sam-sanders-show",
"title": "The Sam Sanders Show",
"info": "One of public radio's most dynamic voices, Sam Sanders helped launch The NPR Politics Podcast and hosted NPR's hit show It's Been A Minute. Now, the award-winning host returns with something brand new, The Sam Sanders Show. Every week, Sam Sanders and friends dig into the culture that shapes our lives: what's driving the biggest trends, how artists really think, and even the memes you can't stop scrolling past. Sam is beloved for his way of unpacking the world and bringing you up close to fresh currents and engaging conversations. The Sam Sanders Show is smart, funny and always a good time.",
"airtime": "FRI 12-1pm AND SAT 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/The-Sam-Sanders-Show-Podcast-Tile-400x400-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "KCRW"
},
"link": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feed.cdnstream1.com/zjb/feed/download/ac/28/59/ac28594c-e1d0-4231-8728-61865cdc80e8.xml"
}
},
"the-splendid-table": {
"id": "the-splendid-table",
"title": "The Splendid Table",
"info": "\u003cem>The Splendid Table\u003c/em> hosts our nation's conversations about cooking, sustainability and food culture.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Splendid-Table-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.splendidtable.org/",
"airtime": "SUN 10-11 pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-splendid-table"
},
"this-american-life": {
"id": "this-american-life",
"title": "This American Life",
"info": "This American Life is a weekly public radio show, heard by 2.2 million people on more than 500 stations. Another 2.5 million people download the weekly podcast. It is hosted by Ira Glass, produced in collaboration with Chicago Public Media, delivered to stations by PRX The Public Radio Exchange, and has won all of the major broadcasting awards.",
"airtime": "SAT 12pm-1pm, 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/thisAmericanLife.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wbez"
},
"link": "/radio/program/this-american-life",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201671138&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"rss": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/podcast/rss.xml"
}
},
"tinydeskradio": {
"id": "tinydeskradio",
"title": "Tiny Desk Radio",
"info": "We're bringing the best of Tiny Desk to the airwaves, only on public radio.",
"airtime": "SUN 8pm and SAT 9pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/300x300-For-Member-Station-Logo-Tiny-Desk-Radio-@2x.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/g-s1-52030/tiny-desk-radio",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tinydeskradio",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/g-s1-52030/rss.xml"
}
},
"wait-wait-dont-tell-me": {
"id": "wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"title": "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!",
"info": "Peter Sagal and Bill Kurtis host the weekly NPR News quiz show alongside some of the best and brightest news and entertainment personalities.",
"airtime": "SUN 10am-11am, SAT 11am-12pm, SAT 6pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Wait-Wait-Podcast-Tile-300x300-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/Xogv",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=121493804&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Wait-Wait-Dont-Tell-Me-p46/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/344098539/podcast.xml"
}
},
"weekend-edition-saturday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-saturday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Saturday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Saturday wraps up the week's news and offers a mix of analysis and features on a wide range of topics, including arts, sports, entertainment, and human interest stories. The two-hour program is hosted by NPR's Peabody Award-winning Scott Simon.",
"airtime": "SAT 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-saturday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-saturday"
},
"weekend-edition-sunday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-sunday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Sunday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Sunday features interviews with newsmakers, artists, scientists, politicians, musicians, writers, theologians and historians. The program has covered news events from Nelson Mandela's 1990 release from a South African prison to the capture of Saddam Hussein.",
"airtime": "SUN 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-sunday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-sunday"
}
},
"racesReducer": {},
"racesGenElectionReducer": {},
"racesGenElection2026Reducer": {},
"radioSchedulesReducer": {},
"listsReducer": {
"posts/mindshift?tag=game-based-learning": {
"isFetching": false,
"latestQuery": {
"from": 36,
"size": 12
},
"vitalsOnly": false,
"totalRequested": 12,
"isLoading": false,
"isLoadingMore": true,
"total": {
"value": 66,
"relation": "eq"
},
"items": [
"mindshift_37944",
"mindshift_38393",
"mindshift_37884",
"mindshift_37450",
"mindshift_37627",
"mindshift_37516",
"mindshift_37518",
"mindshift_37514",
"mindshift_37259",
"mindshift_37413",
"mindshift_37276",
"mindshift_32982"
],
"complete": true
}
},
"recallGuideReducer": {
"intros": {},
"policy": {},
"candidates": {}
},
"savedArticleReducer": {
"articles": [],
"status": {}
},
"newslettersReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"newsletters": {},
"isSubscribing": false,
"isUnsubscribing": false,
"subscribedNewsletters": {}
},
"termsReducer": {
"about": {
"name": "About",
"type": "terms",
"id": "about",
"slug": "about",
"link": "/about",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"arts": {
"name": "Arts & Culture",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"description": "KQED Arts provides daily in-depth coverage of the Bay Area's music, art, film, performing arts, literature and arts news, as well as cultural commentary and criticism.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts",
"slug": "arts",
"link": "/arts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"artschool": {
"name": "Art School",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "artschool",
"slug": "artschool",
"link": "/artschool",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareabites": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareabites",
"slug": "bayareabites",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareahiphop": {
"name": "Bay Area Hiphop",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareahiphop",
"slug": "bayareahiphop",
"link": "/bayareahiphop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"campaign21": {
"name": "Campaign 21",
"type": "terms",
"id": "campaign21",
"slug": "campaign21",
"link": "/campaign21",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"careers": {
"name": "Careers",
"type": "terms",
"id": "careers",
"slug": "careers",
"link": "/careers",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"checkplease": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "checkplease",
"slug": "checkplease",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"education": {
"name": "Education",
"grouping": [
"education"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "education",
"slug": "education",
"link": "/education",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"elections": {
"name": "Elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "elections",
"slug": "elections",
"link": "/elections",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"events": {
"name": "Events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "events",
"slug": "events",
"link": "/events",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"event": {
"name": "Event",
"alias": "events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "event",
"slug": "event",
"link": "/event",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"filmschoolshorts": {
"name": "Film School Shorts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "filmschoolshorts",
"slug": "filmschoolshorts",
"link": "/filmschoolshorts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"food": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "food",
"slug": "food",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"forum": {
"name": "Forum",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/forum?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "forum",
"slug": "forum",
"link": "/forum",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"futureofyou": {
"name": "Future of You",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "futureofyou",
"slug": "futureofyou",
"link": "/futureofyou",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"jpepinheart": {
"name": "KQED food",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/food,bayareabites,checkplease",
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "jpepinheart",
"slug": "jpepinheart",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"liveblog": {
"name": "Live Blog",
"type": "terms",
"id": "liveblog",
"slug": "liveblog",
"link": "/liveblog",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"livetv": {
"name": "Live TV",
"parent": "tv",
"type": "terms",
"id": "livetv",
"slug": "livetv",
"link": "/livetv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"lowdown": {
"name": "The Lowdown",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/lowdown?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "lowdown",
"slug": "lowdown",
"link": "/lowdown",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"mindshift": {
"name": "Mindshift",
"parent": "news",
"description": "MindShift explores the future of education by highlighting the innovative – and sometimes counterintuitive – ways educators and parents are helping all children succeed.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift",
"slug": "mindshift",
"link": "/mindshift",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"news": {
"name": "News",
"grouping": [
"news",
"forum"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "news",
"slug": "news",
"link": "/news",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"newsletters": {
"name": "newsletters",
"type": "terms",
"id": "newsletters",
"slug": "newsletters",
"link": "/newsletters",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"perspectives": {
"name": "Perspectives",
"parent": "radio",
"type": "terms",
"id": "perspectives",
"slug": "perspectives",
"link": "/perspectives",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"podcasts": {
"name": "Podcasts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "podcasts",
"slug": "podcasts",
"link": "/podcasts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pop": {
"name": "Pop",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pop",
"slug": "pop",
"link": "/pop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pressroom": {
"name": "Pressroom",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pressroom",
"slug": "pressroom",
"link": "/pressroom",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"quest": {
"name": "Quest",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "quest",
"slug": "quest",
"link": "/quest",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"radio": {
"name": "Radio",
"grouping": [
"forum",
"perspectives"
],
"description": "Listen to KQED Public Radio – home of Forum and The California Report – on 88.5 FM in San Francisco, 89.3 FM in Sacramento, 88.3 FM in Santa Rosa and 88.1 FM in Martinez.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "radio",
"slug": "radio",
"link": "/radio",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"root": {
"name": "KQED",
"image": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"imageWidth": 1200,
"imageHeight": 630,
"headData": {
"title": "KQED | News, Radio, Podcasts, TV | Public Media for Northern California",
"description": "KQED provides public radio, television, and independent reporting on issues that matter to the Bay Area. We’re the NPR and PBS member station for Northern California."
},
"type": "terms",
"id": "root",
"slug": "root",
"link": "/root",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"science": {
"name": "Science",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"description": "KQED Science brings you award-winning science and environment coverage from the Bay Area and beyond.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "science",
"slug": "science",
"link": "/science",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"stateofhealth": {
"name": "State of Health",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth",
"slug": "stateofhealth",
"link": "/stateofhealth",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"support": {
"name": "Support",
"type": "terms",
"id": "support",
"slug": "support",
"link": "/support",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"thedolist": {
"name": "The Do List",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "thedolist",
"slug": "thedolist",
"link": "/thedolist",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"trulyca": {
"name": "Truly CA",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "trulyca",
"slug": "trulyca",
"link": "/trulyca",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"tv": {
"name": "TV",
"type": "terms",
"id": "tv",
"slug": "tv",
"link": "/tv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"voterguide": {
"name": "Voter Guide",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "voterguide",
"slug": "voterguide",
"link": "/voterguide",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"guiaelectoral": {
"name": "Guia Electoral",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "guiaelectoral",
"slug": "guiaelectoral",
"link": "/guiaelectoral",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"mindshift_tag_game-based-learning": {
"isLoading": true
},
"mindshift_548": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift_548",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "548",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "game-based learning",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "game-based learning Archives | KQED Mindshift",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 551,
"slug": "game-based-learning",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/mindshift/tag/game-based-learning"
},
"mindshift_192": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift_192",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "192",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Big Ideas",
"description": "The latest findings from experts in the field related to the future of learning.",
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": "The latest findings from experts in the field related to the future of learning.",
"title": "Big Ideas Archives | KQED Mindshift",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 192,
"slug": "big-ideas",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/mindshift/category/big-ideas"
},
"mindshift_20784": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift_20784",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "20784",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "featured",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "featured Archives | KQED Mindshift",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20061,
"slug": "featured",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/mindshift/tag/featured"
},
"mindshift_1040": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift_1040",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "1040",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "full-image",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "full-image Archives | KQED Mindshift",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1045,
"slug": "full-image",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/mindshift/tag/full-image"
},
"mindshift_20902": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift_20902",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "20902",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Games",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Games Archives - KQED Mindshift",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 67,
"slug": "games",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/mindshift/tag/games"
},
"mindshift_200": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift_200",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "200",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Joan Ganz Cooney Center",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Joan Ganz Cooney Center Archives | KQED Mindshift",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 200,
"slug": "joan-ganz-cooney-center",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/mindshift/tag/joan-ganz-cooney-center"
},
"mindshift_193": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift_193",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "193",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Teaching Strategies",
"description": "Innovative ideas - projects, processes, curricula, and more - that are transforming how we teach and learn.",
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": "Innovative ideas - projects, processes, curricula, and more - that are transforming how we teach and learn.",
"title": "Teaching Strategies Archives | KQED Mindshift",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 193,
"slug": "teaching-strategies",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/mindshift/category/teaching-strategies"
},
"mindshift_20779": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift_20779",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "20779",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "student voice",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "student voice Archives - KQED Mindshift",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20056,
"slug": "student-voice",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/mindshift/tag/student-voice"
},
"mindshift_114": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift_114",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "114",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "video games",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "video games Archives | KQED Mindshift",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 114,
"slug": "video-games",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/mindshift/tag/video-games"
},
"mindshift_1": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift_1",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "1",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Uncategorized",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Uncategorized Archives | KQED Mindshift",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1,
"slug": "uncategorized",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/mindshift/category/uncategorized"
},
"mindshift_20767": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift_20767",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "20767",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "alternate reality games",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "alternate reality games Archives | KQED Mindshift",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20044,
"slug": "alternate-reality-games",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/mindshift/tag/alternate-reality-games"
},
"mindshift_20766": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift_20766",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "20766",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "ARG",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "ARG Archives | KQED Mindshift",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20043,
"slug": "arg",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/mindshift/tag/arg"
},
"mindshift_20711": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift_20711",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "20711",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "embodied learning",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "embodied learning Archives | KQED Mindshift",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 19988,
"slug": "embodied-learning",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/mindshift/tag/embodied-learning"
},
"mindshift_20704": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift_20704",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "20704",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Playmaker School",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Playmaker School Archives | KQED Mindshift",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 19981,
"slug": "playmaker-school",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/mindshift/tag/playmaker-school"
},
"mindshift_688": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift_688",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "688",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "transmedia",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "transmedia Archives | KQED Mindshift",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 691,
"slug": "transmedia",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/mindshift/tag/transmedia"
},
"mindshift_20768": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift_20768",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "20768",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "United Colonies ARG",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "United Colonies ARG Archives | KQED Mindshift",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20045,
"slug": "united-colonies-arg",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/mindshift/tag/united-colonies-arg"
},
"mindshift_195": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift_195",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "195",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Digital Tools",
"description": "How devices, software, and the Internet are changing the classroom dynamic.",
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": "How devices, software, and the Internet are changing the classroom dynamic.",
"title": "Digital Tools Archives | KQED Mindshift",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 195,
"slug": "digital-tools",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/mindshift/category/digital-tools"
},
"mindshift_335": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift_335",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "335",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Augmented Reality",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Augmented Reality Archives | KQED Mindshift",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 336,
"slug": "augmented-reality",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/mindshift/tag/augmented-reality"
},
"mindshift_187": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift_187",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "187",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Mobile Learning",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Mobile Learning Archives | KQED Mindshift",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 187,
"slug": "mobile-learning",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/mindshift/tag/mobile-learning"
},
"mindshift_68": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift_68",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "68",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Higher Education",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Higher Education Archives - KQED Mindshift",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 68,
"slug": "higher-education",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/mindshift/tag/higher-education"
},
"mindshift_20669": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift_20669",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "20669",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "The MindShift Guide to Digital Games and Learning",
"description": "\u003cimg class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-35359\" src=\"http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/files/2014/04/MindShiftGames-140x1401.png\" alt=\"MindShiftGames-140x140\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" />\u003cstrong>MindShift Guide to Digital Games and Learning \u003c/strong>\r\n\r\nHow can games unlock a rich world of learning? This is the big question at the heart of the growing games and learning movement that’s gaining momentum in education. \u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/assets/pdf/news/MindShift-GuidetoDigitalGamesandLearning.pdf\">\u003cstrong>The MindShift Guide to Digital Games and Learning [PDF]\u003c/strong>\u003c/a> explains key ideas in game-based learning, pedagogy, implementation, and assessment. This guide makes sense of the available research and provides suggestions for practical use.\r\n\r\nThe MindShift Guide to Digital Games and Learning started as a series of blog posts written by Jordan Shapiro with support from the \u003ca href=\"http://www.joanganzcooneycenter.org/\">Joan Ganz Cooney Center\u003c/a> at Sesame Workshop and the \u003ca href=\"http://www.gamesandlearning.org/\">Games and Learning Publishing Council\u003c/a>. We’ve brought together what we felt would be the most relevant highlights of Jordan’s reporting to create a dynamic, in-depth guide that answers many of the most pressing questions that educators, parents, and life-long learners have raised around using digital games for learning. While we had educators in mind when developing this guide, any lifelong learner can use it to develop a sense of how to navigate the games space in an informed and meaningful way.\r\n\r\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/assets/pdf/news/MindShift-GuidetoDigitalGamesandLearning.pdf\">\u003cimg class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-38461\" src=\"http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/files/2014/11/MindShift-Guide-to-Digital-Games-and-Learning-Cover-300x388.gif\" alt=\"MindShift-Guide-to-Digital-Games-and-Learning-Cover\" width=\"300\" height=\"388\" />\u003c/a>\r\n\r\nHere's a preview of the table of contents:\r\n\r\nIntroduction: Getting in the Game (Page 4)\r\nAn overview of games in the classroom from Katie Salen Tekinbaş, executive director of the Institute of Play.\r\n\r\nWhat the Research Says About Gaming and Screen Time (Page 6)\r\nMuch of the research around digital games and screen time is evolving. Pediatricians, academics, educators, and researchers are working to find answers to how games and technology affect learners of all ages.\r\n\r\nHow to Start Using Digital Games for Learning (Page 14)\r\nSince each learning environment is unique, here are some steps to assessing your resources before committing to a particular game or platform. See how some educators are using digital games in the classroom and how they find support.\r\n\r\nHow to Choose a Digital Learning Game (Page 19)\r\nThe sheer volume of games classified as educational can be overwhelming. This section gives you a starting point for game selection by providing an understanding of the types of games available in the marketplace and how to go about selecting them.\r\n\r\nOvercoming Obstacles for Using Digital Games in the Classroom (Page 27)\r\nAs game use in the classroom continues to grow, barriers to deployment also need to be addressed. A recent survey of teachers outlines exactly which obstacles get in the way of successful implementation; solutions to those concerns are outlined in this section.\r\n\r\nHow Teachers Are Using Games in the Classroom (Page 30)\r\nExamples of how teachers use games are embedded throughout the guide (including video examples), but this section takes an in-depth look at how some teachers are using games in the classroom and their real-life struggles and victories.\r\n\r\nBelow, you'll find the blog posts that kicked off the \u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/assets/pdf/news/MindShift-GuidetoDigitalGamesandLearning.pdf\">MindShift Guide to Digital Games and Learning\u003c/a>.",
"taxonomy": "series",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": "MindShift Guide to Digital Games and Learning How can games unlock a rich world of learning? This is the big question at the heart of the growing games and learning movement that’s gaining momentum in education. The MindShift Guide to Digital Games and Learning [PDF] explains key ideas in game-based learning, pedagogy, implementation, and assessment. This guide makes sense of the available research and provides suggestions for practical use. The MindShift Guide to Digital Games and Learning started as a series of blog posts written by Jordan Shapiro with support from the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop and the Games and Learning Publishing Council. We’ve brought together what we felt would be the most relevant highlights of Jordan’s reporting to create a dynamic, in-depth guide that answers many of the most pressing questions that educators, parents, and life-long learners have raised around using digital games for learning. While we had educators in mind when developing this guide, any lifelong learner can use it to develop a sense of how to navigate the games space in an informed and meaningful way. Here's a preview of the table of contents: Introduction: Getting in the Game (Page 4) An overview of games in the classroom from Katie Salen Tekinbaş, executive director of the Institute of Play. What the Research Says About Gaming and Screen Time (Page 6) Much of the research around digital games and screen time is evolving. Pediatricians, academics, educators, and researchers are working to find answers to how games and technology affect learners of all ages. How to Start Using Digital Games for Learning (Page 14) Since each learning environment is unique, here are some steps to assessing your resources before committing to a particular game or platform. See how some educators are using digital games in the classroom and how they find support. How to Choose a Digital Learning Game (Page 19) The sheer volume of games classified as educational can be overwhelming. This section gives you a starting point for game selection by providing an understanding of the types of games available in the marketplace and how to go about selecting them. Overcoming Obstacles for Using Digital Games in the Classroom (Page 27) As game use in the classroom continues to grow, barriers to deployment also need to be addressed. A recent survey of teachers outlines exactly which obstacles get in the way of successful implementation; solutions to those concerns are outlined in this section. How Teachers Are Using Games in the Classroom (Page 30) Examples of how teachers use games are embedded throughout the guide (including video examples), but this section takes an in-depth look at how some teachers are using games in the classroom and their real-life struggles and victories. Below, you'll find the blog posts that kicked off the MindShift Guide to Digital Games and Learning.",
"title": "The MindShift Guide to Digital Games and Learning Archives | KQED Mindshift",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 19946,
"slug": "guide-to-games-and-learning",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/mindshift/series/guide-to-games-and-learning"
},
"mindshift_981": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift_981",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "981",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "coding",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "coding Archives | KQED Mindshift",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 986,
"slug": "coding",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/mindshift/tag/coding"
},
"mindshift_499": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift_499",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "499",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "programming",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "programming Archives | KQED Mindshift",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 502,
"slug": "programming",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/mindshift/tag/programming"
},
"mindshift_20583": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift_20583",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "20583",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "educational apps",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "educational apps Archives | KQED Mindshift",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 19860,
"slug": "educational-apps-2",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/mindshift/tag/educational-apps-2"
},
"mindshift_108": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift_108",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "mindshift",
"id": "108",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "assessment",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "assessment Archives | KQED Mindshift",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 108,
"slug": "assessments",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/mindshift/tag/assessments"
}
},
"userPermissionsReducer": {
"wpLoggedIn": false
},
"eventsReducer": {},
"fssReducer": {},
"tvDailyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvWeeklyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvPrimetimeScheduleReducer": {},
"tvMonthlyScheduleReducer": {},
"userAccountReducer": {
"user": {
"email": null,
"emailStatus": "EMAIL_UNVALIDATED",
"loggedStatus": "LOGGED_OUT",
"loggingChecked": false,
"articles": [],
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"phoneNumber": null,
"fetchingMembership": false,
"membershipError": false,
"memberships": [
{
"id": null,
"startDate": null,
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"familyNumber": null,
"memberNumber": null,
"memberSince": null,
"expirationDate": null,
"pfsEligible": false,
"isSustaining": false,
"membershipLevel": "Prospect",
"membershipStatus": "Non Member",
"lastGiftDate": null,
"renewalDate": null,
"lastDonationAmount": null
}
]
},
"authModal": {
"isOpen": false,
"view": "LANDING_VIEW"
},
"error": null
},
"youthMediaReducer": {},
"checkPleaseReducer": {
"filterData": {
"region": {
"key": "Restaurant Region",
"filters": [
"Any Region"
]
},
"cuisine": {
"key": "Restaurant Cuisine",
"filters": [
"Any Cuisine"
]
}
},
"restaurantDataById": {},
"restaurantIdsSorted": [],
"error": null
},
"userAgentReducer": {
"userAgent": "Mozilla/5.0 AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko; compatible; ClaudeBot/1.0; +claudebot@anthropic.com)",
"isBot": true
}
}
