Thursday, May 10, 2012

National Survey of Educators Using Digital Game-Based Learning in the Classroom

The first national survey of teachers who are using digital games as part of their students' instruction, released today by the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop, found that digital games are becoming a consistent and valuable part of classroom activities. Fifty percent of teachers of grades K-8 reported they are using digital games with their students two or more days a week, with 18 percent using them daily.

The survey, Teacher Attitudes about Digital Games in the Classroom, conducted in collaboration with and support from BrainPOP®, was released at The NewSchools Venture Fund-Aspen Institute Summit in San Francisco. An accompanying series of video case studies of teachers who are using digital games in the classroom was also previewed.

For me, one of the most interesting (and encouraging) findings from the teachers surveyed was:

32% use games 2-4 days per week, 18% use them every day!  WOW!

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

STEM A+ Scholarship Program at Bakersfield College

 The National Science Foundation has awarded Bakersfield College $552,000 to develop the STEM A+PLUS (Action, Persistence, Leadership, Understanding, and Success) Scholarships program.

The scholarship program is under the direction of co-principal investigators Wayne Cooper, Rageshwar Kaur Goldberg, Edward Ham, Liz Rozell, and Jose Saldivar, and was made possible by a grant application written by Bakersfield College STEM Program Director Rageshwar Kaur Goldberg.

The program will provide $3,000 per year for three years to participating students, plus another $3,000 in their first semester of transfer to a four-year college or university.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Survival Master Field Test at Alexander Dawson


"Students user video game to explore engineering concepts at Alexander Dawson"
- Las Vegas Review-Journal

It is really terrific to see this recognition for Camille McCue (Survival Master Formal Field Tester) and her work with her students in the field test!

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Dragon Breeder by Spongelab

Dragon Breeder is a cool way to learn about genetic inheritance as you breed dragon species, complete phenotype missions and meet monstrous creatures in a cloud-hopping sky world! Become the dragon master by breeding all types of dragons.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

STEMware - Zombie Plague

The Partnership for Biotechnology and Genomics Education (PBGE) project on the UC Davis campus involves two related components of secondary education focused on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) concepts. The components include the development and distribution of innovative 3D virtual reality software and a highly successful laboratory equipment loan program with associated curricula for hands-on instruction in biotechnology for secondary schools.

Their STEMware modules under development includes Zombie Plague - which is in open beta testing now!

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Ludwig

Developed by a German consortia, Ludwig is a new physics game on the topic of renewable energies for adventurers aged 11 years and older.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

bozemanscience

Many thanks to Jason Zalno (Survival Master field tester) for posting a mention about Paul Andersen's TEDx on game-based learning:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qlYGX0H6Ec

Supercool ... especially his thoughts on his three failures ...

I clicked through to his "bozemanscience.com" website and discovered that he has many very cool videos there too:

http://www.bozemanscience.com/