7 ways to evaluate educational games. Educational games are becoming more mainstream–here’s how to evaluate them As educational gaming moves from a future technology to a practice found in more and more classrooms, educators are recognizing game-based learning’s (GBL) potential to engage students and help them prepare for future learning. By ensuring that games meet certain requirements, educators will find themselves on the path to choosing an impactful game that goes beyond the typical drill-and-practice or end-of-unit reward game. “It can be overwhelming, but as gaming becomes more mainstream and there’s more out there about it, educators will be better equipped to evaluate games and GBL,” said Dan White, founder of Filament Games, a member of the advisory board for Games for Change, and a founding member of the Games Learning Society at the University of Wisconsin.
(Next page: What makes a good educational game?) Boards by Jessica M. - Deep Learning Games. Digital Games Transforming K-12 Assessment and Learning. Many teachers are searching for new ways to engage their digital-native students. They are looking for, write researchers at Florida State, “alternative ways of teaching – ways that increase student engagement and yield a rich, authentic picture of the learner(s).” These researchers say more educators should take a look at the latest in digital games. Games that are designed not only to teach, but to help educators assess learning as it’s happening.
GlassLab, a new nonprofit educational game design initiative, has just released its first game— SimCityEdu—based on the popular Simcity brand and called SimCityEDU: Pollution Challenge! It's a “game-based learning and assessment tool for middle school students” that covers the Common Core as well as the Next Generation Science Standards in the context of environmental science-related challenges. “One of the things that we all get frustrated with is that kids get assessed in the spring and they get that data and feedback back in the fall. Institute of Play. Educade :: Find, create and share lesson plans and teaching tools to empower your classroom.
Minecraft in Education: Leveraging a Game-Based Learning Environment for Connected Learning. MinecraftEdu - Resources. PhET: Free online physics, chemistry, biology, earth science and math simulations. SimCityEDU | Create & Share SimCity Learning Tools. Beta.playfullearning. STEP. EdWeb.net - Cookies Required. Co-hosted by edWeb.net and the Education Division of Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA). Game-Based Learning is a professional learning community (PLC) that provides educators, game developers, researchers, and industry executives with a place to learn, ask questions, discuss topics, and share information about games and learning.
The community hosts free monthly webinars and live chats with leaders in the field that are highly engaging and interactive. Online discussions provide an easy way to continue the conversation and share ideas and experiences with peers across the country, and around the world. Upcoming Webinars Thursday, November 7, 2013 - 4pm / Eastern Time Presenter: Joli Barker, third grade teacher at Earl H. Monday, December 2, 2013 - 4pm / Eastern TimeInnovation, Authenticity, and GamesPresenter:Jeff Mummert, teacher at Hershey High School in PA, adjunct professor at York College of Pennsylvania, Director of Submrge.org, and Founder/Owner of HistoriQuest.com.