The Power of Quest-Based Learning
This last week has been an interesting ride as we began working with director Brett Smith to create a series of videos that help define the features of 3D GameLab. We had a lot of fun on the set where I learned Chris is not only an excellent teacher, speaker, and researcher, but he’s also a great actor! Brett has worked with us in the past, and we are extremely thankful to have his talents as a Hollywood movie and game trailer producer. Check out his show reel, and you’ll see why Brett is perfect for helping us translate a cool educational experience into a videos that work...
read moreUnderstanding Quest-Based Learning
My colleague, Chris Haskell, recently pulled together some of his research findings into a white paper on Understanding Quest-Based Learning (QBL) in the classroom. I thought the graphic comparing a traditional “gradebook” course to a quest-based course was interesting. The non-linear aspects of QBL do provide a mechanism for creating personalized learning pathways through curriculum. Our current challenge is to keep drilling into the data to find out what variables promote a successful non-linear learning experience, and how we can better incorporate those into our designs....
read moreSpring Online Teacher Camp Around the Corner
Wow, it’s finally here…the official public launch of 3D GameLab! We have a soft launch planned for the end of April, and go full steam into a Spring Teacher Camp, fully online, starting May 1st. 3D GameLab will open its doors by offering year-round professional development (teacher camps), and tool access, for an annual fee of $245. For those teachers who just want to use the software without attending camp, we’ll offer our basic accounts later this summer once we’ve accumulated additional funding to support everyone, so please sign up on our Waiting...
read moreTeen GameLab Summer Camp — woot!
A sneak peak for the curious…yes, we are hosting a teen game design summer camp in August, fully online! Play, design, build, test, and showcase your games. Previous coding experience not necessary to participate, but game developers will find great information on storyboarding, rules, rewards, outcomes, audio, animation, adventure maps, interact with actual game designers from software companies, and more! Stay tuned to our new Teen GameLab site for more...
read moreShivtr, thanks for the shout-out!
Reprinted from Shivtr: http://www.shivtr.com/blog/241-wow-in-school-a-hero-s-journey WoW in School: A Hero’s Journey Our first Spotlight Interview focuses on a rather special guild that we here at Shivtr are proud to host. Of course, many of us say that about our own clans and guilds; they are our family, friends and a part of our lives. But this one also has the advantage of being an elective class in the Language Arts department of more than a few different school districts across the continent! The Legacy Guild - http://thelegacyguild.shivtr.com “WoW in School: A...
read moreLooking for new guild officers!
We’re looking for new guild officers! Starting soon, we’ll be offering ongoing professional development in 3D GameLab. If you are an experienced 3D GameLab user, and 1) can design engaging quest-based learning, and 2) enjoy training other teachers, we’d love to hear from you. Guild Officers design a minimum of 10 quests, and offer two synchronous events (web conferencing, tweetchat, virtual world excursion, Skype, etc.) over a two week period while their quests are live. You should also anticipate facilitating dialogue in a discussion board. Unique topics are welcomed....
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