We are pleased to introduce you to our newest Cooney Center Fellow. Jason Yip joins our team from the University of Maryland’s College of Education, where he is completing his Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on science education (chemistry). Jason is a former K-12 math and science teacher whose interest in kids […]
Monthly Archives: October 2013


What Tech Works for Students?
October 22, 2013
In late September, more than 60 constituents from various sectors including research, policy, government, technology and investment gathered in Washington, D.C. for the “What Tech Works for Students? Using Data to Determine What Technology is Driving Outcomes” symposium hosted by the Department of Education, Battelle Memorial Institute, and Tucker Capital. Groups like the Gates Foundation, […]

Going to Austin: Cooney Center Panel Selected for SXSWedu
October 15, 2013
Today brought some good news as one of our proposed panels was selected as part of the SXSWedu conference slated for next March. The session, “Lost in Translation: Applying the Latest Game Research,” emerged from the 700 submitted ideas to the major education and innovation conference. It’s exciting news for a couple of reasons. First, […]

(De)constructing Learning with Toontastic & MinecraftEdu
October 8, 2013
Educational psychology has long recognized the impact of informal learning in child development. In fact, most educators and psychologists believe that young students learn more from other kids with shared perspectives and experiences than from adults so far removed from childhood. Whether at home, on the playground, or in the classroom, students assimilate, construct, and […]

What Can We Learn from Teacher Surveys?
This fall, students across the country walked back through school doors. Each child undoubtedly had his or her own unique summer, possibly filled with camps, vacations, or just time to relax with friends and family. However, it is very likely that one shared element of each child’s summer vacation was ample time to spend with […]

Meet the Winners: Cody Haugland
October 8, 2013
Like many of our winners, Cody Haugland was raised around computers. But his interests extend beyond the virtual armies and farms that his counterparts are absorbed with. A member of the Junior ROTC and an avid farmer, Cody knows the meaning of hard work. Cody claims that he grew up around computers, electronics, and video […]

First Contact: Playtesting with Preschoolers
October 1, 2013
Children are constantly experimenting. It’s ingrained in everything they do, and it’s how they learn. The process is full of humorous misunderstandings, setbacks, and successes that all lead toward mastery. And while it’s impossible to fully anticipate how children will react to something new, they can provide plenty of clues along the way. Which is exactly why playtesting our products is so important.