Category Archives: Games and Learning

According to a September 2012 report completed by Intentional Futures in collaboration with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, 7,000 students drop out of school each day in the United States. And while 95% of low income eighth graders say that they will go to college, only 70% of low income students actually graduate from high school.  Most astounding, however, is that only 8% of low income students in the U.S. earn a bachelor’s degree. These numbers are truly unacceptable. …

In the last few years, I’ve worked with a lot of teachers using mobile devices in the classroom. The first week is always exciting – “There are SO many apps to choose from!” Yet, two weeks later, teachers’ attitudes have shifted from optimistic to overwhelmed. “There are SO many apps to choose from—how will I figure out which ones are actually good? And how on Earth am I going to figure out how to use them all effectively?!” The educational…

If games and learning is a topic that sets your creativity reeling, then block your calendar for June 17—19th and make your way to New York City for the 10th Anniversary Games for Change Festival.  The Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop has curated a selection of speakers and panel discussion on a wide range of games & learning topics, ranging from an investigation of Common Core standards and the goals of 21st-century skills development, role-playing in video games…

What if algebra were more addictive than Angry Birds? Imagine an eight-year old mastering algebra on an iPad by sorting dragons into boxes. Or, what if middle schoolers could become proficient with fractions by playing a platform game similar to Super Mario Bros? How about if the doorway to mastering Newtonian physics involved ninth graders and digital levers? Now, what if a video game could both teach students to argue a point in an essay, read Great Books closely for…

In this video, Dr. Constance Steinkuehler talks about her research on video games and literacy, and how learning skyrockets when students are passionate about the subject matter.   Dr. Steinkuehler is Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This video appears courtesy of Edutopia.

Recently in one day, I witnessed two expert panels discussing critical issues for our educational system: the first one was on implementing the Common Core for English-language learners, the second was on how games offer an exciting new frontier for student learning and engagement. In the morning, I listened in to an Alliance for Excellent Education panel including Stanford professor Kenji Hakuta and Carrie Heath Phillips, director of Common Core implementation at the Council of Chief State School Officers. That…

Rhys, 10, is an aspiring game designer in Texas who uses Gamestar Mechanic to create worlds to play in. He talks about the importance of stories and creating challenges to engage players. Thanks to Edutopia and PBS for sharing this video from the upcoming documentary Is School Enough? More videos in the Web series (on Edutopia) and an hour-long broadcast special (on PBS) to come in Fall 2013.  

Today we are living in a world where our lives are being shaped in fundamental ways by the products of science and their application in technology. For millions of youth, videogames are a big part of some of their earliest and up-close encounters with advanced technologies that incorporate computer simulations, visualization, communication, and digital art among other things. Playing videogames is gaining increased recognition as a valuable educational activity both within formal (in-school), and informal (out-of-school) settings. Research studies have…

I’m old enough (or young enough, based on whom you ask) to have fond memories of experimenting with both SimCity 2000 and SimCity 3000, the first two sequels to Will Wright’s popular SimCity game. The ability to design and wreak havoc on my own community offered mixed feelings of power and helplessness that, as a 9-year-old, I would have had few opportunities to experiment with beyond the computer. My mother, an urban planner, would use my city’s pitfalls as a…

The Joan Ganz Cooney Center is proud to partner with the Education Software Association (ESA) Foundation on a number of initiatives, including our very own National STEM Video Game Challenge. We are especially excited about the ESA Foundation for the Education Challenge Grant, which launched this winter.  The program recognizes and rewards educators who “incorporate creativity and technology in their lessons” and reflect the ways that games can make to a positive contribution to children’s learning. The ESA Foundation’s Education Challenge…