Essential Question: What Serious Games Exist for People Ages 13+? What can we learn by playing these games?
Overview
Dates to save:
TUESDAY 4:30 AKDT Web Ex Meeting (invitation will be sent one hour prior to the meeting)
THURSDAY 4:30 AKDT Twitter Session (#ETLEAD)
This meeting will be an introduction to the concept surrounding this course. This concept is a K-12 Higher Ed partnership toward Gamification in Education. Vicki Davis and Verena Roberts will join us for this session.
In addition we will focus on instruction to assist you in using Twitter, and in understanding the structure of the class. This is NOT a required meeting; however, if you can attend I am sure it will be useful. If you cannot, the meeting will be recorded so that you may revisit it.
Preparation
Watch the following Ted Talks
Jane McGonigal: Gaming Can Make a Better World
Jane McGonigal: The Game that can Give You Ten More Years of Life
In Gaming: A shift from enemies to emotions
In addition please add your Blog Address and your Twitter Handle to the Blogroll! (No need to be afraid – it’s just a Google Spreadsheet 
.) Please be certain to leave the information already there, and not to delete anyone’s information .
Assignment
In some weeks of this class, you will participate in activities meant to strengthen the Gamifi-ED experience for both students and teachers. This is an aspect of leadership which is quite important. As leaders in technology, and in innovation, exploring those concepts which might make teachers uncomfortable, and assisting them in seeing the potential uses of these innovations will be a role that can be quite welcome in a school district. When you engage in activities meant to strengthen the Gamifi-ED experience, you will post on your group page in the Gamifi-ED Wiki.
Assignment for Week One
Explore these examples of Serious Games:
Do a google search and locate other examples of games that you would consider “Serious Games”.
Ideally, you will actually play one or more serious games that you have discovered for at least one hour each day of this week. If you aren’t a “gamer” this will be a particularly important step as you create a knowledge base in serious games. We might be surprised at how little technology know-how is required to create a “serious game”.
Add the names, descriptions and links to the serious games you have identified to the Wiki page for your team. Be certain to put your name beside the games and descriptions that you have found so that others know who has contributed.
Blogging
Each week, in this course, there will be an essential question that you will respond to, on your blog, by Friday. From Friday to Sunday you will interact with others (posting responses to their blogs) about both your and their understanding. On Sunday, you will then post a follow up blog – a reflection- about what you may have learned, how your thoughts may have changed, and the way that you impacted the learning of others in the course. Both of these postings will be shared on Twitter, and submitted to Livetext for assessment by Monday morning.
About Week One
This week you will become acclimated to our course environment, and you will also create an answer to the essential question: What serious games exist for people ages 13+? What can we learn by playing these games?
Once you have watched the videos for this week, you will be accustomed to the concept of “serious games”. Often we view gaming as a waste of time; however, McGonigal makes a compelling argument that gamers become very good at “something”. If we can target what we’d like gamers to get good at when we design a game, we can help them become good at things that matter. Things that can change the world. Or things that can transform our classroom and the learning experience in a positive way.
Do an internet search to find listings of serious games. Explore literature and blogs related to these games. Remember that this is only our first step in the journey – therefore Serious Games may be quite unfamiliar to us. Be patient with yourself as you explore. Jot down the questions you have about these games, and the nagging doubts that you harbor as you consider their implementation in the classroom. These will lead to important conversations we should have later in the course!
As you create your initial blog posting for the week, add information from the resources you explored, and from your experience with the assignment.
Due Friday:
Create a blog using WordPress, Weebly, or another blogging tool. Please remember that by definition, a blog is a place where one may post information, and at which others may comment on the information that has been posted. So the ability to comment will be very important! Post your response to the Essential Question on your blog.
Use Twitter to share your blog address for this week with the #ETLEAD community.
Due Sunday:
Comment on the blogs of others.
Create a blog entry outlining the way that you contributed to the learning of others, and the impact of your interaction with others through social media (Twitter, blog responses) on your learning.
Submit the URL for your Blog Postings to Livetext on Sunday.
Leadership In Ed Tech 