District Administration - July/August 2012 - (Page 51)

nity to play as well, making it a learning experience for everyone.” Ben Stern, a technology integration specialist at the Emery/Weiner School in Houston, uses Gamestar Mechanic, which is both a game and a game development platform, to deepen students’ understanding of algebra. Before students can begin to build games, though, they must play and complete certain levels of existing games that can teach them the building process. “We have students build a game to teach their peers some concept that they’ve learned in prealgebra throughout the year,” Stern says. “It requires a certain amount of higher-level thinking for the students to anticipate the ‘playability’ of their game as they build it.” In other words, it’s not the algebra review that is most effective about the game. It’s the work students do to determine how to effectively present relevant material in engaging ways. As a bonus, students can publish their games to the Gamestar Mechanic Web site for a global audience, a fact that Stern says adds an element of authenticity and permanence. Finally, while doing much to promote those important learning skills and dispositions that can support academic learning, Gamestar Mechanic, World of Goo and many others may simply inject a much needed dose of play into the school day, a dose that we might all do well to have. According to a recent article in the American Journal of Play, children’s time for play has been on a steady decline, which has led to a rise in anxiety and depression as well as problems with attention and self-control. “Games are such an important part of learning for 3- to 8-year-olds outside of school, but play just vanishes from elementary school to high school,” Klopfer says. “We need to bring play back into the learning process in schools, and wellchosen learning games are one important way to do that.” Either way, there’s no question that the world of game-based learning has come a long way from the Oregon Trail adven- tures that many teachers went on when they were students themselves in the 1970s and 1980s. And we’re well past the days of sitting in front of old VGA monitors tethered to slow, bulky computers playing games limited in scope and scale. This new world of gaming is decidedly highdefinition, engaging, mobile and personal, all of which suggests some amazing things to come for learners of all stripes. “The classroom is the perfect place to get kids reflecting on the really sophisticated thinking they do while playing these games,” says Gerard, Chanse’s teacher. “When they collaborate, they can solve more-complex problems than they can alone, and when they share strategies, it encourages that metacognition. Ultimately, they can apply those same problem-solving strategies in their real lives as well, and that’s where the real payoff is.” DA Will Richardson is a DA columnist, an author and an educator who blogs about teaching and learning at willrichardson.com. $149 Online courses $179 Classroom courses RM) Program Certified School Risk Managers (CS Reduce Losses Protect Assets Protect Budgets Save Jobs Learn more at: call 800-633-2165 www.TheNationalAlliance.com or www.DistrictAdministration.com July/August 2012 51 http://www.willrichardson.com http://www.TheNationalAlliance.com http://www.TheNationalAlliance.com http://www.DistrictAdministration.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - July/August 2012

District Administration - July/August 2012
Contents
From the Editor
Letters
News Update
District Profile
Administrator Profile
Research Center
Professional Opinion
Supervisor's Opinion
Crisis Response
Going Mobile
Gaming Gains Respect
A Running Start for ELLs
Paul Vallas for Sale
Unsung Heroes
CIO News
Avoiding the Pitfalls of Virtual Schooling
Noteworthy Books
New Products
Product Focus
Problem Solution

District Administration - July/August 2012