Scalable game design wiki: Difference between revisions
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'''Scalable Game Design Wiki''' is a wiki for the iDREAMS project (Integrative Design-based Reform-oriented Educational Approach for Motivating Students)) which is funded by NSF. | '''Scalable Game Design Wiki''' is a wiki for the iDREAMS project (Integrative Design-based Reform-oriented Educational Approach for Motivating Students)) which is funded by NSF. | ||
The goal of this project is to get computer science back to middle schools. Our strategy is to reform middle school IT education at a systemic level exploring the notion of scalable game design as an approach to carefully balance educational and motivational aspects of IT fluency. The iDREAMS project (Integrative Design-based Reform-oriented Educational Approach for Motivating Students) is designed to spark an interest in IT through students' natural attraction to game design. By game design we mean the active process of students collaboratively engaging in problem solving, creativity, modeling and communication. Game design develops a rich set of skills consistent with STEM and IT competency frameworks such as the National Academy of Sciences Fluency with IT and the International Society for Technology in Education NETS [http://scalablegamedesign.cs.colorado.edu/wiki/Standards standards]. By scalable game design we refer to a low threshold, high ceiling curriculum. This gentle learning slope curriculum allows students and teachers to quickly start with game design activities producing simple classic games but then continue to sophisticated games exhibiting artificial intelligence. The systemic aspect of this project explores an IT training ecology integrating four regions of decreasing affluence. The partners working on this project, [http://www.cs.colorado.edu/ CU Computer Science Department], [http://www.colorado.edu/education/ School of Education], [http://www.colorado.edu/ScienceDiscovery/ Science Discovery], [ | The goal of this project is to get computer science back to middle schools. Our strategy is to reform middle school IT education at a systemic level exploring the notion of scalable game design as an approach to carefully balance educational and motivational aspects of IT fluency. The iDREAMS project (Integrative Design-based Reform-oriented Educational Approach for Motivating Students) is designed to spark an interest in IT through students' natural attraction to game design. By game design we mean the active process of students collaboratively engaging in problem solving, creativity, modeling and communication. Game design develops a rich set of skills consistent with STEM and IT competency frameworks such as the National Academy of Sciences Fluency with IT and the International Society for Technology in Education NETS [http://scalablegamedesign.cs.colorado.edu/wiki/Standards standards]. By scalable game design we refer to a low threshold, high ceiling curriculum. This gentle learning slope curriculum allows students and teachers to quickly start with game design activities producing simple classic games but then continue to sophisticated games exhibiting artificial intelligence. The systemic aspect of this project explores an IT training ecology integrating four regions of decreasing affluence. The partners working on this project, [http://www.cs.colorado.edu/ CU Computer Science Department], [http://www.colorado.edu/education/ School of Education], [http://www.colorado.edu/ScienceDiscovery/ Science Discovery], [http://www.musthighschool.com/ Online High School] outreach program, and [http://www.agentsheets.com AgentSheets Inc], have already established collaborations in all four regions: | ||
# Technology-hub: Boulder, CO featuring a high density of IT companies and education opportunities.Our AgentSheets tool has already been introduced to all middle schools in the district because of its potential to address IT fluency and standards, equity, and motivation. | # Technology-hub: Boulder, CO featuring a high density of IT companies and education opportunities.Our AgentSheets tool has already been introduced to all middle schools in the district because of its potential to address IT fluency and standards, equity, and motivation. | ||