Games Based Learning MOOC
21st Century Learning Leadership Forum 2012 - Banff, Alberta, Canada
by badbuddha0 on Oct 17, 2012 at 10:56 PM}
I have spent the last two days at the 21st Century Learning Leadership Forum in Banff, Alberta. I leave the forum (early, sadly) with some clarity for how to go forward, not only with game-based learning tools, but also with a new paradigm of education altogether*.
Game-based learning was definitely a primary topic of conversation. Mostly in the context of digital technology, games received attention as potential sources of engagement for disengaged youth. On the other side, there were at least a few attendees who felt that they had to resist "drinking the kool-aid" of what they consider to be a fad at best and a total abdication of responsibility at worst. Most constructively, in my opinion, was what seemed to be a prevailing attitude that society will be most likely to benefit from meaningful partnership development between K-12 education, higher-ed institutions, industry, social enterprises, and (most excitingly) young people (the prevailing attitude from Marc Prensky was that it would be ideal to release an army of 10-year olds, equipped with a host of digital weapons of collaboration, on the problems of the world).
What was clarified for me is the importance of valuing individual "amateur" experiences as credentials in themselves. While taking nothing away from existing systems that provide credentials to experts, I think the time and the means to provide "micro-credentials" for the varied skill sets developed by people when they pursue their interests. I think these formative credentials (the kind that are offered by all sorts of digital games and worlds) can support summative credentials to provide a better picture of what a learner/employee can do in a given occupation or vocation. Valuing these skill sets and growing them within people is what is at the heart of true mentorship/coaching...and this is something that has centuries of play-testing in the real world. It is a proven teaching tool that can (and often does) involve game mechanics as a motivator.
In the end, the forum provoked me to action just as it was meant to. Happily, I was able to send all of you some things that I thought were cool.
Drop me a line if you'd like to discuss more.
*Readers can review forum tweets by searching #banff21st or #21llf
Game-based learning was definitely a primary topic of conversation. Mostly in the context of digital technology, games received attention as potential sources of engagement for disengaged youth. On the other side, there were at least a few attendees who felt that they had to resist "drinking the kool-aid" of what they consider to be a fad at best and a total abdication of responsibility at worst. Most constructively, in my opinion, was what seemed to be a prevailing attitude that society will be most likely to benefit from meaningful partnership development between K-12 education, higher-ed institutions, industry, social enterprises, and (most excitingly) young people (the prevailing attitude from Marc Prensky was that it would be ideal to release an army of 10-year olds, equipped with a host of digital weapons of collaboration, on the problems of the world).
What was clarified for me is the importance of valuing individual "amateur" experiences as credentials in themselves. While taking nothing away from existing systems that provide credentials to experts, I think the time and the means to provide "micro-credentials" for the varied skill sets developed by people when they pursue their interests. I think these formative credentials (the kind that are offered by all sorts of digital games and worlds) can support summative credentials to provide a better picture of what a learner/employee can do in a given occupation or vocation. Valuing these skill sets and growing them within people is what is at the heart of true mentorship/coaching...and this is something that has centuries of play-testing in the real world. It is a proven teaching tool that can (and often does) involve game mechanics as a motivator.
In the end, the forum provoked me to action just as it was meant to. Happily, I was able to send all of you some things that I thought were cool.
Drop me a line if you'd like to discuss more.
*Readers can review forum tweets by searching #banff21st or #21llf
