WEST VIRGINIA

Empowering Students and Educators with New Media Literacies Necessary to Participate and Lead in a Global, New Media World

November 3, 2010

***Rebecca Reynolds, Ph.D.

Assistant ProfessorRutgers University

School of Communication and Information

An Innovative Learning Program of the World Wide Workshop Foundation in which students: •Design and program web-games on core educational subjects (civics, science, mathematics, history) and important social issues (health, global climate, poverty)•Gain knowledge of game topics while mastering new digital skills, practices and dispositions •Gain expertise necessary to be productive and successful in the new knowledge-based economies of the 21st century, and, a functioning democracy.•Implications for:

• National Civics and STEM learning agenda, computer science pathways and career interest development

• Re-Imagination of Public and School Libraries? 

What is ?

A State-wide Online Social Network for Playing and Making Games

Students and educators create and publish web-games on a project management wiki, where each school is a node in the wiki network, and

all creations are shared, including playable files and Actionscript code. 

What is -WV?

Constructionism (Papert & Harel)• Social Constructivism (Vygotsky)• Social Learning Theory (Bandura)• Design-Based Research (Wang & Hannafin, Barab & Squire, etc.)

Social Learning Systems (Wenger)Communities of Practice (Brown & Duguid)Epistemic Games (Shaffer)

Model of Social  Learning  in   Communities  of  Practice(From Wenger, 2003)

Learning Theory Foundations

Descriptive DataOrganization provides wiki, Flash licenses, training

through grant support

Profile of the Year 3 student participants (2009/2010):• 22 schools• 534 student participants, 190 females, 334 males• 64 middle school, 322 high school, 71 community

college, 77 alternative education• Year 4 (current school year):

– Doubled, to involve 40 schools, ~1000 student participants.

The Globaloria Learning Formula: Discovery-based

project-based, student-centered, social learningr :

Students and educators learn by doin. They learn through game design and 

manage their own creative learning process.

Learning by design.

Peer-to-Peer Learning:Students learn from other students, and educators learn from 

other educators (online and offline).

Learning by teaching.

Co-Learning:Students and educators learn together (online and 

offline). Educators are co-learners, instead of traditional didactic 

instructors.Learning at the same time.

Expert-Guided Learning:Collaboration with experts happens on the Globaloria 

network. Professionals from around the 

country/world help inspire learning and help solve problems on demand.Learning just-in-time.

Learning

NetworkedParticipatory

PublicArchived

Self-Led LearningStudents and educators

learn by doing. They learn through game design and

manage their own creative process.

Learning by design.

Peer-to-Peer LearningStudents learn from

other students, and educators learn from other educators

(online and offline)Learning by teaching.

Expert-Guided LearningProfessionals from around

the country/world help inspire learning and help

solve problems on demand on the Globaloria network. Learning just-in-time.

Co-LearningStudents and educators learn together (online and offline). Educators are co-learners,

instead of didactic instructors.Learning at the same time.

Logistics, Physical SettingSchool Computer Labs, Libraries, Classrooms• Schools recruited at state education and professional

development events, undergo a screening process– 1 to 1 computer to student ratio required (requisite hardware already

available on location)– Teacher commitment– Administration accommodation of Globaloria as course offering (at

least 3-4 hours/wk class time)

• Software purchased and installed through grant• World Wide Workshop Foundation provides resources and

supports

Flash software, Wiki Environment, Curriculum, Tutorials

“Hands On” Training Sessions (virtual, local) • Globaloria Academy – In-person, intensive trainings (3)

• Online Mini Webinars - Web-based workshops (7)

Globaloria Mentors ProgramExperienced educators take on a leadership role by supporting other educators

“24/7” Virtual Support • Expert Support via wikis, blogs, email, WebEx

• Educator Community Development – private educators community wiki, peer-to-peer mentoring, weekly educators newsletter, sharing teaching & learning reports

Rewards and Recognition•Teachers: Stipends and Graduate credits are earned•Students: Nationally-Recognized Game Design Competitions

Learning Supports for Students and Educators:

Learning to research, explore, create, share with social media

Basecamp™

The Six Contemporary Learning Abilities (6CLAs): Developing games in a social learning system offers participatory experiences leading to practices necessary for engagement in today’s knowledge-based economy

Abilities Set 1: Invention, progression, completion of an original project, ability to program an educational game, wiki or sim

Abilities Set 2: Project-based learning in Web2.0 environments, and processing complex project management (programmable wiki systems)

Abilities Set 3: Producing media, programming, publishing, and distributing interactive purposeful digital media in social networks

Abilities Set 5: Information-based learning, search, and exploration

Abilities Set 4: Social learning, active participation, and exchange

Abilities Set 6: Thoughtful surfing of websites and web applications

Learning an integrated set of abilities. . .

Syllabus Integrates Learning of Inquiry Skills, Game Subject and

Game Programming and Mechanics

Syllabus Topics Addressing Inquiry Skills and Game Subject

Syllabus Topics Addressing Game Programming and Mechanics

www.myglife.org/usa/wv

Under the Co-Learning Model, Discovery-based learning requires Inquiry mindset

Research and inquiry online occurs in 2 stages:1. Finding resources supporting the topic area of the

game• Information literacy• News literacy (especially for those choosing games about

Civics)2. Engaging in self-driven learning when a local

educator doesn’t have all the answers• Using filtered resources the World Wide Workshop has tested

and recommended• Finding free and open source tutorials and supports• Fits with the literature on youth, open source, DIY, remix,

mashups (e.g., Ito framework)• Challenges traditional asymmetrical knowledge dynamic

  

Tasks       Initiation       Selection   Exploration   Formulation   Collection   Presentation----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------→Feelings uncertainly optimism confusion clarity sense of satisfaction or(affective) frustration direction/ disappointment

doubt confidence

Thoughts vague-------------------------------------→focused(cognitive) -----------------------------------------------→

increased interest

Actions seeking relevant information----------------------------→seeking pertinent information(physical) exploring documenting

• Planning adaptation of this model to Constructionist creation process

Kuhlthau’s Model of the Information Search Process

From the Press Release:

30 Learning Innovation Labs in Museums and Libraries

“The MacArthur-IMLS learning labs will be part of a network of museums and libraries throughout the country that use best practice principles, based on research and evidence, to engage youth in effective science, technology, engineering, and math education. These new learning labs will be spaces for experimentation that engage young people with both digital and traditional media to promote creativity, critical thinking, and hands-on learning. Young people will be engaged in anytime, anywhere access through online social networks so that they can pursue their interests more deeply.

The goal is to build a base of evidence about how young people learn today, in an effort to re-imagine learning in the 21st Century.”

Macarthur Foundation, IMLS Grant

Learners Use Skills, Resources & Tools to:

Current Project:Aligning Globaloria program components to the AASL Standards

AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner

Globaloria in the School Library

•Partnership among school librarians, core content teachers, and tech specialists? •Feasibility varies based on grade level

• Middle school students vs. high school level•Resources•Time•Administration buy-in•Budgets

•PLUS: Is the base of evidence substantial enough yet?

Discussion

• Learning: Inquiry, programming and content knowledge

• What new inquiry skills are required / cultivated Does it impact their school achievement and performance in other areas? (Science, Social Studies)

• Individual-level motivational, affective and interest development shifts and changes

• Teamwork processes, socialization• Role-taking and gender:

• Boys start as programmers, girls start as team managers

• Importance of gender neutral scaffolding by educators to encourage / challenge students to explore new roles and dynamics

Research Strands in Progress

Pay attention as a researcher: What do you observe going on in this video?

Thought Provoking Student Presentation

• Funded by the Knight Foundation, in 2009/2010, the Globaloria Civics initiative was piloted in classrooms in five schools across West Virginia

• The initiative is supported by Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, Honorary Chair of the Competition

• Our civics framework aligns with iCivics.org (formerly OurCourts.org), a web resource for educators

Globaloria Civics Track

• Created to align with principles put forth on Icivics.org

• Broadly, aligns with WV Civics Content Standards and Objectives (CSOs) at middle school level for social studies

• Students choose a game topic that addresses at least one of these domains

Globaloria Civics Knowledge Framework

25 student team games-Range of subjects including:•Freedom of expression•Participating on a jury•Constitutional amendments•Civil lawsuits•How bills are processed

Winning game,“The Race to Justice”

•Team of 2 middle school students•Civil law procedure

Runner Up game, “What Are They Thinkin’?”

•Team of 3 high school students

Well, one thing is for sure, civics definitely is complicated. Politics and all of it is not an easy subject to learn about, there are too many opinions. However, i believe we have learned a couple good points a student should know about civics. Me and Ian's game is about the different parties and their views on certain disagreements in our country right now. We learned mainly about how each party stands on healthcare, foreign affairs, etc. etc. It was an enjoyable experience and an educational one also.(Male 10th-grader, 15 years of age)

Student Quotes

Well, its hard to sum up all the things i learned in Game Design in one blog, but here it is. The main things i learned was more about computers overall, and specifically flash and civics. We had to make our flash game on civics, so that is why i leanred most about them. I have learned alot about how to code, how to animate, and how to construct a flash game. I still have alot to learn about it, but it was a great start. About civics, i learned alot about the different political parties views and also the stands that different parties take.(Male 10th-grader, 15 years of age)

Student Quotes

I want to learn more about the 27 amendments. Learning about America's History is hard to learn. A game can help by teaching people about Civics in a fun way … It would be fun to make a music game to teach kids about Civics and after every song they collect a part of the Constitutional Bill of Rights.(Male 7th grader, 12 years of age)

Student Quotes

I learned a lot about all the amendments. (Although we are only using the first 10 for our game). I learned that as citizens of the U.S.A. we have rights of the government that nobody can take away.(Male 7th grader, 12 years of age)

Student Quotes

Questions, Follow-Up

Contact me at:

rebecca.reynolds@gmail.com

or

rebecca.reynolds@rutgers.edu