EDUCATION / GAMES: Play to learn - 100 great sites on gamification

Using incentives to encourage students to stay interested in educational pursuits is not a new idea. However, the incorporation of game mechanics, incentive systems, and other ideas borrowed from the game world to create a game-layer on top of existing educational systems is revolutionary, and many educators, students, and entrepreneurs are taking notice.

Gamification of education can help students be more motivated and engaged, and can make it easier to remember what they’ve learned. What teacher wouldn’t love that? Enthusiastic teachers from K-12 all the way up into college have started using game-based learning techniques in their classrooms, and there are loads of learning opportunities online for students who prefer a game-like experience. Many companies are working on gamification platforms to make it easier to implement incentive programs and game mechanics in classrooms, online courses, and even in employee training and career development settings. This categorized and filtered list shows you the best of the best in gamified education info, in no particular order.

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NEWS: New US study finds kids’ tablet use jumps 13%

Console and portable video game systems still get the most usage among kids ages four to 14, but a new study from market research company The NPD Group has revealed that tablet use by kids is catching up quickly.

According to Kids and Consumer Electronics: 2012 Edition, tablet usage increased by 13% in 2012 compared to 3% last year, and tablet usage is highest among younger children.

Other results from the survey found that homes with kids ages four to 14 own an average of 10 different devices, with kids using an average of five of them. Televisions, computers and cell/smartphones maintain the highest household ownership.

Read more: http://kidscreen.com/2012/08/13/new-study-finds-increased-use-of-tablets-by-kids/#ixzz23XYokzmJ

GAMES: What Makes Educational Games Work?

As the gaming in education continues to grow, one of the foremost experts in the field, Constance Steinkuehler, makes the case for why it’s important to pay attention to what works in gaming and how it could be applied to learning.

At the recent Aspen Ideas Festival, Steinkuehler, who’s now a Senior Policy Analyst at theOffice of Science and Technology Policy in the Executive Office of the President, spoke with author and researcher John Seely Brown about some of the more prominent issues in gaming and education.

read more and watch a video at the KQED website

NEWS / IT / GAMES: PC game gives boost to campaign against prejudice: Adventure “Searching for the Treasure of Bosnia and Herzegovina"

SARAJEVO, BiH, 30 April 2012 - The first Bosnian adventure PC game "Searching for the treasure of Bosnia and Herzegovina" promotes the cultural and historical heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), but also helps young people to understand diversities and their peers with different ethnic and cultural background. The game is one of the products of the campaign led by UNICEF within the joint "MDGF Culture for Development" programme implemented in partnership with UNDP and UNESCO.

"Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country of diversities that have always intertwined here. It is the country of many cultures and vast historical heritage. On the other hand, in war and post-war periods diversities turned into divisions and historical heritage sometimes turned into burden. Putting our heritage to service of development and recognizing its importance for social and economic progress has been a great challenge. This game is one of our joint responses to this challenge," said Nineta Popović, Communication for Development Officer in UNICEF BiH.

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GAMES / EDUCATION / HIV/AIDS: Fast Car: Travelling Safely around the World

Fast Car: Travelling Safely around the World is a racing game that helps you to learn about HIV and AIDS prevention and takes you on a tour of some of the World's Heritage sites.

The game aims to provide young people with accurate and reliable information about HIV prevention, intending to educate and entertain as well as promoting healthy behaviour. In this game, the player can race on circuits on five continents, and virtually visit some of the UNESCO World Heritage sites. It also presents images of sites and interesting facts about them as players race by.

There are two tracks for each continent - a Preliminary track and a Championship track. Every track has a set of check points. At the check point, one can take part in a Mini-Quiz, and possibly earn a time bonus. In the mini-quiz, the player will be asked a multiple-choice question related to HIV and AIDS prevention.

Download the Game

The game is available online for downloading free of charge in:

• English
• French
• Russian

More info

ARTICLES / GAMES: Some video games influence good behavior in children

Some video games influence good behavior in children

Media members and legislators often portray video games as bad influences on children's behavior, but new research concludes that some video games influence good behavior, specifically the desire to help other people.

This is good news for educators, parents, and children who use video games for learning and entertainment.

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NEWS / GAMES / EDUCATION: Digital games in classroom teaching: how do teachers use them?

Digital games in classroom teaching: how do teachers use them?

A groundbreaking new European study, released at a major EU conference hosted by the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, sheds light on how teachers use digital games in the classroom for learning purposes. The conference was opened by the European Commissioner for Education and Culture, Jan Figel, underlining the importance of the study. It covers commercial as well as “serious” games. It was carried out by European Schoolnet, a network of 31 Ministries of Education, commissioned by the Interactive Software Federation of Europe (ISFE). Read more

Download the synthesis report (http://games.eun.org/upload/gis-synthesis_report_en.pdf) and full study (http://games.eun.org/upload/gis-full_report_en.pdf).

NEWS / INTERNET: Young computer game designers unite at MIT

Young computer game designers unite at MIT

By Emma Rose Johnson
Globe Correspondent / May 17, 2009

Max Winkler sat in the atrium of MIT's Media Laboratory, his fingers sliding over a laptop's mouse. He was demonstrating a new game he had programmed, featuring a cartoon smiley-face that chases coins.

"There are three levels," he told the group of onlookers around him. "The last level the coin gets really small and disappears quickly."

The game may not sound that complex, but give the inventor a break. He is only 7 years old.

Winkler was one of 120 children who gathered at the Media Lab on Saturday for Scratch Day, a meet-up event and workshop. Scratch is a simple programming language designed by a team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology specifically for children. The free, open-sourced program allows them to program animation, music, games, and other media, which can then be uploaded to the Scratch website to be used by other "scratchers."

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