Game as Design Principle:Quest to Learn

23. August 2011

AGENDA

introductions

game as design principle

school re-imagined

take-aways

What is Institute of Play?

2

activate twenty-first century citizens who engage deeply with the world

MISSION

leverage the power of gamesMETHOD

PROJECTS

institutiondesign

game design platform

professionaldevelopment

embodied learning

informallearning

curriculumdesign

What is Quest to Learn?

3

DISTRICT 2 NYC PUBLIC SCHOOL

2009

2015

Grade 6

Grade 7

Grade 8

Grade 9

Grade 11

Grade 10

Grade 12

45%55%

GENDER

1%

29%

4%

33%

33%

RACE-ETHNICITY

african-americancaucasianasian-americanlatinoother

MF

220 students

POSSIBILITY SPACE

feedback

pathway

participate

fail

repeat

What is a game?

4

HOOK FOR KIDS + ADULTS

COMPLEX SYSTEM

ECOLOGY OF INTERESTS + PASSIONSCOMMUNITY OF PLAYERS

rules

game space

components

goal

core mechanic

choice

master

share

5

School as a space where kids learn actively

- game-like learning — “need to know”

- taking on roles of authority

- sharing expertise

- smart tools

- frequent embedded assessments

6

School as collaborative community

- mission lab

- collaborative curriculum design

- boss level

- studio q

School as one node in a learning ecology

7

OUT OF SCHOOL

IN SCHOOL

AFTER SCHOOL

AT HOME

ONLINE

- aligned after school offering

- curriculum plugged into cultural institutions

- early internship program

- interest-driven online social network

8

School as traditional and 21st century

- curriculum built from state content standards

- integrated around core systems thinking questions

- targeting a set 21st century skills and competencies

- purposeful tech integration

9

The result?

- 97% for student engagement among NYC public schools

- student performance at or above NYC public school averages

- preliminary gains in systems thinking, time management and team work skills

- Math Olympiad win

- ChicagoQuest

10

A few take-aways:

11

- try a DESIGN PROCESS that includes multiple stakeholders, collaboration, testing, iteration

- create a NEED TO KNOW that’s culturally relevant

- integrate REAL-TIME FEEDBACK systems and space for PRODUCTIVE FAILURE

- create a need to TAKE ON ROLES and SHARE EXPERTISE

- connect to multiple LARGER COMMUNITIES

Thanks for listening.

Brian Waniewski

Managing DirectorInstitute of Play

brian@instituteofplay.org

www.instituteofplay.org