Because, you know, drugs are always the answer. How often do we (as instructors) actually consider what kind of pressure we are putting on our students. Why do we do it? Many will tell you that it is about keeping … Continue reading →

What’s the point of hiring competent, creative people if you then don’t let them do what they’re good at? I’ve never understood that, but I’ve experienced this a number of times. Two of the three departments I taught for at … Continue reading →

This all good advice. I asked my students this one year when I was still teaching at the UofCalgary. Their comments are below. Advice for New Students From Those Who Know (Old Students) - The New York Times. Extend Yourself. … Continue reading →

A number of chapters in my upcoming book talk about how to review games, and I go into my 4PEG model in detail. I review 7 games in the book. Here’s another. This review is of an educational game, and … Continue reading →

In my upcoming book I talk about the importance of teacher support for educational games. It is the 3rd pillar in my 4PEG model. In order to gain acceptance in a traditional classroom, GBL ‘objects’ need to be "canned", meaning they need to … Continue reading →

Yes. And: No. It depends on how we define things. First, I think it’s important to distinguish between digital games and non-digital or ‘analog’ games in these discussions. Few can agree on a precise definition for ‘game’ and there has … Continue reading →

Many people in Education seem to believe that fun and education are at odds with each other. Some years ago I did a survey with public school teachers to see if they were using games in school, and if not, … Continue reading →

Jim Gee says, "When we think of games, we think of fun. When we think of learning we think of work". (P. 43, 2007, Good Video Games + Good Learning) Is that really true? Somewhere along the line kids begin … Continue reading →

Far too many educational games out there are nothing more than template games skinned with educational content. I wonder why people make these kinds of games. Is it because they are easy to design, or do they really not understand what … Continue reading →

One of the great things about games is their potential for delivering just-in-time instruction. Most games require some sort of user assistance, whether it be instructions, in-game tutorials, or a help system. Many games integrate help and tutorial information into the gameplay … Continue reading →

No. Too much choice often interferes with learning; just like creating a simulated environment that is too real becomes counter-productive, especially with novices. Giving the learner too many things to think about too soon makes it much harder for them … Continue reading →

Can an Immersive Video Game Teach the Nuances of American History? | MindShift | KQED News. "The most encouraging to see is the games being launchpads for really in-depth conversations in which kids at varying academic levels feel equipped to … Continue reading →

I don’t like fighting. As a result, there are a whole pile of video games that I don’t really like playing. I’ve always thought of shooters and fighting games as the low-hanging fruit of game design. It’s fairly easy to … Continue reading →

This past weekend I was at the EdTechTeam Google Summit. I learned about a number of tools that I think are worth sharing. This is one: grmr.me is a resource created by an English teacher for English teachers. It provides short videos explaining some of … Continue reading →

This past weekend I was at the EdTechTeam Google Summit. I went last year as well (I presented last year on gamification with Google). I always learn interesting, useful, and inspiring things. This time I plan to share a few … Continue reading →

This past weekend I was at the EdTechTeam Google Summit. I went last year as well (I presented last year on gamification with Google). I always learn interesting, useful, and inspiring things. This time I plan to share a few … Continue reading →

Put simply, the Proteus Effect happens when an avatar behaves in line with the stereotype suggested by the appearance of that avatar. In other words players behave in the ways the appearance of their avatar suggests they should. How realistic does an avatar … Continue reading →

Why are we in such a rush? It takes time to grow up and some things (perhaps even most things) need time to sink in. We need time to form new neural connections. Curiously, at the same time we are … Continue reading →

Studies on the use of reinforcement have shown that unpredictable reinforcement schedules lead to behavior changes that persist the longest.  Since games are driven by cycles of player actions and corresponding feedback, is it possible to provide unpredictable reinforcement in … Continue reading →

  Using software and apps in college is definitely a smart way to stay organized. There are quite a number available, but you have to choose the one that’ll give a boost to your learning and productivity in college. In this article, we highlight for you, 5 such apps that are sure shot help to your learning in college.     Dictionary: There are a lot of apps for students in college dealing with vocabulary. Dictionary is a free app that gives you lot of information like origin of a particular word, synonyms, antonyms, search history, a thesaurus, etc. The app also allows purchase options of an encyclopedia, a medical dictionary, etc.     Pocket: Pocket is still not hugely popular when compared to other apps for students. But it is indeed a great help to bookmark articles, online content, videos which can be viewed later, on convenience. Available in both iOS and Android, Pocket is free to download and lets you use your bookmarked stuffs even without internet.     Evernote: Students have to do a lot of things in their college life and hence, it becomes difficult to keep a count of all the things done in daily life. Evernote is one of the few effective apps for students that helps you keep a track of things by letting store files, images, web pages, notes, audio and other lot of things. Moreover, Evernote allows users to get access to all stored files anywhere, anytime.     Quizlet: A good study apps for students who are looking for flashcard study sets on various topics which are mostly created by students only. Plus, student users are allowed to create any subject that’s not covered in it. Using audio and images in flashcard sets is easy with Quizlet, thus adding variation to the learning process.     Kindle: Reading, whether it’s for pleasure or academic purpose, is easier with the Kindle reading app. The concept of digital reading is taken to another level with the Kindle app as it lets you to look up to the definition of any word you are not sure off, using the built-in dictionary.   If you have any other app working wonders for you in your college life, do share with us in the comment section below. The post 5 Most Useful Apps for Students in College appeared first on Fedena Blog.

  It’s not just athletes and actors who doesn’t have time to go for regular high schools, are benefiting from virtual high school; slowly a good bunch of regular school goers are also considering the benefits of a virtual high school. Indeed, a whole new experience in attending a classroom with students from different parts of the world! Why would you then leave the comfort of your home when the education you want is coming to you?   Prominent universities like Stanford University, Indiana University, George Washington University have already joined this emerging trend, offering online classes to students and virtual high school diploma programs. A lot has been invested for the upliftment of virtual education off lately. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have donated $20 million to develop online courses and supportive tools and applications for them.   Virtual high schools around the world   The Virtual High School, started in 1996 was one of the first virtual high school to function. The school has 850 students registered from 13 states, allowing students from around the world to come online and learn together. A similar kind of model can be seen at Electronic High School in Utah, USA where teachers and students communicate with each other through online chat and email, after the completion of assignments. Not just the communication part, Electronic High School does not offer typical curriculum; instead, teachers create class content and with the help of high school students, develop graphics and web pages for the content.   E-School in Hawaii uses a multi-user community called MOO in their school, whereas, Fraser Valley Distance Education School, Canada uses real-time instructions for the learning of 500 students. The Internet Academy in south Seattle allows its students to go, either for class with a group or individually. Students who opt for group sessions sit in chat room and discuss questions and assignments. Whereas, individual students submit their projects and assignments via mail, chat or even communicate through telephone conversations.   How virtual high school is beneficial?   We all know, how comfortable and at ease students can be if they study at their own pace. Without holding back a class, the student has the liberty to listen to an audio lesson many number of times for more convenience. Moreover, the easy access to variety of other sources of information during study takes virtual learning one step ahead to actual classroom learning. Students from rural or non-city areas can opt for specialized courses that are otherwise not available to them.   The financial advantage of virtual high school cannot be ignored too. With every passing day, schools are getting overcrowded and expensive at the same time. This is where virtual high school concept can help students to attain their degree minus the skyrocketing expenses, as online education neither require infrastructure upgradation nor any other cost involved in maintaining an actual school.   Home schooled students gain a lot through virtual education as they can learn foreign languages and stuffs that may not be an easy cup of tea for their parents. Virtual high school is definitely a  big plus point for students who are unable to attend schools due to unavoidable circumstances to carry on with their education.   The concept of virtual high school still might sound new to many while, some consider it ineffective for students for it might give undue advantage to students learning online. But those who have already joined the bandwagon, would stand by the ease with which education can be imparted through this method. Still, we have wait and see how virtual education unfurls its wings to bring about new changes in education.   The post Virtual High School: The Changing Face of High School Education appeared first on Fedena Blog.

As published via TrainingIndustry.com, in this blog we discuss advantages and disadvantages of Cloud-Based technology for eLearning. Having your head in the clouds now holds a whole new meaning with the development of cloud-based technology. The recent evolution of the internet has seen it move from a place to visit web pages to an environment […]

As published via ATD.org, in this blog we discuss the advantages of incorporating multi-branching scenarios in your eLearning Sales Training.   I loved pick-a-path adventure books as a child; I’m sure you did too. Why? Because I was in control of my reality and the outcomes. Adding multi-branching scenarios (MBS) to your eLearning allows you […]

Creating great eLearning is a lot like baking your favourite cake. All the ingredients should work together to produce a delicious result; however, get one ingredient wrong and you’ve got a culinary fail on your hands. Effective audio can be the sugar and spice that transforms eLearning into a multisensory experience, increasing engagement for complex […]