In episode 9 of EdGamer we go in-depth on what we feel could be one of the most important game releases in a long time for video games and education…Portal 2! This game is being well received by the gaming community and takes a step up from its predecessor (Portal) by introducing coop gaming. Listen in as we discuss Portal 2’s possible impact in the classroom. Do not miss EdGamer Episode 9!

Links:

* Plot information for Portal

* Portal as required reading at a college

* Funny article about Students that are Portal 2 Addicts

* Portal on Wikipedia

* Portal 2 on Wikipedia

Youtube Game Reviews and Previews:

* Portal 2 Coop Trailer

* Portal 2 Video Preview

* E3 Portal 2 Hands On Demo

 

Co-host- Gerry James

 

… Read the rest

Guests, guests and more guests! Episode 8 finds EdGamer interviewing notable intellectual Sylvia Martinez about her her personal history with gaming and education. Sylvia is the President of Generation YES.

GenYES is an innovative program that creates 21st century leaders and learners. GenYES students help teachers use technology in classrooms, supporting effective technology integration school-wide. (from genyes.org)

We have had some fantastic guests so far, however Sylvia gives us a unique vantage point due to her extensive history with gaming in the private sector.… Read the rest

Alternate title that was not used- Kids Know What Real Games Are

 

We’ve done it again! For the second straight week we have a fascinating guest on EdGamer. This week’s episode (Episode 7) finds us chatting with Lucas Gillispie, an Instructional Technology Coordinator for Pender County Schools in southeastern North Carolina. Lucas has a history with gaming and education that eclipses 99 percent of the field.

A little about Lucas (from his site http://edurealms.com/) –

His current projects include the WoWinSchool Project, a collaborative effort to explore the impact of using World of Warcraft in both an after-school program and as part of the regular instructional program, Minecraft in School, which seeks to explore the use of Minecraft in with elementary learners, and iPod Games for Learning, a program that uses the iPad and iPod Touch as platforms for game-based learning.  … Read the rest

You wanted more…you got it! Last week we on EdGamer we discussed a teacher from NYC who was using the game Minecraft in his elementary school classes. In this episode of EdGamer we are happy to introduce our first guest…the “Minecraft Teachr” himself…Joel Levin from Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School in NYC. Listen in as Joel joins us and talks about his experiences with Minecraft, the benefits of gaming in education, and how to go about using Minecraft in YOUR classroom.… Read the rest

On Episode #5 of EdGamer we discuss three websites that caught our attention this week. We take a look at the new release of Sims Medieval from EA games and debate the possible educational uses for the program. Then we take some time to discuss a teacher from New York who is currently using the game Minecraft to help educate his elementary students. Finally we introduce and discuss an illustrated video to the sound clip of a presentation from Sir Ken Robinson.… Read the rest

On Episode #4 of EdGamer we discuss the games our students are playing outside of our classrooms. Few teachers, or parents for that matter, have a solid idea of the types of games their children are playing. We take some time to look at the different types of games students are playing as well as discuss some informal research we did with our students about their gaming habits. Listen to this episode to hear more about the diversity between male and female student gamers, the different platforms for games, as well as the possibility of integrating these games into our classrooms.… Read the rest

To Whom it May Concern:

I am looking for an easy gaming platform to use in my classroom.  I would like it handle single, coop, and multiplayer versions of educational games.  I would like it to connect my classroom and other classrooms so interactions can take place between students.  As a Steam user, my thoughts came quickly to your platform and how easy it is to connect to other players.  I have been using games to educate for many years. … Read the rest

On the second episode of the Ed Gamer podcast, we take some time to review the ICE (Illinois Computing Educators) we recently attended in St. Charles, IL. A lot of ground has been made in the world of gaming and education, but there is still much to do. During this podcast we examine the difference between virtual learning environments (such as World of Warcraft and SecondLife) and simple outcome games (ie. Tetris…there has to be a better example).… Read the rest

* “The Games That We Play”

* There are many games that Gerry and I use in the classroom.  We have picked six games that we currently use and we will explain why we use them.

* Zack’s Pick- BBC Interactive Games

* Mummy Maker

* Pyramid Challenge

* Gerry’s Pick- Classic classroom games: The Great Debate

* Involves Role Play

* Students can be forced to see multiple perspectives on one issue

* Includes current events

* Zack’s Pick- Word on the Street by Out of the Box Games

* On each turn, one team flips over a category card.… Read the rest