August 3rd, 2011

1st Class Kidz Digital: The Radio station in the teacher’s cupboard 1/5

Derek Robertson

Comments: 2 Comments » Tags: Tags: Aberdeenshire, cfe, cross-curricular
 : Categories Aberdeenshire, Curriculum for Excellence, Glow, Parents

One of the most exciting and rewarding aspects of teaching is being able to bring your own talents and interests to the fore to help drive learning. Chris Mier from Hatton Cruden PS in Aberdeesnhire has done just that this year when he decided to bring the skills and experience he had honed in working in radio and DJing on the internet to the life and learning of his P.7 class. This interest of his was the catalyst for a project that crossed all curricular boundaries and made so many connections across learning. This series of 5 posts will hopefully give you a flavour of this exciting project and yet another illustration of the standards that children can achieve when the bar of aspiration and expectation is raised.

In the teacher’s cupboard in Mr Mier’s room is a cupboard. You know the type – the ones where books, paints, resources etc are kept. However, this cupboard is a little bit different from most. Have a look to see what is inside this one:

This range of resources that includes the cutting edge DJ equipment Tracktor was the resource that enabled Mr Mier to establish a whole class enterprise project based on a radio broadcasting business. 1st Class Kidz Digital radio company became a real enterprise over the course of the second half of last year in this P.7 class. My discussion with Mr Mier about this project can be heard here:

Getting started

Mr Mier created 25 jobs in 1st Class Kidz Digital that needed to filled. This meant that the perfect opportunity to teach the children about letter writing, CVs, interview techniques within a purposeful and relevant context was established. The children then had to apply for the jobs and were then interviewed for these jobs by some of the parents of the children. Their decisions were then fed back to Mr Mier who posted the newly filled positions on the class Glow site. Once the elation and disappointment of success or other wise had settled it was down to work and to start getting the radio shows produced!

The range of jobs

A radio station needs DJs of course but what else does it require? Well, a station manager was appointed and she was in essence the boss. She held weekly whole class meetings where she was given updates on progress from the DJs, scriptwriters, jingle creators, news reporters, weather reporters, sport reporters, advertising team, art & design team and the class blogger. Each ‘employee’ had to ensure that they were on task and that all necessary work was completed by an agreed due date.

Impact on learning

Mr Mier talked about the success that this enterprising approach to learning had had on his pupils and in particular he talked about his perceptions of:

• how the confidence levels had grown in the children over the course of the project. He attributed this to the ownership and responsibility that was afforded to the children and the way in which they embraced this. He also talked of the reality of the learning experience and how it was relevant, purposeful and important to the children
• how his pupils had engaged with and completed tasks to a very high standard and at times way beyond what was expected of them. This was particularly evident in areas such as writing and music making.
• how the social dynamic of the class was enhanced as a result of the project and the way in which the children took responsibility for their individual and collective tasks. The programme and the business was run with minimal input by Mr Mier with the children really owning 1st Class Kidz Digital.

Having spent an afternoon with the team at 1st Class Kidz Digital I have to say how impressed I was with their industry, creativity and maturity. I think that this shows how Curriculum for Excellence can work so well when a teacher uses specific skills that they have to create purposeful learning experiences for children; experiences that make them want to come to school, to learn, to achieve and to show us just what they can do.

Thank you to all at Hatton Cruden PS and 1st Class Kidz Digital for making me so welcome.

February 23rd, 2011

Game To Learn Conference

Brian Clark

Comments: 1 Comment Tags: Tags: cfe, Consolarium, cross-curricular, exergaming, eyepet, game based learning, games based learning, games design, gametolearn, GBL, Kodu, Learning, LTS, Nintendogs, Professor Layton, Wii
 : Categories Conferences, Consolarium, Glow, cross-curricular, game based learning, games design

The Consolarium in partnership with JISC are delighted to be bringing the Game To Learn conference to the University of Abertay Dundee on Saturday 19th March.

The Saturday Programme offers both a fun-packed CPD event for teachers as well as a celebration of the diverse and innovative practice in games-based learning and game design that has been happening in schools across Scotland. Over the past few years the LTS Consolarium initiative has been working with partner schools across Scotland to help nurture the idea that commercially available computer games, that have been developed for entertainment, can be used to help create appealing, purposeful and challenging contexts for learning.

Game Design also offers learners of all ages to engage with the creative process in an engaging and contemprary way that really can facilitate effective CfE delivery. Throughout the morning seminars and afternoon workshops, delegates will have the opportunity to hear from practioners and their use of game design and get some hands on time with game design tools.

Half of the sessions are already fully booked so book your place now to avoid disappointment.

Sessions that are still available include, but not limited to ….

Game Based Learning in the Lower Primary School With Nintendogs

• Nintendogs in the Classroom. Best in Show?
  Anna Rossvoll, Glow Development Officer, Aberdeenshire Council
• Can Nintendogs Enhance Learning? A Research Perspective
  Dr David Miller, University of Dundee

Read about our work with Nintendogs and the Nintendogs case study

Game Based Learning in the Primary School with the Kinectimals and Professor Layton

• Making Friends with the Kinectimals in a Nursery Setting
  Louise Reid & Judi Regan, Menzieshill Nursery School, Dundee City Council
• ‘Profesor Layton and the Lost Future’ Finds Use in the Classroomn
  Jim Coyle Depute Head Teacher, St Andrews RC Primary School, Dundee City Council

Read about our work with the Kinectimals and our Professor Layton case study.

Game Based Learning in Primary School with the Eyepet and other Games

• Augmented Reality? Real Life Learning with the Eyepet for the PS3
  Brian McLaren, Depute Head Teacher, Clackmannan PS, Clackmannanshire Council
• On a Mission to Engage all Learners with Games-based Learning
  Gerry Munro, Head Teacher, Longhaugh PS, Dundee City Council

Read about our work with the Eyepet and Gerry’s experiences with Game Based Learning, and others’ experiences in the futurelab report

Game Based Learning and the Whole School

This may be especially of interest to languages teachers, active school coordinators, PE teachers, class teachers and deputes from Primary and Secondary schools who are interested in seeing how ‘subject specific’ game based learning projects can impact on the whole school.

• Just Dance and Help the Whole School Become Active!
  Fiona Ferrie, PE Teacher, Doon Academy and Alison Crawford, Development Officer, East Ayrshire Council
• Modern Foreign Languages – A Games-based Learning Approach
  Helene Clark, French Teacher, Firrhill High School, Edinburgh City

Read about our work with Just Dance and My French Coach.

And there’s more …..

Phew! What a start to the day!  Follow up your morning seminar with a spot of free lunch, the chance to talk to industry exhibitors then on to a practical, fun filled hands on session.  Workshops still available include, but again not limited too..

Using RPG Maker VX to Help Tell Stories & Make Connections Across Learning
Mathew Reid, English Teacher, Garnock Academy, North Ayrshire

“If you’re asking, I’m dancing!” – Join Us for the Just Dance-athon!
Fiona Ferrie, PE Teacher, Doon Academy
Derek Robertson, National Adviser, Consolarium, Learning and Teaching Scotland

Purple Mash: Glow Resources and Game Design with 2DIY
Alan Yeoman, 2Simple Software

Playful, Outdoor and Blended Learning Using GPS
Ollie Bray, National Adviser for Emerging Technologies in Learning, Learning & Teaching Scotland

What are you waitng for?  Get your game on now … for FREE!

Hope to see you all on Saturday 19th March 2011

October 20th, 2010

Unity 3 Game Development

charlielove

Comments: none Tags: Tags: Android, cfe, cross-curricular, game design, games design, Glow, iOS, Unity
 : Categories Consolarium, Glow, Nintendo, cross-curricular, games design

Unity 3 is a cross platform development environment (PC or Mac) which provides users with a set of tools to create games for PC, Mac, Wii, iOS devices (such as iPodTouch, iPhone and iPad) and Google’s Android Mobile operating system.  It’s a jack of all trades system and the core software is free for all to download and use.  This video shows just a few of the games that have already been created with Unity.

We’ve been spending some time at the Consolarium looking at Unity 3 and we’ve been very impressed with what is possible with the software.  The level of support available online from the Unity site and from the developer community (including the great game tutorial videos at 3DBuzz) is excellent and this wealth of quality resources can really support learners as they take their first steps with this software.

Our plans to support game design in the senior phase require quality tools which provide learners with opportunities to produce games similar to the ones they play.  Also, game design in the senior phase must build on the CfE experiences and outcomes and our work on game design at level 2/3 with Scratch and Kodu. Given the recent developments in game design qualifications, it is important that we look for and develop resources which support learners undertaking these new courses.  Unity provides a versatile platform which can help us achieve all of these things.

With practicalities in mind, Unity will run on a variety of computer systems including those which are getting a bit old.  It requires Windows XP Service Pack 2 OR Mac OS “Leopard” 10.5 as a minimum spec and a graphics card with a minimum of 64MBs (which should cover any graphics card made in the last  6/7 years).  Other demands on your computer system just depend on how complex your game project becomes.

One of the really great features that we hope to make use of is Unity 3′s ability to create browser based games which play from the web.  Have a look at blurst.com to see some of the great web based games created with Unity.  Jetpack Brontosaurus is my personal favourite.

Moving forward our plan is to make the best of these resources available in the Consolarium Game Design Glow Group and to develop further resources and support for schools which adopt Unity as a development platform.  Already in our Glow group are resources for Scratch, Kodu, Blender and Microsoft XNA Game Development.  There are also a number of background resources which deal with the game development process and were filmed at the Denki Studio in Dundee.

February 26th, 2010

Digital Games Design Competition @ SLF10

Brian Clark

Comments: 5 Comments » Tags: Tags: cfe, Consolarium, cross-curricular, games design, SLF10
 : Categories Consolarium, Glow, SLF10, cross-curricular, games design

Fancy yourself as a Games Designer?

Do you think Sonic is super?

Do you marvel at Mario?

Are you crazy about Crash?

Love Lara?

Fancy yourself as a games designer?  Now is your chance to design, create and market your own computer game with great characters and compelling storylines.  Your game only has to meet two criteria for your chance to win some great prizes.

1. It should be an adventure/platform/puzzle game with a story behind it.
2. The player should be able to control a character and solve a puzzle or collect items to progress to the next level / complete the game.

If you are a pupil at a school in Scotland then you can enter your game in one of four categories:

1. Primary Individual
2. Primary Group
3. Secondary Individual
4. Secondary Group

Check out some examples and find out more by watching this video.

You can download the high quality mp4 here, or an iPod mp4 here.

When designing and creating your game, and think about

• characters and background that will be used in the game
• music and sound effects to be used in the game
• levels / progression through the game

Use any game creation tool to build your game.  For example 2DIY, Scratch, Kodu, Game Maker, SimsCarnival, Greenfoot, Flash, Net Radiant, Unreal Development Kit, Microsoft XNA or any other appropriate platform

Send us the complete game in an email, or a link or on CD/DVD.  Make sure you let us know what software you used.

Need some help to get started?

Consolarium Development Officers, Charlie Love and Brian Clark, are available to offer you some assistance.  They can be contacted via email (c.love@ltscotland.org.uk and b.clark@LTScotland.org.uk ).

The Final

Successful finalists will be invited to attend the Scottish Learning Festival on the 22^nd/23^rd September to present their game to a panel of Game Developers and Industry Specialists.  A number of great prizes will also be on offer including a tour of the studio at game developers, Denki.

The closing date for all entries is Friday 3^rd September 2010

February 21st, 2010

SLF10 MarioKart Challenge

bmclaren

Comments: none Tags: Tags: cross-curricular, Mario Kart, mathematics, SLF10
 : Categories Added Value, Consolarium, Games we have, Glow, Multi-player games, SLF10, cross-curricular, game based learning

Mario Kart Competition @ SLF10

Calling all Jenson Button and Lewis Hamiltons of the future.

Would you like to race head to head, in front of a live audience and win the title of

SLF10 MarioKarter Champion ?

This year at SLF10 there will be a Mario Kart Grand Prix for Primary and Secondary pupils.  In order to qualify you must be in the top 4 verified time trial times.

Teachers must submit a photo of a pupil’s verified Time Trial time. These times will be logged on a leader board held on the Consolarium Glow Group and blog so you can track your position against the whole of Scotland. The four fastest primary pupils and four fastest secondary pupils will be invited, with  school representatives, to compete in a live race final at SLF10.  In order to submit a qualifying time you must run your time trial according to the criteria below.

A picture of the complete time trial showing character, kart and time should be forwarded to b.mclaren@ltscotland.org.uk

The four fastest pupils from each sector will then race head to head in the

50cc Mushroom Cup Grand Prix

in front of a live audience at SLF10.

The driver with the most amount of points at the end of the Grand Prix will be the winner and crowned Mario Kart Champion SLF10 and win a Wii and copy of Mario Kart for their school.

The closing date for verified Time Trial times is September  3^rd 2010.  Qualifiers will be contacted after this date.

Have you thought about using MarioKart in your class as a contextual hub or topic?  Check out the Consolarium Glow Group for ideas on how you might do this.  You might also want to think about how you might use MarioKart in subject specific lessons also.  Share your thoughts on the Discussion Board at the Wii, Mario Kart section of the Consolarium Glow Group.

We also have a small number of MarioKart kits (console, software and controllers) available on loan until SLF10.  If you are interested in receiving one on loan send us a summary of how you would use it and what you feel the impact would be upon your pupils. Our team will get together and examine all bids and decide upon the lucky applicants.  Please send bids to b.mcmlaren@ltscotland.org.uk and ensure all bids are with us by Monday March 8th.

December 14th, 2009

Game Modelling and A Curriculum for Excellence

Brian Clark

Comments: none Tags: Tags: adventure author, cfe, Consolarium, cross-curricular, games based learning, heriot watt, neverwinter nights, secondary, st augustines, susan falconer
 : Categories Uncategorized

Neverwinter Nights – St Augustines High School, Edinburgh

In 2008, Susan Falconer – Computing teacher at St Augustines High School embarked on a Games Design project with S1 pupils using Neverwinter Nights. Judy Robertson from Heriot Watt University took the Neverwinter Nights game and lead the development of the Adventure Author and Fridge Magnets plugins.

Using the fantasy adventure theme in Neverwinter Nights  as a contextual hub for learning, pupils engaged in a 6 week, interdisciplinary task involving a number of departments.  The following departments contributed to the project in the following ways

• Computing – design and creation of a fantasy adventure game
• English – explore narrative and character in the fantasy genre
• CDT – creation of DVD cover for competed computer game
• Business Education – creation of a business plan for computer game release
• Home Economics – character inspired chocolate truffle making
• Drama – acting out a scene from their fantasy game

The 2008 S1 cohort, now in S2, are continuing the Games Design theme with more subject areas taking part. Susan and the rest of the team are planning to roll the project into S3 next year.

This small slide show will give you a taste of the project.

I had the opportunity to speak briefly with Susan about the project.

Tell us about the project objectives

The aim of Curriculum for Excellence is to enhance pupil learning.  By engaging pupils through the use of computer game modelling software, this projects aim was to inspire their work through an interdisciplinary approach, initially in Computer Studies and English, bringing relevance of aspects of their learning in the different departments to pupils.

In order to promote literacy, you engaged with the English department.  Can you tell us about that particular link?

In English, the focus was on narrative devices used in story-telling, particularly in the Fantasy genre, improve their appreciation of the writers skill and improve their own imaginative writing.  In particular, to look at setting, characterisation, plot and dialogue.

The focus in the Computing department, was to further develop their ideas and create a fantasy game with Neverwinter Nights using the setting, characterisation, plot and dialogue written in English as inspiration and guidance.  Pupils developed a rich variety of new skills and enhanced their ability to learn from each other.

What was the impact of the project?

The pupils loved it. They worked without realising it and were inspired.

Attainment was raised

The pupils experienced a variety of familiar and unfamiliar challanges

What makes the project special?

We put learning and fun hand in hand.  Pupils were given a worldly business experience where they had to create a product from inception to marketing, linking disciplines from many departments, showing the relevance of each.

The cross curricular project was highly commended in the recent HMIE inspection and is a fantastic example of how Games technology can really enhance the curriculum and engage with the CfE outcomes.

Look out for a more detailed look at the project, including videos, in our sharing practice section.