by Annie | Jun 8, 2013 | Game Design
Some of the most memorable games create the most preposterous of scenarios. Flying whales, ravenous zombies, or this scenario, created by a recent science game for kids: a giant cheese that’s out of control and taking over the city. Developed by biotech company Genentech, Ralph’s Killer Muenster is an iPad game that sends players on a mission to restore a killer cheese to its edible form. Puzzles challenge players to reconstruct phylogenetic (evolutionary) trees, making the science of genetics more accessible to a young audience. In addition to the game, a whole site dedicated to the fictional cheese monger was created to give more of the backstory behind the game. Even a food truck serving grilled muenster sandwiches can be seen on the streets of San...
by Annie | Aug 31, 2012 | Education, Game Design, Psychology of Games
Have you heard of gamification yet? If not, you will surely run across it at some point. Gamification is one of the hottest topics at the intersection of game design and business. Many companies are incorporating game design elements in business practices, both externally (e.g., marketing and consumer behavior) and internally (e.g., HR and employee training). In addition, gamification is being used to transform all kinds of fields, from education to journalism. If you’ve ever used a stamp card at a coffee shop (buy 10 and get one free) or gone through the LinkedIn registration process, you’ve been part of the gamification movement. People are just starting to discover the vast potential of gamification in changing human behavior, so many exciting things are happening in this field. If you’re interested in learning more, Coursera is offering a FREE online course on gamification, taught by Prof. Kevin Werbach from the Wharton School at my alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania. Over 70,000 people have already registered, myself included. You have until Sept. 9th to register, so get on it! (Coursera also has tons of other free online courses, so check them out if you get a...
by Annie | Aug 8, 2012 | Education
Back when I first started down the bumpy road into educational games, I had heard about a new school in NYC that was starting to make games front and center in the classroom. Quest to Learn is now a few years along and seems to be transforming the traditional teaching model and the way students interact and learn. Called the Hogwarts of the real world, Quest is creating an environment that actually gets students excited about learning. Who wouldn’t want a science class called “The Way Things Work,” a math class called “Codeworlds,” and “boss level” exams? Pretty exciting stuff, to say the least. Quest is definitely a school to keep an eye on in the coming years. Here’s a great article about recent goings-on at...
by Annie | Jul 27, 2012 | Game Design
Source: Frugal Dad
by Annie | Jun 1, 2012 | Education
The world is changing before our eyes. And so too should education. It’s good to know there are many great minds working on...
