http://vimeo.com/110937257
Elevator Pitch
Content/skills the intervention is targeting (What is it about?)
I am intervening on behalf of working, adult students, many of whom come from a full day of work to attend four hour classes in the evenings. Over half of the students are African American or Hispanic. The average age of students at the college is approximately 33. Many students receive financial assistance from federal government financial aid programs or education assistance programs operated by the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Format of the intervention (What is it?)
The students require an active, engaging experience after a long day and in order to complete their program of study. The format is the game setting, promoting active learning, and then an application with the Reacting to the Past role-play. The students will be challenged to build their own civilization in the five weeks of the course using Sid Meier's game, Civilization. In the second five weeks of the course the class will transition to "Reacting to the Past," a role-playing game which recreates the threshold of democracy in Athens in 403 B.C.
Theoretical basis (Why is it good for learning?)
It is action-oriented and is engaging for students. The intervention is based on constructionist technologies since the experience will expect the student to be speaking, writing, researching, and using role-play to learn. Mark C. Carnes, Minds on Fire is an excellent resource.
Product goals (Why should people care about it?)
People should care because there is very little research and a dearth of quality historical games. There is relatively little funding for historical recreations but Civilization is a time and player tested product. The game is the best in terms of offering reliable content and the learning outcomes of traditional survey courses. The advantage for learners is that they are doing, and active, as opposed to simply hearing about the past.
Is the elevator pitch clear and concise? Does it leave you wanting to know more?
Does the write up give you a clear picture of what the product is and how it’s different from other products?
It is different from other products because it is not confined to a limited period in history, as in the case of the Oregon Trail, and 1066 games, but allows a learner to follow a contingent path based on their decisions to build their defenses, promote a sustainable society, or allow a dictator to rule. Students will understand the consequences of their decisions.
References
Minds on fire: how role-immersion games transform college by Mark C. Carnes,Cambridge, Massachusetts : Harvard University Press, [2014].
Reacting to the Past Game Designer's Handbook by Nicolas W Proctor, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, [2013].
Civilization V CIVILOPEDIA Online, http://www.dndjunkie.com/civilopedia/ [Accessed 4 November 2014].
Blog Smith is inspired by the myth of Hephaestus in the creation of blacksmith-like, forged materials: ideas. This blog analyzes topics that interest me: IT, politics, technology, history, education, music, and the history of religions.