How to sharpen your students’ digital skills
Twenty-odd years ago, the extent of an elementary schooler’s digital skills was making it through the Oregon Trail on their ... Read more
Gaming
The Friday 4: Your weekly ed-tech rewind
Every Friday, I’ll recap some of the most interesting news and thought-provoking developments from the past week. I can’t fit all of this week's news stories here, though,…
3 ways to make classrooms more interactive
Educators who want to reach students who favor interactive communication know that integrating digital tools into their lesson plans can be an effective strategy, and many have incorporated…
Survey: K-12 gaming use has doubled in the last six years
Gaming is growing, that's for sure. We read about it in survey results, we hear about game-based learning in conference sessions and during webinars, and we stumble across…
Report: Gamifying computer science is an easy place to start
With efforts to expand computer science education growing across the nation, some schools still grapple with a big problem: they don't have the staff or space to accommodate…
Stretch student collaboration skills with Breakout EDU
The physical and virtual escape games build valuable 21st-century skills. Here's how it works
5 ways to gamify writing in the classroom
Believe it or not, writing is a natural fit for gamification techniques, and students will come to love the challenge.
5 ways to engage students in real coding this summer (hint: it’s not by playing Minecraft)
A coding expert shares how to get students truly invested in computer science that goes beyond drag and drop.
3 ways to revamp lessons for the interactive learner
Educators who want to reach students who favor interactive communication know that integrating digital tools into their lesson plans can be an effective strategy. But to make a…
Middle schools take part in Department of Defense math games
Educational video game developer DimensionU, Inc. hosted the 3rd Annual Department of Defense Math Games Tournament at four military research laboratories around the country. Middle school students from…
Survey: Teachers now use twice as much gaming and video in the classroom
Teachers' use of game-based environments and online apps has doubled in the last six years, according to the annual Speak Up survey released on May 5. The national…
How gamification is driving learning space design
Gamification is moving from simple trend status to a valid pedagogical approach that can deliver powerful learning experiences in higher education and K-12 classrooms alike—and this growth has…
Penn State online course asks educators to use commercial video games
A new course from the Penn State College of Education’s Learning Design and Technology (LDT) program is not only integrating technology in the classroom, it is encouraging the…
Virtual reality helps students build career skills
High school student Anthony Torres didn’t set out to become a virtual reality mentor for his school, but his passion for 3D modeling and anatomy made him the…
Odeum brings 3D immersive role-playing games to schools
Odeum is launching a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter to bring to the market a collection of customizable 3D immersive role-playing games built around K-12 curriculum to enhance students’…
MIND Research launches K-12 math game-a-thon
If they build it, they will learn from it. That’s the idea behind the national K-12 Game-a-thon, which invites students to let their imaginations and problem solving run…
New professional development focuses on engagement through gaming
The ever-increasing omnipresence of digital media in student’s lives can be challenging for teachers as they compete for kid’s attention in and out of the classroom. With this…
Microsoft replacing MinecraftEDU with new education edition
Starting this summer, classrooms hooked on MinecraftEDU will be given the option of migrating to a new education-focused Minecraft title, recently announced by Microsoft who has acquired the…
Educational gaming expands in Florida district
DimensionU, Inc.'s educational gaming platform for math and literacy is expanding across 40 elementary and middle school after care sites in Florida's Broward County. The DimensionU expansion kicked…
6 STEAM tinkering tools for the holidays
Engage kids of all ages with these STEM and coding learning toys The year that was brought with it ... Read more
New Minecraft tutorial teaches kids coding
A new Minecraft coding tutorial, created for the upcoming and third annual Hour of Code, introduces players ages 6 and older to basic coding contained within the popular…
How 2 simple role-play games can transform students into active learners
Role-play enhances engagement and subject matter mastery. It's also a lot of fun
Kickstarter campaign funds new programmable robots
A new Kickstarter campaign has already exceeded its funding goal to produce programmable robots that can be controlled from a smartphone or tablet.
Minority youth develop community-enhancing video games
A new fellowship challenges minority youths to develop video games addressing social issues impacting their communities. Twenty Fellows, ages 15-25, will receive grants to continue development of their…
5 ways games make kids smarter
Games are challenging but they’re also fun. That’s a formula worth emulating Ninety seven percent of kids spend an average ... Read more
Like Minecraft? Try these 7 engaging world builders, too
With the popular explosion of Minecraft among middle schoolers and beyond, it’s worth noting that it isn’t the only open world virtual environment with educational value. Take a…
This game could improve behavior—and achievement
Can playing a game help students—especially those with disabilities or special needs—improve their behavior, learn empathy, and increase academic performance? The founder of gaming monolith Electronic Arts thinks…
International Minecraft competition launches for students
The first in a series of competitive international "builder" tournaments, students and schools from around the world will square off in Minecraft.
Oregon Trail and the true value of immersive gaming in the classroom
Walk into any bar and ask if anyone remembers Oregon Trail. You’re bound to get a lot of responses. So what is it about immersive gaming that makes…
Common Sense Education launches gaming platform
Common Sense Education has released Digital Compass, an interactive gaming platform to help 6th through 9th graders learn critical skills of digital literacy and citizenship. Based on lessons…
edWeb, Games4Ed launch game-based learning initiative
edWeb.net, a professional learning and social network for the education community, is partnering with Games4Ed, a new organization recently established to further the use of games and other…
PBS KIDS launches game-creation tool and online world
PBS KIDS has launched Kart Kingdom, the children’s media brand’s first-ever online world. Now available at pbskids.org/kartkingdom, Kart Kingdom features a collection of fun, curriculum-based games that help…
New tool aids game-based learning integration
RGS, a business unit of Avnet, Inc., has introduced the RGS Classroom Game Server (CGS), a new high-performance digital learning system designed to enable school districts to affordably…
Amplify introduces game bundles
Amplify has announced it will offer its lineup of 30 cutting-edge, educational games for sale to schools and districts as separate bundles, in addition to offering it as…
How can games support classroom practice?
A new study reveals that scoring systems and player progress dashboards are among common game traits that can help educators more effectively track student learning, but game design…
Engineering game promotes problem solving, mechanical concepts
The education gaming landscape continues to take shape, and more teachers are looking to implement learning games that teach core subject areas. Backyard Engineers, a new game from…
Gaming, coding top students’ ed tech wish lists
Access to high-speed internet is among middle and high school students' top technology preferences, according to a CompTIA national survey of students and educators Fifty-six percent of surveyed…
Top 10 of 2014, No. 9: Gaming
Each year, the eSchool News editors compile 10 of the most influential ed-tech developments and examine how those topics dominated K-12 ed tech conversations. No. 9 on our…
Mobile apps, gaming top students’ school wish lists
Three-quarters of schools in a recent survey say they currently use or plan to use e-learning software, and two-thirds of teachers and staff say they currently use or…