Past projects 5
Virtual Reality in the Classroom: The Next Frontier!
Funded Jun 26, 2016Thank you so much for helping to fund the VR project for the Game Design classroom. Because of your generous donation, we will be able to experience the virtual reality system firsthand. The virtual reality system will be great for our classroom as we can work together to create games and content for the system, compare and contrast the different systems, and also enjoy the experience of witnessing virtual reality at school.
This project really excites us because there are so many possibilities in what we can do with virtual reality, and also in how we can apply it to academics. Virtual reality presents a fun and effective approach to learning. In the Game Design and Development course, we are analyzing the contents of games, their mechanics, and other factors related to them. Adding virtual reality games will broaden our perspective on what games and gaming systems can actually do, and this will make the course even more exciting. Thank you again for your donation to the Virtual Reality in The Classroom Project.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Isaacs
This classroom project was brought to life by ExxonMobil & Think It Up Supporters and 15 other donors.Empowering Learners in the Maker Age: Take 3
Funded Dec 13, 2015Thank you all so much for your generous donations to our classroom! Without your help and many donations it would have been much more difficult to achieve our final goal. But, you made it all possible! The multitude of products we received will not only just be for my classmates and I, but for the students in years to come. The products we received are just fabulous, such as the "Nintendo - Wii U 32GB Console Deluxe Set with Mario Kart 8" and all of the "Disney Infinity" gear. Although those were just a few of the donations, those stood out to me because I enjoy them so much.
First and foremost, the "Wii U" is quite close to our heart. We have been fans of Nintendo since the original Wii, and the original DS. Many of us have already used the the "Mario Maker" portion of the Wii U, and found that so interesting because many of us don't have a Wii U so your donation was a way for us to experience something that we otherwise may have not gotten to use.
We also love Disney, wether it be the World or the Land, Disney finds ways to amaze. I think the plethora of possibilities in the game is what makes it so enticing to play, or even just to watch! Many of my peers use this for their 20% time, as a way to explore game more than on just the offhand chance.
Thank you so much. OUr classroom experience has been greatly enhanced thanks to your generosity!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Isaacs
This classroom project was brought to life by Gates Foundation & Think It Up Supporters and 17 other donors.Empowering Learners in the Maker Age Take 2
Funded Apr 24, 2015Thank you so much for supporting our Donors' Choose Project, Empowering Learners in the Maker Age: Take 2. I am a huge proponent of offering choice in student learning and encouraging students to find their passion and pursue that in the classroom. Through a few donors' choose projects we have been able to obtain a variety of very exciting tools for students to take learning into their own hands. This often comes in the form of 20% Time projects, sometimes referred to as genius hour.
Through these projects students choose a tool or technology that they would like to explore and create with. As a game design and development course, this typically involves them in using the tool to create a game or participating in a design team to contribute to the overall development of a game. Often students will share ideas of what tools they would love to use and other times tools lend so well and provide students with an opportunity to extend their learning between school and home. One example of this is the Playstation 4 and XboxOne and corresponding game design tools like Little Big Planet 3, Project Spark and Disney Infinity.
Follow me on twitter, @mr_isaacs and you will see many examples of student work as I love to share and celebrate their accomplishments.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Isaacs
Game Design:Analysis and Deconstruction of Non-Digital Games
Funded Oct 7, 2014Nondigital games play an important role in the understanding of game mechanics, understanding rules of games, game theory, and general game design elements. Most of the activities in my class involve the use of digital games and creation of video games using digital tools. This project has provided us with the opportunity to really deconstruct the rules and iterative process that takes place when designing games in order to better understand the design process.
The first thing we did when we received the games was started a tabletop game club at school in addition to setting aside time during out 'lunch bunch' to play nondigital games. The after school club is a casual club open to any students in our middle school. The focus is on gameplay, but discussion of the game mechanics and ruleset of the games we play is always in the background, and often in the forefront as we learn a new game.
In my game design and development class, students participate in a 'genius hour' or 20% time project. One option is to explore nondigital games and ultimately create an expansion to an existing game or a new tabletop game based on authentic research in terms of game analysis and deconstruction. I am very excited that my students have this opportunity. It fits in beautifully with my quest-based / choice-based course.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Isaacs
Empowering the Learner in the 'Maker Age'
Funded Mar 30, 2014Thank you so much for contributing to our Donors Choose "Empowering Learners in the Maker Age" proposal. We were deeply touched by your support and how quickly this project was fully funded.
Students now have the opportunity to take learning into their own hands by choosing available technology (XboxOne with Project Spark), MakeyMakey, Raspberry pi (with minecraft Pi Edition), Disney Infinity and the Ouya gaming console (which is geared toward independent game development).
You can find out more about the project on my blog, http://gamesandlearning1.blogspot.com and also see our video library as it continues to grow and highlight students projects: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_Qs7sfiASRw_ILBZOaILLW-fqWITmBQX
Thanks again! We are really embracing learning driven by passion. What could be better?”
With gratitude,
Mr. Isaacs
This classroom project was brought to life by 100 Women in Hedge Funds and 16 other donors.