Name and brief bio of the instructor
Solomon Senrick - Sol Senrick has been teaching middle school for ten years and is passionate about digital Games-Based Learning and 21st century learning pedagogy. Since starting at the American School of Bombay five years ago, Sol has been active on various taskforces including Games-Based Learning, 21st Century Skills, and Assessment. He has presented workshops on games-based learning at ASB’s Un-Plugged Conference and the Lausanne Laptop Institute. He has written a case study for an upcoming book on games-based learning practice, that focused on using the game Civilization IV in a 7th grade Social Studies class to boost constructivism, 21st century skills instruction, and student engagement. Sol’s other past presentations and publications include presentations on Project Based Learning, Technology and 21st Century Skills, Web 2.0 Tools for Social Studies, using MAP data for assessment, and a chapter titled Middle School Projects Integrating 21st Century Skills and Technology in ASB’s Evolutions: Tech Integration Stories from the American School of Bombay

Number of graduate semester credits - 3

Exact dates and hours of instruction
This is an online course. Approx 7 to 8 hours of asynchronous instructional time will be required per week.

Description and Purpose of the Course
In order to foster the skills students need for a rapidly changing future, teachers must be skilled in learning, teaching, and leading digital age learning models. In this course, participants will explore the arguments and rationale for game based learning, discover and develop tools and resources for game based learning, develop pedagogical skills through Games-Based Learning design, and prepare a philosophy statement, and presentation to lead others in Games-Based Learning.

Student Learning Outcomes
By course end, participants will know:

• Arguments and rationale of why digital gaming is relevant and valuable, including basic knowledge of neuroscience, game based learning, and the ISTE NETS standards
• Case studies of game based learning in practice
• How to facilitate game based learning in instruction (including assessment)

Participants will Be skilled in:

• Analyzing games for classroom application
• Developing game based learning lessons/units
• Advocating/leading others in game based learning pedagogy
• Using social media/personal learning network to support game based learning/teaching
• Applying various web tools

Brief Outline of Instruction

• Why play games: Arguments for and against: Natives/ Neuroscienece/ NETS
• GBL instructional Design/Pedagogy
• Gaming analytics; Content and 21st Century skills
• Game pedagogy
• Subject Specific GBL Instructional Design
• Identifying games: Personal Learning Network

Text and other resources

• Hirumi, A. (2010). Playing Games in School: Video Games and Simulations for Primary and Secondary Education. ISTE: Oregon. (Digital copy available and required)
• Games Based Learning Diigo List (Blogs, Articles curated by class facilitator)
• Accounts needed: Google Docs, Twitter, Mindmesiter, Diigo