Game-based Learning Opportunity

Dear Colleagues,

As part of the Immersive and Game Based Learning Faculty Grant challenge,  the CCCS Hackathon Project will be involved with the Minecraft and More UnSymposium on December 6 and 7, 2013.

The Minecraft and More UnSymposium is an online synchronous tour and discussion of learning using this hugely popular video game. Minecraft that has sold over 12 million downloads worldwide and in the last 24 hours over 7,000 people have bought the game. Minecraft looks very similar to Legos and allows players to build and play with cubes in a 3D digital sandbox. It can be played on a PC, Mac, tablet or Xbox. This sandbox game has two basic modes, creative and survival.

The educational use of Minecraft has received recent coverage in the popular press, articles on Minecraft and education have included:

Disruptions: Minecraft, an Obsession and an Education Tool
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/15/minecraft-an-obsession-and-an-educational-tool/?_r=0

Now Teachers Encourage Computer Games in Class
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887324665604579081030943142894

Caltech uses popular computer game Minecraft as education tool
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/technology/20131201/caltech-uses-popular-computer-game-minecraft-as-educational-tool

Using Minecraft for Food System Education
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laurie-freyer/food-systems-education-th_b_4340731.html

If you are intrigued or if you would like to learn more about this game and how it may fit into online and blended education, then please join us. The Minecraft and More UnSymposium is a two day free online event on Friday, Dec. 6^th  from 4 pm – 8 pm and on Saturday, Dec. 7^th  from noon – 6 pm. It will include tours in Minecraft and an ongoing discussion of how it can be used in online and hybrid education. This discussion will also include the CCCS Hackathon project. These online sessions will run the gamut from demonstration of game play to serious curriculum discussions. All sessions will be livestreamed over Google Hangout on Air on the Games MOOC channel. http://www.youtube.com/gamesmooc

If you have a paid Minecraft account you will be able to login for the Minecraft tours. For schedule and more information please to http://gamesmooc.shivtr.com/pages/minecraftandmoremission

To register and receive updates please go to http://bit.ly/minecraftandmore

If you have any questions or need specific information, please contact me using the information provided below.

Thank you,

- Chris Luchs

Associate Dean, Career & Technical Education

CCCOnline

720-858-2838

http://www.ccconline.org

Have Questions?

If you are looking for help and wondering whom you should contact at CCCOnline, please see our contact list.

Cultivating Excellence Blog and CCCOnline Instructor Communities

Did you know CCCOnline has a community discussion board?  This is an educational blog you can participate in, or just read for interest.  Please visit our Cultivating Excellence Blog by clicking on http://ccconline.org/node/192 and scrolling to the bottom of the page.

If you teach with us, your Academic Division will also have a "Community" set up for your Division.   If you have a moment, please visit if you haven't already by doing the following:

• Log in to the CCCOnline portal
• Click the Faculty tab [If you do not have the faculty tab email your chair ASAP]
• From the Faculty Gateway Access widget, located on the right side of the screen, click the Log into CCCOnline Community Site [clicking this link will give you access to the CCCOnline Community and enroll you if you are a new instructor]

Fall 2013 Games MOOC

Please join us for the Fall Games MOOC! http://youtu.be/LfXHmC0qeI0

This will be the fifth offering of the Games Based Learning MOOC. Our theme for the Fall Games MOOC is “Make, Hack and Game!” Week One will begin with an overview of the Maker Movement, Hackathons as problem based learning and the gamer and modding disposition.  For this iteration, we’ll be using Minecraft as our online building and maker space. We’ll also be connecting across the nation with educators and educational organizations exploring game based learning. So expect invitations to fun and engaging online events.  We have five questlines associated with the Fall Games MOOC. These begin on Week 3. Feel free to participate in any or all of these. To learn more and sign-up please go here. http://bit.ly/14DQIN4

Questlines

Maker Movement

Minecraft

Machinima

Hackathon

Game Camp

Online and Face-to-Face Events

October 26

Minecraft Open House
In Minecraft and livestreamed over Google Hangout
http://www.youtube.com/gamesmooc

November 2

Hackathon Observation Meet-up
There are 2 hackathons happening on Saturday

We’ll send more information on where and when we’ll “meet up” at the hackathons.

November 16
Game Camp
Westminster Campus, Front Range Community College
Informal – let’s discuss, network and make a game!

10 am – 4 pm
L268

December 6 and 7
Minecraft and More UnSymposium
Portions in Minecraft and Second Life
Livestreamed over Google Hangout

http://www.youtube.com/gamesmooc

The Games MOOC is an open course for all educators. The model for participation is based on social network knowledge construction. Learners will be able to be active in the course in several ways from lurking (reading the discussions), to being engaged in game-play to actively creating content in the course with the MOOC designer and Advisory Group. We do understand that a participant’s level of activity may vary based on the individual’s interest in the weekly topics or other time commitments.

So feel free to lurk! As one of our MOOC Advisory Board members says, “Lurk and learn!”

If you have any questions, please contact Kae Novak at kae.novak@frontrange.edu or call 303-404-5470.

Summer Games MOOC

Please join us for the Summer Games MOOC!

This will be the fourth offering of the Games Based Learning MOOC. Sign-up is at  bit.ly/12rDKit The Summer Games MOOC will be divided into two parts. Each part is designed to be a standalone MOOC, so feel free to sign-up for only one part or both.

The Summer 2013 Games MOOC
Designed using the connectivism learning theory, the Summer Games MOOC is a Massive Online Open Course focusing on game based learning in education. Connectivist MOOCs or cMOOCs started in 2008 and were introduced to promote networking and knowledge creation among peers.  Since then,  there have been a series of these free connectivism open online courses offered. The Games MOOC is informed by their design and implementation.

Since it's a connectivism MOOC, it will not look like a course from Coursera, Canvas or have the feel of a commercial learning management system. Besides connectivism learning theory, this MOOC is informed by gaming guild culture and the Gamer Disposition by John Seely Brown http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2008/02/the_gamer_disposition.html

Multi-Player Games and MMORPGs
June 3 - June 24, 2013.

Part I focuses on exploring collaboration, cross-functional teams and multi-player game based learning. We will take a close look at the features of multi-players games by going into MMORPGs (Massively Online Role-Playing Games) and also livestreaming from them. We will be exploring and even experiencing what makes these games so engaging.

in Part I, we look at World of Warcraft, EVEOnline,  and guilds that have developed in the sandbox genre games.

Immersive Environments
July 7 - July 29, 2013

Part II will be a tour of online and immersive environments for game based learning. There will be an emphasis on you building your game based learning PLN (Personal Learning Network). We will visit multiple virtual learning environments, virtual worlds, sandbox games and MMORPGs. In Part II, we will also be collaborating with the rgMOOC, or "Rhetoric and Composition: The Persuasive Power of Video Games as Paratexts being offered by Sherry Jones and Kate Guthrie Caruso http://storify.com/sherryjones/rgmooc-a-rhetoric-and-game-based-mooc

The Games MOOC is an open course for all educators. The model for participation is based on social network knowledge construction. Learners will be able to be active in the course in several ways from lurking (reading the discussions), to being engaged in game-play to actively creating content in the course with the MOOC designer and Advisory Group. We do understand that a participant’s level of activity may vary based on the individual’s interest in the weekly topics or other time commitments.

So feel free to lurk! As one of our MOOC Advisory Board member says, "Lurk and Learn!"

If you have any questions, please contact Kae Novak at kae.novak@frontrange.edu or call 303-404-5470.

CCCS DevEd Redesign

CCCS is currently undergoing a Developmental Education redesign for our Math, English and Reading courses.  Full implementation of this redesign is scheduled for Fall, 2014.  To learn more about this project, please visit http://www.cccs.edu/developmental-education/index.html.

Cultivating Excellence Blog and CCCOnline Communities

Hello,

In case you didn't know, CCCOnline has a community discussion board.  Here, we have educational blogs you can participate in, or just read for interest.  Please visit our Cultivating Excellence Blog by clicking on http://ccconline.org/node/192 and scrolling to the bottom of the page.   

If you teach with us, your Academic Division will also have a "Community" set up for your Division.   If you have a moment, please visit if you haven't already by doing the following:

• Log in to the CCCOnline portal
• Click the Faculty tab [If you do not have the faculty tab email your chair ASAP]
• From the Faculty Gateway Access widget, located on the right side of the screen, click the Log into CCCOnline Community Site [clicking this link will give you access to the CCCOnline Community and enroll you if you are a new instructor]

Best regards,
Terry

CCCOnline Tech Tools Reference Page

Here is a great resource if you have questions or need a "tools" review in regards to the CCCOnline Portal, Email or D2L functions:

CCCOnline Tech Tools

Check out the CCCOnline website (http://www.ccconline.org) -- lots of useful information to be found!

CCCOnline Contact Information

Hi all,

I thought it might be useful to provide contact information if you have CCCOnline questions or concerns and are not sure whom to contact.  For contact info, please click CCCOnline Contacts

I hope this is helpful -- don't hesitate to contact me if I can help with anything.

Best regards,
Terry
terry.reeves@cccs.edu

CCCOnline Academic Updates - October, 2012

Hi everyone,

I hope you are enjoying the beautiful fall weather and colors.  I wanted to give you a few updates from the Academic side of the house at CCCOnline:

• We had record attendance at the Annual Conference this year -- our attendees were at about 270!  If you have feedback you'd like to give me regarding the conference, please feel free to let me know.

• We have filled many staff positions at CCCO recently.  Please join me in welcoming Vanessa Bravo (Instructional Designer), Nazli Nomanbhoy (eLearning Specialist), John Ragan (QA Auditor), Justin Sherrill (Academic Technology Professional), Jonathan Sherrill (Academic Technology Administrator), Eden Haywood-Bird (ECE/EDU Program Chair) and Maggie Gaddis (BIOProgram Chair).  We are happy they have joined us!

• We are in the process of interviewing for the Arts and Humanities and Physical Science Chair positions.  We are also hopeful that our Executive Director will be on board soon.  

I hope the semester is going well for all of you.  If you have questions or concerns that I can help address, please let me know.

Best regards,
Terry

Check this out – Changes to the Library Resources web pages and New Resources!!

Check this out – Changes to the Library Resources web pages and New Resources!!

Hey everyone, take some time to check out what’s new with our Library Resources.  First, the Library Resources and Research & Writing Toolkit pages have officially moved from the student wiki over to the ccconline.org website: http://www.ccconline.org/Library_Resources.  Once you’re on the main page of the Library Resources, you’ll also notice a link to the EBSCO article databases.  So, in addition to being able to access the databases once you’re logged in to D2L, you can also click on the EBSCO link, login with your S# and password and get into the databases right from the Library Resources page.  

Inside D2L, you will also notice a change to the Helpful Links widget, with just one link to Library Resources instead of several.  Click on the Library Resources page, and you’ll see the same page that you see out on the ccconline.org website; you just won’t need to login to access the databases.

Please take some time to check out the article databases as well; we now have some additional databases – including  CINAHL (nursing and health science database), History Reference Center, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, Science Reference Center, Points of View, Consumer Health Complete, and more.  We still have the always wonderful Academic Search Premier, and Business Source Premier.  Visit the Library Article Databases Tutorial to see descriptions of all of our databases.

Note also that CCCOnline is now a member of AskAcademic, the 24/7 academic Ask-a-Librarian service offered through the Colorado State Library.  Check out the AskAcademic widget on the Library Resources main page.  Students can still email me, cccolibrarian@ccconline.org, with their questions; I will have more first-hand knowledge of specific research assignments in their courses, but do encourage your students to use the AskAcademic reference service.  The service is manned by trained reference librarians from the AskAcademic member libraries – visit the AskAcademic website to learn more: http://www.askacademic.org/ and here’s a list of the participating libraries: http://www.askacademic.org/participating.html.  CCCOnline pays a small fee to the Colorado State Library and mans the virtual reference desk for 2 hours a week in return for great reference and information service to both students and faculty.

Be sure to check back to the Library Resources web pages from time to time   - I have some ideas for new features and will be adding those as I have time. Have interesting ideas related to anything library related?  Have questions?  Email me at mary.cash@cccs.edu. 

Thanks,

Mary Cash, Instructional Online Librarian, CCCOnline

Hello,

If you are interested in the upcoming COLTT Conference, please see the message below.  The message also contains info on how to register for the conference, as will as how to request a conference scholarship.

Best,
Terry

SUBJECT: Dr. Kirsten Sanford Named as the 2012 COLTT Conference Keynote Presenter; Register or Request a Scholarship Now!

The 15th Colorado Learning and Teaching with Technology Conference (COLTT) is

proud to welcome renowned science journalist Dr. Kirsten Sanford of the "Dr. Kiki's Science Hour" podcast as the conference's 2012 keynote speaker. Dr. Sanford recently participated in the Conference on World Affairs as a panelist

for a variety of topics, including the session "Technology: Hurting or Helping." Her work helps us understand how our brains are constantly developing and adapting to the technology that we create. To learn more about Dr. Sanford, please visit her website at http://www.kirstensanford.com/.

COLTT 2012 is shaping up to be another great opportunity for faculty and graduate students to network and to gain access to new ideas and technologies that can be incorporated into classroom and online teaching. Attendees will find sessions on gamifying the classroom, info graphics, flipped classrooms,

learning analytics, and Google apps, among other topics. The conference will be held in the Wolf Law Building on the University of Colorado Boulder campus, Wednesday, August 1st,

and Thursday, August 2nd, 2012.

To register and pay directly for COLTT use the registration page:

https://www.cusys.edu/coltt/2012/registration.html. 

To Request a Scholarship please follow these directions:

There are a few remaining scholarship slots for Colorado Community College System faculty, instructors, and staff. Please directly email jill.lester@colorado.edu to get approval to register your request online, or to be placed on the waitlist. COLTT has asked that you please use this process rather than requesting online at this time. Thank you.

COLTT is sponsored by the Colorado Community College System through CCCOnline, along with a number of other institutional and exhibitor sponsors. Questions about COLTT 2012 may

be directed to Jill Lester, Conference Coordinator, coltt@cu.edu. We look forward to seeing

you in August!

Jill C. Lester

COLTT Conference Coordinator

303-492-8426

jill.lester@colorado.edu

www.cusys.edu/coltt