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

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.

Games Based Learning MOOC

Games Based Learning MOOC begins soon.
We have a little less than 2 weeks before we start up the Games MOOC! http://gamesmooc.shivtr.com/
And yes, we are very excited.

Please join us and invite your colleagues! The Games MOOC Spring 2013 signup is now open! http://bit.ly/gamesmooc
The third iteration of the Games MOOC begins on March 18 and runs until April 22, 2013.
The theme is “Build the Game“ using Apps, AR and ARGs. The focus will be creating a game or gaming project for your course. 
The Games MOOC is an online six week professional development course that has optional livestreaming sessions that are also recorded and uploaded to YouTube.

The weekly topics will look something like this. (Adjustments are possible)

Week 1                 Intro to the Course and Topics
Week 2                 Apps and Mobile Possibilities
Week 3                 Augmented Reality and Interactive Fiction (sounds fun - right?)
Week 4                 Mysteries, Puzzles and Scavenger Hunts
Week 5                 Narrative and Storyboarding
Week 6                 Creating the Clues & Playing the Game

If you want any additional information or have any questions, please call me at 303-404-5470 or email kae.novak@frontrange.edu

As always – Lurkers Welcome!

Thank you,

Kae Novak
Online Learning
Front Range Community College

P.S.

As a bit of a warm-up, we'll doing a games based learning tweetchat  this Wed at 7 pm MT
on VEJ - The Virtual Education Journal that just came out!
The hashtag for the Games MOOC is #gamemooc

If you’re new to tweetchat just go here for more info on how tweet along with us. http://gamesmooc.shivtr.com/pages/tweetchat

If you haven't taken a look at this issue of VEJ -please do! It’s Game On! - Where you get your information about games based learning and virtual worlds? What is needed? How should we be getting it out? And of course discussion of any of the articles.
Games MOOCers and the Games MOOC were well represented in this issue. 
VEJ Game On Issue! http://issuu.com/edovation/docs/vej_2013reduced_for_issue/1

VWBPE Conference

Hello everyone,

I wanted to bring your attention to the Virtual World Best Practices in Education (VWBPE) Conference.  It is a free conference running from March 15-17, 2012.  Chris Luchs, Associate Dean of CTE at CCCOnline, is one of the conference organizers.  Below is a information regarding the conference from Chris.  I hope some of you are able to take advantage of this conference -- it sounds like it will be full of great information!

Terry 

Info from Chris:

On March 1st, CCCS released the Request for Proposals (RFP) for $10,000 to $100,000 grant applications for game based and immersive learning projects. This is part of President McCallin's proposed $3 million grant program for incorporating games based learning into our classroom and online instruction that she announced at the 2011 2:2 conference.

For instructors not familiar with virtual worlds, games, simulations, and alternative reality, there is a free online conference running from March 15 - 17, 2012. This conference is the Virtual World Best Practices in Education (http://www.vwbpe.org) and last year almost 2,500 educators logged in from around the world to attend this conference. VWBPE takes place in a virtual world called Second Life (http://secondlife.com/). However, you do not have to explore this event unprepared. 

On March 8, 2012, we will be holding two informational sessions to provide an overview and an orientation for those interested in attending the conference. The two sessions are:

Conference Overview on Elluminate  March 8th from 1 – 2 pm MST and 

Orientation to Second Life March 8th from 2 – 3:30 pm MST.

The Conference Overview session will go over where the conference will be held. We will also identify the games and virtual worlds presentations for attendees. This will give you an inside track to efficiently and effectively utilize your time while at the conference.  This session will be delivered via Blackboard Collaborate at https://sas.elluminate.com/m.jnlp?sid=2008363&password=M.6DF43B6EDFA48BA68570CC4BF2C858

You can also attend this at Westminster Campus of Front Range Community College in room C1158 just next to Faculty Resources.

This Orientation to Second Life (March 8th from 2 – 3:30 pm MST) session will take place in the Second Life virtual environment. During this session, we will assist attendees in navigating the virtual environment and mastering skills such as moving, sitting, virtual conference etiquette, and other essential skills necessary for those new to virtual worlds.  For this session, attendees will need to go to http://secondlife.com/ and create an avatar. You will also need to download the Second Life software onto your computer. Please go to http://secondlife.com/support/system-requirements/ to see if your computer meets the minimum requirements.  

You can also attend this at Westminster Campus of Front Range Community College in room C1158 just next to Faculty Resources.

For this session, please RSVP to Christopher.luchs@cccs.edu and include your avatar name if you already have one :D

Chris Luchs

Associate Dean, Career & Technical Education

CCCOnline

Copy/Paste 101

The Markup tool directions are on the Dropbox page, not the Nav bar page.  I swear I copied the correct one, but obviously did not.  

https://at.ccconline.org/faculty/wiki/Tech_Tools_-_D2L_-_Dropbox#Grade_Dropbox_Folders_with_Online_Markup.3F

Sorry for the confusion!

Lisa

Lisa Cheney-Steen

Lisa.Cheney-Steen@cccs.edu

Portal Update: New Email Addresses for faculty

Hello Everyone-

I hope most of you have had a chance to log in to the new portal for CCCOnline.  A complaint we received frequently from faculty was that, while we have a lot of information available for you, that information was scattered across too many locations.  The portal has given us an accessible place to organize everything you need.  Please let me know if something is missing or on a tab within the portal that is not relatively intuitive.

As part of this effort we have also set up a cccs.edu email address for each of you.  The email is accessible from the portal (and from the web in general).  This email address will give you a way to communicate with your students outside of D2L without involving your personal email addresses.  While our preference is to have as much email communication with students as possible occur within D2L we know that isn't possible between terms.  

And while I hate to worry overmuch about lawsuits and other student protests we have more students now than in the past and the risk is higher.  In those cases it is much better when all communication with students happens on CCCOnline software and servers so that your own personal computers are not at risk in any way.  Along those lines, we have also purchased a second tool from Turnitin (the anti-plagiarism company) called Markup.  Markup allows you to grade papers online without ever downloading them to your personal computer.  Information about Markup is available in the wiki at https://at.ccconline.org/faculty/wiki/Tech_Tools_-_D2L_-_Dropbox#Grade_Dropbox_Folders_with_Online_Markup.3F.

Please take a moment to set up your cccs.edu email address.  We will begin to use that address to communicate with you this fall.

Thank you for all of the hard work you do!

Lisa

Lisa Cheney-Steen

Co-Exec. Director, CCCOnline

Lisa.Cheney-Steen@cccs.edu

Passwords

Hi Everyone-

As part of our contribution to the New Year's excitement, we are changing the way we authenticate users. Because of this you may find that your current password no longer gets you into D2L. The bottom line: If your password no longer gets you into D2L use the change password link on the D2L login page to change your password. The new password will take effect immediately, no waiting. Remember that the 24/7 help desk is available if you need some assistance late at night. (http://help.cccs.edu/)

Why: All of the colleges are gradually turning on portals. Once a college has the portal available they have single sign on to D2L and a variety of other products. They also have instant password changes - no waiting a couple of hours for the batch upload to occur. That is really great and something we have wanted for a long time. The challenge from our perspective is that the portals at the colleges are being turned on over a two semester time period, so we have some students and faculty in the portal and some who are not.

CCCOnline will also have a portal that we will use to consolidate the location of most of the information you need into one location. We hope to be up and running with that in March.

How authentication worked in the past: We all used the 6 digit SSB password. CCCOnline uploads those to D2L and Vista every 2 to 4 hours. That meant that your SSB password and your D2L password were kept in synch, but if you teach for a school already using the portal, that password is different. Because more and more information is gradually being placed in the portal (such as payroll information) logging in twice with separate credentials is a hassle.

How authentication works now: LDAP is a new password database. D2L and the portals are both authenticating against that database. If you work at a school that has turned on LDAP authentication (such as CCCOnline) then D2L will look at the LDAP database to make sure you have the correct password. If you changed your portal password from your SSB password to something else then you will now have the new password in D2L also.

Back to the bottom line: If your password doesn't work just follow the link on the D2L login page to change it.

Lisa Cheney-Steen

Just in Time!

Hey Everyone!

It's the first week of a new term and a few of you might be looking at teaching tasks that you haven't thought much about for a few weeks. If there are a couple of small things you can't remember exactly how do do the right resource might be waiting for you on the "Just in Time" resource page on the Faculty Wiki - http://www.faculty.ccconline.org/index.php?title=Just-in-Time!_Resources.

LisaMarie added a topic to that page earlier this week with an example of a "Video Hello". So if you have been thinking about adding a welcome video to your course here are directions and thoughts about that process - http://www.faculty.ccconline.org/index.php?title=LM%27s_Example_Video_Hello.

And here's a very early Save the Date! This year's faculty conference will be Friday, September 25th. So put a giant exclamation point over that day in your date book and plan to attend!

best,

Lisa

Siftables

Pavla Harris (Psychology) sent this link to a TED talk on a new technology - Siftables, Toy Blocks that Think. Fascinating Video! http://www.ted.com/talks/david_merrill_demos_siftables_the_smart_blocks.html

Oh and by the way, enrollment is up just over 30% for spring 2 this year. And that is before the tax stimulus piece for education kicks in. So if you know any good qualified teachers we need them, particularly in fields where it's difficult to find folks like geography.

Lisa Cheney-Steen