Games in Schools

Welcome to the Games in Schools 2019 MOOC

Do you want to find out how games can enhance traditional teaching and learning and would like to include games elements in your classroom? This MOOC for teachers will examine the opportunities but also challenges offered by integrating games into our teaching and learning and will provide practical examples of gaming tools and activities to use in your daily teaching practice. We will be learning through a mix of video, interactive activities and discussions as well as sharing of resources.

Join us in the Games in Schools 2019 MOOC to explore game-based learning in schools! This updated version of the course takes into account new resources, research, and developments in the area of game-based learning.

The course is presented by Ollie Bray, who has received numerous awards for his work in the field of technology enhanced learning. After working as a teacher and headmaster in Scotland for several years, he currently holds the position of Global Director: Connecting Play and Education at the LEGO Foundation.

Learning objectives

By the end of this MOOC you will be able to:

Explain the concept of playful learning and its relevance for teachers
Discuss potential opportunities but also challenges related to games-based learning
Create learning activities that include games elements to enhance teaching and learning
Embed games in your classroom practice for teaching, learning and assessment

Prerequisites

This course is open to anyone interested in game-based learning, but it is primarily designed for practicing primary and secondary school teachers, and teachers in initial training. Other stakeholders such as teacher trainers, policy makers, youth workers, or heads of school may also benefit from the course.

Modules

Module 1: Why use Computer Games in the classroom? - opens 14 October
Module 2: Using Games for Thematic Learning - opens 21 October
Module 3: Learning Games - opens 28 October
Module 4: What can we learn from games? - opens 04 November
Module 5: Designing Games- opens 11 November
Module 6: Why is it important to teach about games?- opens 18 November

Certification

In order to earn a course certificate, course participants need to complete all six modules. The mandatory final activity includes the creation of a lesson plan including elements of game-based learning, and the final peer review activity at the end of Module 6. The final deadline to complete all activities is 6 December 2019, 23:59 CET.

Note to teachers from Castilla y León: Si eres profesor de Castilla y León, y además del certificado de la European Schoolnet Academy, quieres recibir un certificado oficial de parte de la Consejería de Educación de la Junta de Castilla y León inscríbete en la página web del CFP Idiomas de Castilla y León http://cfpidiomas.centros.educa.jcyl.es/sitio/.

Note to teachers from Portugal: You can get your successful participation in a European Schoolnet Academy course formally recognised as a valid continuous professional development, and thereby acquire the relevant number of training hours, by sending your certificate to the Conselho Científico e Pedagógico de Formação Contínua (CCPFC) at Rua do Forno, nº 30, 1º andar - apartado 2168, 4700 - 429 Braga, Portugal. For more information, please contact the CCPFC.

Course Staff

Ollie Bray - course presenter

Ollie has over 20+ years experience in all aspects of education. As well as his philanthropic, school and systems leadership work he has also been an award winning headteacher, senior policy advisor to government (digital learning strategy) and Scotland's national advisor for emerging technologies in learning. Ollie has been coordinating the Games in Schools Course since 2012. In addition, he is also the Global Director: Connecting Play and Education at the LEGO Foundation.

Louise Jones - course moderator

Louise Jones is an Independent Learning Technologist and Strategist who until recently was a UK Regional Manager at Google for Education with specific responsibility for Scotland. Having worked in education for 20+ years Louise has always been driven by changes in youth culture and the impact technology (including game-based learning) has on the way young people, live and learn.

Mona Sefen - course coordinator

Mona Sefen is a member of EUN’s Digital Citizenship team and coordinator of this MOOC. A political scientist by training, she has worked on international projects in the fields of education, culture and youth for several years and holds a special interest in social inclusion and citizens’ rights.

Disclaimer and Copyright

This course is the 4th Edition and it was produced and updated by European Schoolnet, and funded by the European Software Federation of Europe (ISFE).