The ABC’s of EdTech: Acronyms Explained

I’ve learned a lot in my first few weeks here at FableVision. As one of the studio’s summer marketing interns, I’ve been brought up to speed on how to draft engaging blog posts and the #perfect tweet. I’m getting the hang of things, but there’s still one area I could use some extra help with: the big, wide world of edtech... and its many, many acronyms.

Edtech is a term that gets brought up in the studio all the time — it’s at the core of many of our ongoing projects and is integral to FableVision’s 200-year-long mission to make the world a better place. Itself an abbreviation of “educational technology,” edtech is the industry and practice in which digital tools and new technologies are being used to improve the way people learn.

Seeing as there are enough edtech-related acronyms out there to fill a large bowl of alphabet soup, I’ve gone ahead and created this handy guide for anyone who wants to brush up on their edtech terminology. LSWWG! (Translation: Let’s See What We’ve Got!)

AR/VR: Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality. We’re (hopefully) starting off easy, as you’ve likely heard of these two new emerging forms of interactive media. Although they have key differences, both technologies rely on computer-generated graphics to create simulated environments. AR/VR tech has exceptional edtech potential, as it can create engaging and intimate learning experiences for students. For specific examples of AR and VR in the classroom, check out this awesome list of 25 AR/VR resources, as curated by the International Society for Technology in Education.

Can we make #learning #math fun? You bet! FableVision and @GPBEducation are taking the world by storm with #new #gbl tool “GASHA GO!,” and Production Assistant Sam Zollman is here to spill the secrets behind this fun #game: https://t.co/K5FfcgtKrA @mygpb pic.twitter.com/dgizwl3aSo

— FableVision Studios (@FVStudioBoston) March 19, 2018

CTE: Career Technical Education. Similar to vocational education, CTE is an alternative type of education that focuses on providing hands-on applied learning experiences, empowering students to build academic knowledge, problem solving skills, and specific career skills. Check out the Big Picture Learning and FableVision-produced animated film Navigating Our Way for more information about CTE and other non-traditional educational paths.

GBL: Game-Based Learning. Simply put, this is a type of gameplay with defined learning outcomes. Within GBL, educational content is carefully balanced with gameplay so that the player may better learn and retain the game’s subject matter. Virtually all of the games and interactives that FableVision has worked on are great examples of putting GBL into practice. #GBL is also one of the most popular hashtags in the FableVision Twittersphere:

LMS: Learning Management System. Have you ever heard of Blackboard, Canvas, or Google Classroom? Great, that’s an LMS! If you’re still unfamiliar with the concept, a learning management system is a piece of software that can administer and track educational courses online. Speaking from personal experience, I’ve had a pretty straightforward experience using Canvas in a number of my college courses. My professors can upload documents, videos, and other relevant materials to the system, and I’m able to submit assignments and check my grades — so much for the old “dog ate my homework” excuse!

PD: Professional Development. This approach to learning focuses on improving or developing skills that pertain to someone’s career. Professional development can occur at practically any stage in life, expanding far beyond the K-12 space. For a good example of PD in action, look no further than the FableVision-produced Good Thinking!: The Science of Teaching Science. Created under the direction of the Smithsonian Science Education Center, this animated series is designed to help teachers and dispel commonly held science-related misconceptions.

RPG: Role-Playing Game. As any video game enthusiast can tell you, a role-playing game is one in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. The RPG classification is very broad, encompassing TTRPGs (tabletop role-playing games), LARPs (live action role-playing games), MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role-playing games), and other variations. In the classroom, RPGs can be useful tools for introducing students to new concepts and perspectives. Quandary, for example, is a Learning Games Network and FableVision-produced RPG in which players assume the role of a space captain in order to hone their ethical decision making skills.

SEL: Social and Emotional Learning. This approach to learning focuses on empowering to effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, goals, and positive relationships. The SEL framework, now being used in schools across the country, draws from the findings of current emotional intelligence research. Previously, FableVision has partnered with Committee for Children to create ParkPals: Kindness Rules, a tablet game that reinforces key SEL skills.

STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. Typically used in discussions of academic policy and school curriculum choices, STEAM’s grouping of academic disciplines is intended to draw more attention to professional fields that require highly skilled workers. The STEAM acronym is an updated version of STEM, with the added A (sometimes attributed to Architecture instead of Arts) now considered an equally important area of focus that strengthens the other disciplines. Check out this blog post for a sampling of some of STEAM-focused projects created by FableVision.

UDL: Universal Design for Learning. This is a research-based educational framework that guides the development of flexible learning environments. When implemented properly, these learning environments are able to successfully accommodate individual learning differences. Created in the 1990s, the general UDL framework calls for multiple means of expression, representation, and engagement for learners. The UDL framework is now employed in school curriculums, educational initiatives, and learning tools such as the interactive experiences created by FableVision.

UX/UI: User Experience/User Interface. Two major aspects of modern design principles, UX and UI are both processes centered around ensuring that individuals have positive and easy experiences when using products. User experience design is primarily concerned with how the product “feels” and flows, whereas UI design is focused more on its visual layout. UX/UI design is understandably a major focus in the edtech world, so much so that FableVision’s own Loren Lee-Flynn is the Studio’s in-house UX/UI guru. You can read more about Loren and her UX/UI responsibilities here.

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Those were just some of our favorite edtech acronyms, but there are plenty more out there. Let us know if we missed any of your favorites!

August FableFriday: Allie Caton, Production Assistant

Allie Caton knows how to get results: she’s climbed the ranks from FableFan to marketing intern to full-time member of FableVision’s production team, all in the course of one year. This ability to hustle has proven invaluable during her first few months as a studio production assistant, and she still has the creative drive to work on various collaborative projects in her free time as well. With a diverse skillset and passion for diversity itself, Allie brings a sharp eye to many of the Studio’s current projects. Speaking of eyes, make sure to keep one trained on her – there’s no knowing what she’ll put her mind to next.

“One of the biggest things that I got out of my marketing internship (and that I now apply to my role as production assistant) is an understanding of how FableVision as a company functions in both company culture and workflow,” shares Allie. “Getting to know the ins and outs of each person’s role in the company during my internship turned out to be incredibly important in my position as PA since I’m constantly working with different people. The independent project aspect of our internship was also immensely helpful in helping me understand the overall arc of creating a project from start to finish.”

Read on to learn more about Allie’s journey to FableVision, her current and upcoming side-projects, and what she thinks it takes to make it through a hectic (yet exhilarating) week in the studio.

Welcome Allie! Tell us about your journey to FableVision!
I found out about FableVision about a year ago, and instantly knew that I had to get myself involved in whatever way I could. In September, I reached out to Sarah Ditkoff and Mitul Daiyan to set up an informational interview where I was able to see the studio and pick their brains a bit. After that meeting, I applied for the marketing internship and joined the FableVision team as an intern in January. When the opportunity to interview for a PA position eventually opened up, I jumped on it!

You just graduated from Boston University – go Terriers! What did you study and how do you think this has prepared you for the “real world?”
I studied Mass Communication at BU’s College of Communication. I learned a lot of things throughout college, but the biggest thing I gleaned from my major is how to communicate clearly and effectively. This is something that is not only necessary for my role as a PA, but also as a functional member of the “real world.”

With your hand in so many projects, can you walk us through what a typical week in your shoes looks like?
A typical week as a PA doesn’t really exist. Every week is different from the last and will be different from the next. I have a few projects that I’m consistently on, but the work is almost always fluctuating. Generally, my tasks include helping manage databases, checking in on artists and developers, communicating with clients, testing games and interactives, and supporting the producers in whatever ways they may need.

You spent part of last year studying in Australia and interning for the Sanfilippo Children's Foundation. How was life “down under,” and what did you take away from that experience?
It was an amazing experience both living in Australia and working with SCF. I feel so lucky to have worked with an incredible group of passionate, driven women for a cause so close to all their hearts – and now to mine. I definitely left Australia with a deeper connection to the SCF cause, a wider set of professional skills, and the best tan I’ll ever have.

Aside from your marketing and production expertise, you’re also a very talented illustrator! When did you first start drawing and what do you most enjoy about it?
I first started drawing sophomore year of high school. There are a lot of things that I love about drawing, but the biggest thing is how empowering it is to translate an abstract idea in your brain into something tangible. As frustrating as it can be to make something I really like, drawing and creativity in general are not only outlets, but acts of self-empowerment. It’s also really fun to draw outfits I wish I had.

 You recently curated and produced the amazing zine Millennium Girls. What inspired you to launch this project, and what was it like working with 28 other artists to complete it?
I really love cartoons, and still feel really connected to a lot of the awesome female characters that I grew up watching. I wanted to do something to celebrate this nostalgia that I know is shared, so I decided to put together the zine! It was a huge learning experience working with so many artists and making sure all ends were met, but it was also one of the most fun and exciting things I’ve ever been involved with. I’m currently in the planning stage for a second volume all about ‘90s cartoons, so you can follow that process here if you’re interested in learning more!

 You grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina! What was it like adjusting to life – specifically winter – up here in New England?
The winters were definitely an adjustment – my first year here was the winter where we had record-breaking amounts of snow, and I was ready to move away right after arriving. I figure after making it through that, no winter will ever seem bad.

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More about Allie! 

Cat or Dog: Dog
Graphic novel: Catboy by Benji Nate
Harry Potter house: Sometimes Hufflepuff, sometimes Ravenclaw, sometimes Slytherin... I’ve never gotten a clear answer
Steven Universe character: Pearl <3
‘90s Cartoon: Recess
‘00s Cartoon: Danny Phantom
Artistic muse: Babs Tarr!
Inspirational site: Artstation
Best thing you ever cooked up: A variety of breads
Janelle Monae song: Q.U.E.E.N.
Favorite FableVisionary: Christina’s cat pillow

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FableVision Studios, Maryland Public Television, Maryland Humanities, and CIRCLE Awarded Prestigious Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Grant

BOSTON, July 26, 2018 — FableVision Studios, in collaboration with Maryland Public Television (MPT), Maryland Humanities, and The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tufts University's Tisch College of Civic Life, is proud to announce their award of a Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) Regional Grant from the Library of Congress. This $450,000, two-year grant will fund the development of Civics: An American Musical, an online and mobile civics game designed to effectively and creatively engage middle school students using primary sources from the Library of Congress. Inspired by Lin-Manuel Miranda’s renowned musical Hamilton, Civics: An American Musical will consist of a web-based role playing game, hands-on classroom projects, and professional development materials for teachers.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with leading institutions like MPT, CIRCLE from Tufts University, Maryland Humanities, and the Library of Congress to showcase some of our nation’s most important primary sources,” says FableVision President and Co-Founder Gary Goldberger, who made the announcement. “Our strategy is to engage kids using a familiar concept, a cultural musical phenomenon that captures their imaginations – and create a scaffolded onramp to make history relevant to their everyday lives.”

The Teaching with Primary Sources program at the Library of Congress is a powerful way to help students ask engaged, probing questions, develop critical-thinking skills, construct knowledge and inspire original research. The educational outreach program for teachers provides professional-development opportunities that focus on enhancing their ability to embed digitized primary sources from the Library of Congress into inquiry-based instruction to build student literacy, critical thinking skills, and content knowledge.

“This approach encourages kids to research and analyze primary sources as they imagine, formulate, and debut their own ‘Great American Musical,’” adds Leigh Hallisey, creative director at FableVision. “Ultimately, we want to take advantage of the invaluable vault of historical artifacts in the Library of Congress to create something that still feels personally relevant to this demographic.”

Civics: An American Musical will launch in 2020 and be pre-populated with project themes, curated digital sources from the Library of Congress, and tools to organize and analyze artifacts like documents, photos, posters, and more. The game will be created as an open source platform to allow teachers to create their own stories and digital artifacts to customize the game for a wide range of subjects and students.

“Working on Civics: An American Musical will be a great opportunity to support both students and teachers in meaningful ways as they pair the inquiry process of learning with a creative sense of playfulness and curiosity,” shares Betsy Peisach, MPT vice president, education. “MPT is excited to continue its partnership with FableVision and expand our organization’s reach into the educational community through creative media.”

“FableVision Studios has a strong history of creating online learning experiences, and CIRCLE is eager to use our content expertise to bring civic learning that’s both engaging and based on deep content to students through Civics: An American Musical. Primary sources are invaluable educational resources, and we’re looking forward to creating an innovative tool that will expose students to deep civic learning and engagement,” says Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg, director of CIRCLE.

Through the Library of Congress TPS program, hundreds of organizations from all 50 states and the District of Columbia have enhanced their programming for educators.

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About FableVision Studios:
FableVision Studios creates award-winning games, animated films, museum kiosks, websites, and apps. Our media, storytelling, and technology solutions allows us to collaborate with publishers, broadcasters, museums, research groups, foundations, and educational institutions. FableVision is dedicated to helping all learners reach their full potential and to telling "stories that matter, stories that move." www.fablevisionstudios.com

About Maryland Public Television:  
Maryland Public Television (MPT) is a nonprofit, state-licensed public television network and member of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). MPT’s six transmitters cover Maryland plus portions of contiguous states and the District of Columbia. Beyond broadcast, MPT’s commitment to educators, child care providers, and learners of all ages is delivered through trainings and online at Thinkport, MPT’s education website. For more information, visit mpt.org.

About CIRCLE:
CIRCLE, the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning & Engagement, focuses on young people in the United States, especially those who are marginalized or disadvantaged in political life. CIRCLE’s scholarly research informs policy and practice for healthier youth development and a better democracy. It is part of the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University. www.civicyouth.org

About Maryland Humanities:
An educational nonprofit organization reaching more than one million people, Maryland Humanities creates and supports educational experiences in the humanities that inspire all Marylanders to embrace lifelong learning, exchange ideas openly, and enrich their communities. Nearly 40,000 students and 1,000 educators are served annually with free humanities programs and professional development opportunities. www.mdhumanities.org

About Library of Congress:
The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States—and extensive materials from around the world—both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov; access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov; and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.

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For more information please contact Sarah Ditkoff, Communications Director at FableVision Studios, at sarah@fablevision.com.

“Zoombinis” Connected Learning Summer Spotlight with EdGE at TERC Director Jodi Asbell-Clarke and TERC Chief Technology Officer David Libby

In just a few weeks, a who’s who of edtech professionals and industry thought leaders will gather at the MIT Media Lab on August 1-3 for the first-ever Connected Learning Summit (CLS). The Summit’s tagline of “Create. Play. Mobilize.” elicits a call to action that commands and underscores the importance of educational media. FableVision and our partners at TERC are proud sponsors of this inaugural CLS, and I’m looking forward to moderating the Zoombinis panel on August 1. During this event, key personnel will share the story of how they reimagined the beloved educational game, and they’ll also share an update on their game-based research.

The original Zoombinis was released in 1996 and quickly became the golden standard among fans of educational games. Then in 2015, FableVision, Learning Games Network, TERC, and EdGE at TERC worked closely with creator Scot Osterweil to reimagine and remaster the original game for modern devices and audiences. Two additional key members of that development team were Dr. Jodi Asbell-Clarke and David Libby. As the director and co-founder of Educational Gaming Environment (EdGE) at TERC, Jodi has spent 20 years designing and researching curriculum and professional development. David is TERC’s Chief Technology Officer and served as overall project manager for the revamped Zoombinis. We sat down with Jodi and David for a special sneak peek of what we’ll be discussing at the Connected Learning Summit.

Read on for a short preview of our CLS panel. We can’t wait to answer your questions and reintroduce you to our favorite blue friends as they help us bridge formal and informal learning – and change the world of education for the better.

The Logical Journey of Reimagining Zoombinis: Adventure, Research, and Computational Thinking
Wednesday, August 1 at 2:30 p.m.

• Jodi Asbell-Clarke, Director, EdGE at TERC
• David Libby, Chief Technology Officer, TERC
• Scot Osterweil, Creative Director, MIT Education Arcade and Zoombinis creator
• Peter Stidwill, Executive Producer at FableVision Studios

Will you be there? Tweet us at @FVStudioBoston with #CLS2018.

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David, Jodi, tell us more about your respective roles. What is the focus of EdGE’s research, and how does it fit into TERC’s overall mission?
Jodi: EdGE is the Educational Gaming Environments group at TERC. As part of TERC’s mission to reach a broad and diverse audience of learners with innovative STEM learning opportunities, EdGE examines how digital games can be used as assessments to measure learning that might not be revealed by ordinary tests and schoolwork.

STEM education is all the rage now, but TERC has been focusing on math and science learning since the early 1970s! What makes the math/science education space so exciting to be working in these days? 
Jodi: Some things have changed dramatically in the past few decades, and some things feel like they haven’t changed at all. What is exciting about right now is that people are realizing, on a large scale, that learning is not just what happens in the classroom and it isn’t all about direct instruction. Project-based learning, game-based learning, and other forms of interest-driven learning experiences no longer seem so marginalized, or fringe. I believe that providing these experiences is the only way to ensure inclusivity for learners who have cognitive differences, such as executive function disorders. I have seen so much talent within kids who have cognitive differences; we have to find good ways to tap into their strengths as opposed to remediating  their weaknesses. Computational Thinking (CT) is such a rich arena for this pursuit. Many diverse learners seem well-inclined to CT practices, so we are trying to leverage that in our Zoombinis research.

FableVision had a blast partnering with TERC (along with the Learning Games Network) to remaster Zoombinis in 2015. Why did TERC decide to revisit this classic game from 1996?
David: TERC’s focus is on improving STEM education for all. We’ve produced a variety of content over the years, but Zoombinis was always special to us and remains one of our most successful projects in terms of the number of kids (and adults) reached. We heard from multiple original Zoombinis fans from the ‘90s that Zoombinis is what led them to pursue careers in computer science and other STEM fields! The love for the game was incredible. However, the original version was not being updated for current operating systems and popular devices like the iPad and Android tablets; some teachers were even keeping old Macs and PCs in the back of their classrooms just to play Zoombinis. After some discussion, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt was kind enough to return the rights to us, and with funding from our Board and with the help of a Kickstarter, we and our partners were thrilled to relaunch Zoombinis for a new generation!

David, you were the project lead for the Zoombinis remaster. What was it like overseeing such a large, multifaceted production with multiple partners?
It was challenging, fun, and a great learning experience. FableVision, Learning Games Network, The Game Agency, and Tinsley PR were such a pleasure to work with, and everyone had such appreciation and love for the game that really shows in the final product. I have to include the fans as one of our partners too, especially our fan advisory board; their input and support was invaluable in shaping the new version, and they really helped us stay true to the original model while also adapting to today’s gaming environment. The vision for the game, the gameplay, the art, music (from the original), and build quality were key, but so was the marketing and press to make people aware that Zoombinis was back! The plush characters and pins we made as part of the Kickstarter rewards were a huge staff favorite…nothing like having several hundred plush Zoombinis sitting in your office.

Scot's original Zoombinis character sketch.

What was it like working with Scot Osterweil, creator of Zoombinis, on the reboot?
David: Scot is always an inspiration to work with. I still remember an observation he and co-Zoombinis creator Chris Hancock made on his game and good game design back in 1996: “In effect we found the ‘game in the math’ rather than putting math in a game.” In other words: don’t just add game features on top of educational content, but find the fun core to the learning itself. That’s an easy principle to state, but a hard one to follow! Scot was the “keeper of the game’s philosophy” during many of our discussions and exemplified through the game’s restrictions;   you can’t always get a perfect score (i.e. get all 16 Zoombinis past a particular challenge) because you have to try out different approaches to gain the information to proceed. It’s just as the game’s narrator says: “Yes, some Zoombinis were lost, but the knowledge was gained.” That’s the way scientific exploration and data gathering works in the real world – you have to try different things and fail before you understand. Scot held us true to that, and  also added a few little tweaks to make some of the challenges a little harder! The fourth level of Fleens, for instance, has a new twist…

Jodi, you recently finished overseeing a three-year research study of how Zoombinis can improve students’ computational thinking skills. What are some of your major takeaways from this study?
We studied nearly 50 classrooms who used Zoombinis along with a set of Bridge materials we designed to help teachers bridge the game-based learning to CT in the classroom. For each class we collected:

• Data logs of learners’ gameplay (a digital log of all their activity in the game)
• External pre/post assessments of learners’ CT (Problem Decomposition, Pattern Recognition, Abstraction, and Algorithm Design)
• Teacher ratings of each learners’ CT practices
• Information from teachers about their CT instructional activities
• Artifacts from coding activities (when possible)

We are currently conducting human labeling of extensive samples of gameplay observations to identify common patterns of gameplay that are consistent with CT. This lays the groundwork for defining the features we need to build automated detectors of CT learning within gameplay logs. We already have great inter-rater reliability on the human-labeling for two Zoombinis puzzles (“Pizza Pass” and “Mudball Wall”) and we are working on two more (“Allergic Cliffs” and “Bubble Wonder”).

We are also continuing to build the automated detectors that will measure CT automatically in Zoombinis, and are excited by the prospect that we might measure CT in learners who may not exhibit strong skills in other forms of assessments. Many Zoombinis teachers reported that students who typically struggle academically were becoming leaders in Zoombinis activities, and whom others went to for support. This game has the potential to change the dynamic of the classroom and the relationships among the learners in extraordinary  ways; we hope to provide this information to teachers in real-time, while their students are playing the game. By revealing  when a student is excelling or struggling, a Zoombinis puzzle will help educators connect that individual student’s  learning to CT in other aspects of life and school.

We’re excited to join you at the Connected Learning Summit featuring our Zoombinis team to talk about the development process and hear about the research component of the project. What we can expect from this session?
Jodi: We are excited to tell the logical journey of how Zoombinis not only made a comeback from hibernation as an edutainment game, but how it is actively changing how we think about learning today. The re-release of Zoombinis hit just when CT was taking education by storm, and we are fortunate to have the opportunity to study how it all happens.

July FableFriday: Bill Tally, PhD, Senior Researcher and Designer, Education Development Center (EDC)

For over 30 years, Bill Tally, Senior Researcher and Designer at the Education Development Center (EDC), has been using his expertise in education, interdisciplinary learning, and formative research to advance the role of digital tools in education. With a PhD in sociology from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, as well as an extensive history of collaboration with institutions and esteemed educators such as the Library of Congress, National Geographic, The New York Times, MIT, and the Smithsonian, Bill is no stranger to the world of digital storytelling and has helped steer the merger of technology and academia on many projects. 

Bill is currently collaborating with Fablevision Studios and Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) to create a revolutionary literacy game that transcends former digital boundaries in its incorporation of Augmented Reality (AR). The Phase I project will investigate how an AR/gaming approach can combat the summer slide and impact engagement for low-income third and fourth graders, and serves as a testament to the innovative, forward-thinking team behind it. 

“At a time when kids casually carry the equivalent of a supercomputer around in their pocket and can do their homework in the Cloud, there’s no magic bullet when it comes to deepening learning for all kids,” shares Bill. “Deploying tech tools in ways that actually make a difference for learners and teachers still requires the collaborative work of great curriculum designers, creative storytellers, artists, programmers, and cognitive and developmental researchers.” 

Get a behind-the-scenes look at Bill, the extraordinary team he works with, and his passion for pairing education with technology! 

Tell us a little bit about your role at Education Development Center (EDC) / the Center for Children and Technology (CCT) and the work you do. 
EDC is a not-for-profit R&D firm dedicated to improving education and health across the country and the globe. I’m part of a group of researchers, educators, and media designers in our New York City office. The Center for Children and Technology works to understand how digital media can play positive roles in kids’ lives and learning, both within and outside of the classroom. 

Seymour Papert with LEGO Mindstorms Robotics Kit
Photo credit: MIT Media Lab

You’ve spent your career studying how digital tools and media can improve learning experiences. What initially drew you to this field, and how has it changed over the years?
What drew me to educational media research — way back in 1983! — was the chance to join a remarkable group of developmental psychologists, teachers, and media designers who had assembled at Bank Street College, a progressive school of education in NYC and home to one of the first ever educational media R&D labs. This group not only focused on the computer’s potential to improve learning and schooling, but they were innovatively asking how education can change computing — how the developmental needs of children and the needs of educators can shape the new technologies being developed. It was an exciting place to land. In my first week, I was showing fifth graders rough cuts of a science adventure show to see how they grasped the storyline and concepts, and sitting in on game design sessions with scientists and programmers. 

What I’ve noticed is that in 1983, the Apple II’s blocky green pixel resolution was the cutting edge of educational innovation; yet at the same time, Seymour Papert’s Mindstorms was getting teachers across the country excited about teaching youngsters to program computers in an intuitive, playful way. Today, our games, simulations, and teaching tools have far greater verisimilitude, responsiveness, and power (hail VR and AR!), but the project of helping kids become computational thinkers hasn’t advanced very far; it’s still an exciting frontier. 

What makes game-based learning media unique, and why do you think it is so effective at engaging with young people?
There are many kinds of games, and they work as learning media in different ways, but there are some common elements across them. At their best, games are patient, generous teachers. You can try over and over and they will not get bored or frustrated with you. They put you and your actions at the center — things only happen based on choices you make. They give you feedback that you can use to get better. In addition, many of the most engaging games are narrative structures that invite you to imaginatively enter a world of “as if” and “what if," which our narratively-wired brains find deeply compelling. And of course, games are deeply social, so we love using them to relate to, and compare ourselves to, our peers and friends. 

What are your top tips for practical ways that media developers can incorporate research into their tools and products?
Many developers do the things that are most important — they playtest prototypes with kids to understand what is and isn’t working, and team up with teachers or parents to pilot test a game or product to see how it does or doesn’t fit in the classroom or home. But good research helps in other ways. In the planning phase, we often: 

Photo credit: Zoom In!, EDC

• Help developers zero in on the most important content to aim at by interviewing kids and teachers and scanning assessment data. In this way, we can determine the concepts and skills that kids struggle most to learn and teachers struggle most to teach. 
• Also useful is creating a logic model, a sketch that makes the team’s hypotheses about learning clear at the outset — for example, how this particular game mechanic should support the acquisition of this particular skill or concept, and why. 
• During development, it’s important to test prototypes with a range of users — not just upper middle class kids who like school— and to look beyond appeal and usability to effectiveness: What are the cognitive moves users are making as they use the different parts of the prototype? Which features are helping them build a better understanding, and which are getting in the way? What tweaks are needed? 
• Finally, it’s important for stakeholders to know if the tool or product actually works to “move the needle” of learning.

Zoom In! is a free educator resource provided by EDC

EDC has worked with the likes of Library of Congress, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, The New York Times, National Geographic, and WNET, among many others. What are some universal truths you’ve observed while working with these big movers and shakers? 
An old story comes to mind: an educational guru touring a school asks each teacher she meets what he teaches, and the answer comes back, variously: “I teach history,” “I teach biology,” “I teach statistics.” “No, you don’t,” comes the reply, “You teach children.” 

While a little smug, this observation has an undeniable truth: it’s not all about the content. Each of the amazing organizations you mention began with an abundance of incredibly rich educational content — archives of primary source documents, decades of news stories and images, thousands of beautifully made television programs, games, and interactives — but has had to work hard to figure out how to configure this content for kids and teachers in ways that support effective teaching and learning. Often, this means investing in training and professional development for parents and teachers so they learn how to play, teach, and talk with kids differently through media. It turns out that digitizing and indexing rich content, streaming it to desktop and mobile devices, etc., is the easy part; helping adult teachers and caregivers use rich media to enhance kids’ learning and growth — that’s where the action is. 

After successfully completing Phase I and receiving the Phase II SBIR grant for Cyberchase Fractions Quest game, how has the prototype shown promise for improving student learning of fractions? 

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Fractions Quest lets eight and nine-year-olds play with mathematical concepts in a game world populated by Cyberchase characters and storylines they like. Our early studies have shown that the game mechanics help them grasp concepts that kids and teachers find particularly challenging— like fractions on the number line. 

What excites you the most about working with Augmented Reality technology for the upcoming Mix Libris literacy game developed by FableVision and Reading Is Fundamental?
AR, like VR, is a largely unexplored medium when it comes to education. What’s exciting to me is the chance to build and test an educational application for struggling readers in the company of some of the most creative designers, artists, programmers, and child literacy advocates in the field. 

How can schools do more to incorporate digital tools into the classroom?
The most important thing schools can do is give teachers the time and support they need to try out new tools, practice weaving them into teaching, and evaluate the results. Lots of worthwhile learning tools never get much traction in schools because teachers are not supported in running meaningful classroom pilots to discover their potential. 

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More About Bill: 

Favorite podcast: A Very Fatal Murder, Onion Public Radio
A good read: The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore
Best digital learning tool: Zoom In, a free US history and writing platform for middle and high schoolers that we made! 
Nostalgic piece of children’s media: Alistair Sim’s “awakening” as Scrooge
Passion: Playing jazz piano and crooning tunes from the American Songbook
The best library to do work: Whatever local library I’m near. (Thank you, Andrew Carnegie!)