Game Jam for Literacy and Life: Upcoming Workshop
I will be leading a workshop titled ‘Game Jam for Literacy and Life’ with PhD student Tamara (Toma) Galoyan at the Literacy for Life (LfL) Conference on April 22, 2017.
Literacy for Life is an annual regional conference hosted by Literacy New Jersey, a statewide network that:
Offers free adult literacy services in eight counties: Burlington, Gloucester, Mercer, Middlesex, Ocean, Sussex, Union, and (west) Hudson;
Provides comprehensive training to prepare community volunteers to tutor adults;
Provides professional development, technical assistance, training and other support services to 14 affiliate member programs;
Develops and disseminates instructional materials and training on key topics in adult literacy;
Advocates on behalf of a statewide network of programs for increased funding and increased visibility for the need for adult literacy services.
The objective of our workshop, Game Jam for Literacy is to engage in a game jam using games and gamification tools that adult educators can use in their practice. Attendees will be guided in exploring learning technologies relevant for facilitating key literacies among adult learners (e.g. English, Math, Digital, Health, Financial).
This workshop will include time for the facilitators and the attendees to discuss the significance of digital learning technologies in enhancing adult education experiences. Specifically, this discussion will focus on unpacking game-based learning and gamification and how these pedagogical approaches can be employed in adult education. During the workshop, attendees will also be led in examining their current and desired practices at integrating digital learning technologies and pedagogical approaches-- specifically game-based learning and gamification of learning.
The facilitators will guide participants’ understanding of the knowledge, skills, and experiences that are essential for 21st century learning and how adult educators can leverage the potentials of learning technologies such as games and gamification tools to facilitate literacies that are essential for adult learners (e.g. English, Math, Digital, Health, Financial). Anchors such as Common Core Standards for Adults, the National Educational Technology Plan (2016), Game Network Analysis framework (Shah & Foster, 2015) will be used in this process.
Lastly, the workshop will include small and large group activities wherein attendees will engage in a game jam. Specifically, attendees will play and explore games and gamification tools that focus on facilitating literacies listed above. Attendees will brainstorm ways in which these tools can bridge the current and desired goals of adult educators in enhancing adult learning experiences in specific contexts and for specific learning objectives.
This will be my second workshop for LfL. In 2015, I led a workshop that focused on Enhancing Adult Education through Digital Technologies.
