Let the game begin!

Let the game begin: Unit Plan

Before finding my calling as an educator, I had a passion for Systems Engineering. It all began when I was fifteen, studying abroad in Texas and enrolled in my first Programming class. Many years later, I found myself with an offer to work as a STEM, Robotics, and Computer Science teacher. Around two years ago, I started homeschooling two siblings in the same subjects. They are both “gamers,” which is why I chose this topic. Knowing how relevant videogames are for these kids, it seemed appropriate. In addition, my interest in networked publics and in breaking barriers to their use in academics led me to select this focus.

This is not a unit revamp, as I have never put this unit together before, but I have strong connections to all the resources, activities, and projects that lead students to the creation of a videogame. I am now sure that videogames can help to create some of the bridges needed to further connect technology and education, and this unit can foster these connections.

Next year, I will be taking on new functions at the school where I’ve worked for the past 5 years. Part of my new role calls for me to be a technology integrator. In my school, for at least two years now, we have tried to implement the ISTE framework, but due to the many initiatives implemented at the same time, it has not been possible. It is for this reason too that I chose this topic and focused only on the ISTE standards. These are the ones I have selected:

• ISTE Empowered Learner 1d: Students understand the fundamental concepts of technology operations, demonstrate the ability to choose, use and troubleshoot current technologies and are able to transfer their knowledge to explore emerging technologies.
• ISTE Empowered Learner 3a: Students plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and other resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits.
• ISTE Empowered Learner 4b: Students select and use digital tools to plan and manage a design process that considers design constraints and calculated risks.
• ISTE Empowered Learner 4c: Students develop, test and refine prototypes as part of a cyclical design process.
• ISTE Empowered Learner 5d: Students understand how automation works and use algorithmic thinking to develop a sequence of steps to create and test automated solutions.
• ISTE Empowered Learner 6a: Students choose the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the desired objectives of their creation or communication.
• ISTE Empowered Learner 7c: Students contribute constructively to project teams, assuming various roles and responsibilities to work effectively toward a common goal.

This learning experience has been in the works for months. I didn’t plan it with a planner, template or specific structure. I am happy to know that the outcomes are far beyond what I expected, and I am aware that with proper planning this long project can become an effective unit. When I started filling in some of the activities and projects of this unit in the Eduro APLE Unit Planner, I realized how much more productive, efficient, and meaningful the unit could have been, and how much easier it will be for me as a teacher to facilitate it in the future.

Among the changes I made to this unit while planning, I included the use of https://app.diagrams.net/ to create a flowchart of the game development process, Google Calendar for scheduling, Google Spreadsheets to create the timeline, and much more. From now on, I established the purpose of the game to be merely educational (networked publics in academics).

This unit is very different from other units I have planned or revamped, mainly because I have more freedom in what I teach, how I teach it, and how long the unit lasts. It is also different because it is designed for two students, but it can definitely be used with bigger groups. Finally, it is not focused merely on the assessment but on the learning process itself.

There are so many connections between this unit and what I have learned in this COETAIL journey, starting with the research process and how to do it effectively. At the start of this unit, students have to do in-depth research on videogames, and they must continue this research process throughout the whole unit. Definitely networked publics: I realized we are not taking full advantage of them in a way that will transform education. I want students to think about the importance of videogames in education and actively contribute to their development in academics.

Part of the research was done in the exploration stage of learning. Six video games were researched, and the information was collected collaboratively in a comparison table using a Google Doc. This was the first time these students were exposed to this tool and the first time they learned about formatting in a word processor.

Next is some of the evidence from the Experiencing (creating) stage. Students learned the basics of algorithms, programming (physically and by code), building a small robot, the hardware and software connection, website design, 3D design, videogame design and more:

• Learning the basics of control, directional language and programming (algorithms) by programming a Beebot
• Real-life algorithms: paper airplanes
• Programming (block-based visual programming language) with Code.org
• Ever played Mario on Play-Doh?
• Ever played Tetris on oranges?
• Programming (block-based visual programming language) and robotics with Lego WeDo and WeDo 2.0
• Programming (block-based visual programming language) with Scratch, and adding hardware with Makey Makey
• Robotics with Lego Mindstorms EV3: a line follower robot and Gyroboy, a self-balancing two-wheel robot
• 3D design (his own room) with TinkerCad (on Google Meet)
• 3D videogame design with Unreal Engine (Epic Games)
• A 3D design of a castle with MagicaVoxel