GBL

//**Presenters: Megan Townes, Donelle Batty and Michael Beilharz**//

The 2012 Horizon Report acknowledges that is time for the adoption of 'Game Based Learning'. Alan November recently tweeted - ‘You never get an F in gaming, there's no penalty for risk taking in gaming.’

We are seeing the second generation of children who have enjoyed mastery of the word processor, with all its agility and #|opportunities to revise or refine, however, with this abundance of technology, assessment tasks rarely allow students to demonstrate their new multi-literacy skills or unleash their creativity.

Today's students need an edge. They need to engage in tasks that will make them comfortable with uncertainty, allow for team work, connect globally and permit creativity. Educators need to begin a journey of change that enlists the use of games within the curriculum.

The session, will focus on why and how gaming can equip students with 21st century learning skills, inspire them to stretch and enrich their knowledge and understanding, and demonstrate how 256 Middle School students took a journey of learning through an integrated assessment task focused on sustainability, using Minecraft to deliver their final product.

In the second half of the session students from Riverside High School will chat with you about how they have used Minecraft to build on their learning and the learning of others - these students have implemented a subject called Minecraft and have built and run the server, consequently developing and maintaing an active community of learners beyond the school setting. These students, along with some students from St Ignatius' College - Riverview will support you as you immerse yourself into Minecraft and explore, play and learn as a member of their environment/community.

The outcomes of this workshop will demonstrate:

• How Minecraft was used for in an integrated assessment task, • How gaming can enhance creativity and innovation, • Student feedback, • Examples of student work, and • How to use tools such as video, blogs, Edmodo and Quia to gamify the classroom.

• How game-based learning principles were applied to a Year 7 orientation program.

Participants will have the opportunity to explore a Minecraft server that has been created by students for students. A #|guided tour will be provided along with the opportunity to play and build with the students.


 * PRESENTERS **


 * [[image:me2.jpg width="90" height="97" align="left"]]Donelle Batty **<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: "Helvetica Neue","Lucida Grande",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">is a teacher at Riverside High School, Launceston, Tasmania. She is a Home Economics teacher who dabbles in technology integration. She has been working on a student led project called ProjectMIST with 12 students over the last year and a half, which has been shaped into a school subject for grade 9/10 students. The major focus being collaboration, problem solving, c ritical thinking, communication, creativity and innovation along with <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: "Helvetica Neue","Lucida Grande",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">developing positive online identities.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: "Helvetica Neue","Lucida Grande",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">**Megan Townes** is a English and IT teacher working as an IT Integrator at Abbotsleigh School for Girls, interacting with teachers, departments and students, to effectively incorporate technology across the curriculum. Follow her on Twitter @townesy77

**Michael Beilharz** is a teacher and the ICT Integrator at Knox Grammar School. Michael works closely with teachers and students integrating technology throughout the curriculum.