Edgamer

Welcome to the Dojo…We got fun and games! This week on EdGamer 59, we take on a myriad of topics about gaming and learning. From new Civilization updates, to a gaming book club, and to some new innovative programs. This episode is packed with info on the latest current events. Don’t miss this episode…listen up to level up!     Show Host: Zack Gilbert Show Contributor: Gerry James Here’s our Show Notes Contact us with any questions or comments- edgamer@edreach.us   EdGamer artwork by Tricia Fuglestad     … Read the rest

EdGamer 58 is back with another great guest! This week we welcome Crystle Martin from UW-Madison and the GLS Conference. Crystle joins us to chat about her recent dissertation defense and all of her exciting future plans! This is another can’t miss episode of EdGamer on the EdReach network. Tune-in!   Show Host: Zack Gilbert Show Contributor: Gerry James Guest: Crystle Martin Here’s our Show Notes Contact us with any questions or comments- edgamer@edreach.us   EdGamer artwork by Tricia Fuglestad     … Read the rest

Episode 57 of EdGamer has us checking in with our first guest from the recent GLS conference: Jeff Holmes from ASU and the Center for Games and Impact. We discuss a plethora of topics with Jeff including the new Surface tablet from Microsoft, the Teach with Portals platform from Valve and everything new and interesting from Jeff’s work and studies. Check out EdGamer 57 for reviews, previews and great conversations with a new friend of EdGamer: Jeff Holmes.… Read the rest

We’re packing up EdGamer and taking it on the road this week as we visit and review the Games+Learning+Society Conference in Madison, Wisconsin. Join us for an interesting discussion on the current state of gaming and education. There was enough information, food, and fantastic people to fill a lengthy podcast, but we managed to select a few highlights! If you are an EdGamer fan you cannot afford to miss this review of the most important conference to our genre.… Read the rest

This week on EdGamer  Episode 55 we try to figure out the motivation behind an…uh…interesting article by a few psychologists. Then in happier thoughts we check out a great article about Ken Burns and manipulation. Finally we look ahead some exciting new game releases. Tune in to the latest EdGamer episode and find out Zack’s deepest, darkest secret (spoiler alert: he cried at the end of Harry Potter). Show Host: Zack Gilbert Show Contributor: Gerry James Here’s our Show Notes Contact us with any questions or comments- edgamer@edreach.us   EdGamer artwork by Tricia Fuglestad … Read the rest

It’s summer time on EdGamer this week…well at least for some of us. In episode 54 we figure out what steps teachers would need to take this summer to get ready to use games in the classroom next year. We include some valuable links to resources and also look ahead to some great summer conferences you should consider attending! Watch out, it’s another don’t miss episode of EdGamer…summer style! Show Host: Zack Gilbert Show Contributor: Gerry James Here’s our Show Notes Contact us with any questions or comments- edgamer@edreach.us   EdGamer artwork by Tricia Fuglestad … Read the rest

This week on EdGamer we take a look at a great resource a new friend from Down Under passed along to us. After a quick review of the latest happenings we focus on a handout that clearly outlines Blooms Taxonomy for video game usage, learning and design. This week’s show is brief but doesn’t lack any punch. Don’t miss your chance to hears tons of bad Australian accent attempts by Zack…only on EdGamer 53! Show Host: Zack Gilbert Show Contributor: Gerry James Here’s our Show Notes Contact us with any questions or comments- edgamer@edreach.us   EdGamer artwork by Tricia Fuglestad … Read the rest

In the 52nd episode of EdGamer, we find ourselves battling the toughest question we have faced: “What is an educational game?” To help us sort out our thoughts on this we contacted a higher power and great friend…no, not Yoda (well, sort of), Lucas Gillispie! Lucas returns to EdGamer to talk about some great new game releases and gives us his professional opinion on what constitutes educational gaming/learning. You do not want to miss his valuable insight…join us for another huge edition of EdGamer!… Read the rest

We’re over the hill and headed back to the mines on episode 51 of EdGamer. It has been a year since we last spoke to Joel Levin (AKA Minecraft Teacher) and what a year he has had! On this episode we review all the fascinating things Joel has done with Minecraft in the classroom and talk about some of the amazing people he has worked with along the way. We continue our trend of revisiting with some of our early guests in this week’s can’t-miss EdGamer.… Read the rest

Last week was Zack’s birthday and this week it’s our birthday…our 50th! That’s right, it’s the 50th episode of EdGamer. We take a look back at all the great shows we have had and highlight a few of our favorite memories. If you are new to EdGamer check this out for some recommendations on can’t-miss past episodes. We are proud of our first 50 and we can’t wait to bring you 50 more…thanks to all for tuning in!… Read the rest

“Everything I have ever done is an obsession.” – Dr. James Paul Gee The ‘Geenius’ is back! Its EdGamer 49 and Zack gets a very special birthday gift…another conversation with Dr. James Paul Gee. There are few words that could sufficiently sum up the the amazing and intense conversation we have with Dr. Gee. His thoughts and insights in the field of gaming and learning are unparalleled. Dr. Gee runs us through his current work, identifies some recent successful examples in the field of gaming, and finally gives us a glimpse into what he considers the future of gaming and learning.… Read the rest

Episode 48 of EdGamer has us return to the lab…Boise State’s 3D Gamelab that is! We welcome back Dr. Chris Haskell and chat about what new advances in the 3D Gamelab have come about since our last chat. Somehow we find time to talk about badges, FOEs (Friends of EdGamer), Minecraft and a couple amazing Boise State studies among all of the awesome insight from Dr. Haskell. You cannot miss this episode of EdGamer, it’s one of the best yet!… Read the rest

Sylvia Martinez, president of Generation YES, is our guest this week and she helps us answer an important question. Is Khan Academy a Monday solution? “This is the Monday… Someday problem – the fact that even if a teacher changes everything in their classroom, nothing else in the system will change. How can one argue for a long term (Someday) overhaul of math curriculum, pedagogy and assessment when you know even if it does change, it’s going to be long time from now, and you have kids coming in on Monday who need to pass a test on Friday that will depend on them memorizing a bunch of facts and skills?… Read the rest

Watch out for EdGamer 46…this week we’re ‘Roland in the deep’ (sorry Roland) with returning guest Roland Aichele from West Sacramento Prep in California. Roland fills us in on the latest trends of the west coast including some low tech gaming madness. We also talk about Dan Pink one of the most interesting authors in the business world that is frequently being referenced in educational circles and how his latest book ‘Drive’ may fit into our gaming and education curriculums.… Read the rest

It’s a packed house on EdGamer 45! This week we welcome back two of our favorite guests: Lucas Gillispie, a gamer, Instructional Technology Coordinator for Pender County Schools and blogger at Edurealms and Justin Roth, a clinical researcher and avid gamer. We only needed two topics to fill the show this week with all this brain power so we chose carefully. First debate the use of Star Wars: The Old Republic and World of Warcraft in the classroom and then we check for an update on the Boise State 3D Game Lab.… Read the rest

On EdGamer this week we take a look ahead by looking back! That’s right, EdGamer44 previews some hot sequels that are due out this summer. We also reveal the results of our first ever EdReach poll question. Finally, on this episode we discuss the latest news involing everyone’s favorite on-line game emporium, Steam. Don’t miss another great episode of EdGamer as we creep towards our 50th episode! Show Host: Zack Gilbert Show contributor: Gerry James           Contact us with any questions or comments- edgamer@edreach.us     … Read the rest

There are some new devices being released and this week we thought we would take a look at all the major gaming platforms to discuss their effective use in the classroom.  All of these devices have positives when it comes to gaming, but not all of them would be a great purchase for their learning value.  We would love to hear your comments concerning the wide range of topics we discuss in the week’s EdGamer Podcast.… Read the rest

EdGamer 42 is packed with great info! This week we tackle the complex and controversial issue of ‘Gamification’ in the classroom…fun or fad…we help you decide. Plus, we revisit the Vita and look ahead to another great new game that is due out in the near future. Check it out! ***A clarification of a incorrect statement by Zack- Taoists use Yin-Yang and Buddhist use a wheel called the Dharmachakra. We could go into great detail concerning any connections between impermanence and Yin-Yang, but we shall save that for another time.… Read the rest

EdGamer 41 is all business! We have a jam packed show this week with segments on Sony’s new PS Vita, a Smithsonian exhibit dedicated to video game history and a writing opportunity on video game violence from the ISTE website. We also discuss the fizzling of Facebook gaming as well as some huge new video game releases. This week’s episode is short but powerful…just like Zack…tune in! Show Host: Zack Gilbert Show contributor: Gerry James Contact us with any questions or comments- edgamer@edreach.us     … Read the rest

EdGamer is 40! For the special occasion we dig up some articles about our favorite things…Star Wars, Civilization and and iPads. Zack tells us some exciting news he received about his classroom before we delve into the possibilities of the Kinect(ed) classroom. We also take a look at one of the best commercials either of us have seen in a long time for a game that we are both pumped about. Finally, Zack fills us in on the next step for the Civilization series, including some interesting new added features.… Read the rest