Playing 4 Keeps (P4K)

With early support from the Surdna Foundation, followed by the Microsoft Corporation and AMD, Global Kids established itself as an innovative leader in using online games to promote global awareness and engaged citizenship. Through the Playing 4 Keeps program, Global Kids trains urban youth to think critically about game design and develop games about important world issues using online games as a form of youth media. Through the Playing 4 Keeps Capacity Building Program, Global Kids trains other organizations, like libraries in New York City and computer labs in Boston-based public housing, to implement their own version of the program. In addition, youth in Global Kids programs often consult other organizations in their development of Games For Change, a term coined by the organization of the same name co-founded by Global Kids to promote the use of games by non-profits.



March 5, 2010

[p4k] Game Theory

Computer Graphics World published an article covering AMD's Changing the Game program which included Global Kids Playing 4 Keeps Program. It highlights how video games are an ideal platform for not only youth education.

A number of companies, organizations, schools, foundations, governments, and more are expanding the use of video games beyond their entertainment value. In fact, one such entity that is making a difference in this area is Games for Change (G4C), which provides support, visibility, and shared resources to individuals and groups using video games to spur social change, giving special assistance to nonprofits and foundations entering this field.

Recently, AMD teamed up with G4C to expand this initiative with an online tool kit, a guide to assist nonprofit organizations that are creating games containing social-­issue content focused on such topics as the environment, energy consumption, poverty, and health, for example. Offered through the AMD Foundation’s AMD Changing the Game initiative, the “Let the Games Begin: A Toolkit 4 Making Social Issue Games” contains resource information for those interested in creating these types of games. The kit (available at GamesforChange.org/toolkit) includes examples of successful titles with social content as well as in-depth presentations by game-design experts.


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[p4k] Global Learning at Any Age

In December the Asia Society's Education and Learning site posted an article focusing on the the importance of global learning and specially happening in after school settings, citing Global Kids as a good example.

Teens and high school students are ready for a lot of choice and a lot of voice. Global activities can be a strong draw for older youth, offering opportunities to take leadership on issues about which they care deeply. International affairs debates are very attractive to this age group, as are apprenticeship models where teens master high-level skills under the tutelage of experts and professionals.

Global Kids, an afterschool program in New York, develops high school leaders through its Power of Citizenry program and Online Leadership Program. Urban youth become informed about global issues, develop leadership skills, and explore higher education and careers, particularly those in international affairs through a summer program in partnership with the Council on Foreign Relations.

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March 2, 2010

[P4K] Comparing Ayiti: The Cost of Life to WoW

In a recent post on the blog New Journalism, the educator Paul Allison shares with us a video created by one of his high school youth at East-West School of International Studies. This video featured 10th grader Terrence reading on how Ayiti: The Cost of Life, compares to the MMORPG World of Warcraft online.


View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

You can also view this video directy on New Journalizm.

March 1, 2010

[P4K] Youth Compare Ayiti: The Cost of Life to Other Games

Recently there have been numerous game focused essays posted to the site Youth Voices comparing various games to Ayiti: The Cost of Life. These comparisons range from World of Warcraft, Call of Duty, Final Fantasy, Civilization, Animal Crossing, and even traditional card games like Crazy Eights and students reflecting on how the game play compares to Ayiti.

Certainly a site to watch - New Voices is titling itself as "a meeting place where students share, distribute and discuss their digital work online", and was set up by a group of innovative educators from the New York City Writing Project, a chapter of the National Writing Project.

Below is one of the great student comparison reflections. You can read the rest of these essays on Youth Voices here.

Finding Haiti in Wonderland

Not all games are the same. Some are board games played for family fun. Others seem to be designed to arouse young boys' interests. While some are played simply for the enjoyment of having bragging rights. Whatever game it is, the goals are always the same: win and win. We are sucked into the world of winning simply because we are taught that to loseisn 't an option. I'm no different. I too am sucked into this world of needing to win. I'm Alice and I fell down the rabbit hole a long time ago, and frankly, I don't want to come out, because falling feels so good. If winning comes with that feeling then why should i want to stop falling?

Continue reading "[P4K] Youth Compare Ayiti: The Cost of Life to Other Games" »

January 22, 2010

[conf] Three Social Media Trainings for Jewish Educators


This past Monday, January 18, Barry Joseph and I got the opportunity to conduct three intensive trainings for Jewish educators in Teaneck, New Jersey. The occasion was the "Jewish Day School Leadership Conference" which brought together some 500 jewish educators from 300 different institutions to the Marriot in Teaneck. It was a really interesting experience and exposure to the unique educational setting of Jewish day schools.

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January 19, 2010

Thank you Rosasio Dawson for Promoting Ayiti: The Cost of Life

Is this GK's first celebrity tweet?

January 13, 2010

Nick Fortugno Comments on a 6th Grade Class' Analog Reproduction of Ayiti: The Cost of Life

An educator at Teacher's College worked last year with a sixth grade class to recreate, analog, Global Kids and Game Lab's Ayiti: The Cost of Life, a game about poverty and education in Haiti, developed years ago with NYC high school youth. Now, the educator gave us what the students have created and this video documents one of the game's designers experiencing it for the first time. Play the digital version at http://www.CostofLife.org

December 7, 2009

[conf] Conscience Unconference Session on Games and Human Rights Education

Conscience unconf220On Saturday, December 5, I had the pleasure of joining about 30-40 other participants at the "Conscience Unconference" in Washington DC, sponsored by the US Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Center for History and New Media.  Having experienced a few unconferences before, I knew coming in that the quality of the experience would lie largely in the expertise, effort and engagement of the participants who showed up, as well as the skill of the facilitators in creating a collaborative environment. 

Luckily, both those conditions were more than fulfilled at the Conscience Unconference.

There were a host of very interesting proposed sessions that I wanted to participate in.  In the end, I went to the sessions on digital games / virtual worlds, youth-produced video, a discussion on participation, a "nuts-and-bolts" roundtable, and the challenges of teaching using social media.  More importantly, I made several personal connections with individuals from a number of important institutions that are interested in using social media to reach new audiences, spur civic action, and connect people across distance.


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November 30, 2009

Training for Educators on Games-based Learning this Friday at Global Kids HQ

Tempest in Crescent City Game screenshot
This Friday, December 4, Global Kids is leading a Games Based Education Training for educators at our headquarters in New York City. If you are a school teacher, librarian, youth worker or other educational professional that would like to learn about our innovative approach to learning using digital games, we highly encourage you to sign up!

Since 2002, Global Kids has been a leader in the use of online games to promote global awareness, engaged citizenship, and 21st-Century learning skills. In this training, educators will learn how to use online games that directly or indirectly address core literacy and content areas, and how to use free, web-based tools to support students in designing their own games.

For more information or to register, please call: 212-226-0130 or e-mail pdtrainings@globalkids.org. The official announcement follows after the jump...

Continue reading "Training for Educators on Games-based Learning this Friday at Global Kids HQ" »

November 13, 2009

[p4k] Report Finds Program Effectively Trains Educators To Teach Game Design

NEWS RELEASE
137 East 25th St. New York, NY 10010

www.globalkids.org

212-226-0130

LIBRARIES AND COMMUNITY CENTERS USE GAMES TO INSPIRE YOUTH TO TAKE ACTION

Report Finds Program Effectively Trains Educators To Teach Game Design

Selen Turkay, a doctoral student in the Instructional Technology and Media program at Teachers College, Columbia University, recently prepared an independent evaluation of Global Kids’ Playing For Keeps Capacity Building Program, which trains educators to combine games and social issues in their work with youth.

The findings, based on 45 interviews with educators from the New York public libraries and Boston-area housing projects, revealed that Global Kids successfully prepared youth workers to inspire and guide teens to learn and create game prototypes about social and global issues.

Continue reading "[p4k] Report Finds Program Effectively Trains Educators To Teach Game Design" »


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