Steve Goulet » Educational Gaming http://stevegoulet.com Cognitive Engagement Thu, 03 Nov 2011 01:19:53 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 SAILX http://stevegoulet.com/2009/08/20/sailx/ http://stevegoulet.com/2009/08/20/sailx/#comments Thu, 20 Aug 2009 02:14:49 +0000 Steve http://stevegoulet.com/?p=153 Connor and I recently started dreaming up a sailing simulation game.  After some research I found a new tactical sailing simulator called SAILX (http://sailx.com).  This game is very similar to the game we had envisioned. 

The Racing Rules of Sailing are enforced by this software which is written in Java.   As you race against other participants, the race engine flags those [...]]]> Connor and I recently started dreaming up a sailing simulation game.  After some research I found a new tactical sailing simulator called SAILX (http://sailx.com).  This game is very similar to the game we had envisioned. 

The Racing Rules of Sailing are enforced by this software which is written in Java.   As you race against other participants, the race engine flags those who break the rules.  This system is quite useful for teaching racing rules and it is also very fun.  I’d rather be sailing, but…

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]]> http://stevegoulet.com/2009/08/20/sailx/feed/ 0 Kodu http://stevegoulet.com/2009/01/13/kodu/ http://stevegoulet.com/2009/01/13/kodu/#comments Wed, 14 Jan 2009 01:53:26 +0000 Steve http://www.stevegoulet.com/?p=52 Every once in awhile a technology comes along that has the potential to cause a profound change in an existing system.  Kodu might be that disruptive when it sees widespread use.  Video games have become one of the most powerful entertainment systems around, and the intellectual capital invested in solving problems via these games is incredible.  [...]]]> Every once in awhile a technology comes along that has the potential to cause a profound change in an existing system.  Kodu might be that disruptive when it sees widespread use.  Video games have become one of the most powerful entertainment systems around, and the intellectual capital invested in solving problems via these games is incredible.  What if children started putting all of that intellectual capital to use by creating their own games, instead of passively playing them?  They would make the leap from being consumers, to being producers.

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Kodu is a new system created by Microsoft Research that can teach programming and logic skills to kids as young as 8 (3rd grade) with a simple visual interface.  XBox 360 controllers are used for input, enabling kids to edit and create their own games (it also works on a PC). 

Blue Sphere is sponsoring a Kodu project at Explorer Elementary in Kentwood, Michigan.  I am volunteering to help with implementing the technology with students and teachers. 

There is still a bit of secrecy surrounding Kodu, which is similar to the Sony’s Little Big Planet.  Apparently there are only two schools in the US who are getting a first taste of this technology.

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