U Colorado Boulder Arms STEM Teachers with Game Design Concepts

A group of about 100 K-12 teachers has completed a week-long summer institute, dubbed Scalable Game Design, at the University of Colorado Boulder focused on using game design to teach computer science.

The group of STEM and language arts teachers also learned about teaching computational, critical thinking and problem solving literacy through activities such as student demonstrations of video games made with fruit, Play-Doh and USB cables.

Funded by the National Science Foundation and Google CS4HS, the institute provides free training to accepted teachers from the United States at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.

"This is where the future is headed," said Torrey Thomas, business and computer teacher at Rangeview High School, in a prepared statement. "Everything deals with technology. There will be a big shortage of (qualified employees). We need to get kids involved a younger age."

Thomas said that game design is a painless way to get students interested in computer science concepts. "They just love games and playing video games," he said. "They don't look at it as school work."

More information about the Scalable Game Design summer institute is available at colorado.edu.

About the Author

Joshua Bolkan is contributing editor for Campus Technology, THE Journal and STEAM Universe. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • mathematical formulas

    McGraw Hill Launches AI-Powered ALEKS for Calculus

    McGraw Hill has added ALEKS for Calculus to its lineup of ALEKS digital learning products, bringing AI-powered personalized learning support to the calculus classroom.

  • laptop displaying a phishing email icon inside a browser window on the screen

    ED Grant Portal Target of Phishing Campaign

    Threat researchers at BforeAI have identified a phishing campaign spoofing the U.S. Department of Education's G5 grant management portal.

  • red brick school building with a large yellow "AI" sign above its main entrance

    New National Academy for AI Instruction to Provide Free AI Training for Educators

    In an effort to "transform how artificial intelligence is taught and integrated into classrooms across the United States," the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), in partnership with Microsoft, OpenAI, Anthropic, and the United Federation of Teachers, is launching the National Academy for AI Instruction, a $23 million initiative that will provide access to free AI training and curriculum for all AFT members, beginning with K-12 educators.

  • young educators collaborate with AI tools on laptops and tablets

    Survey: Younger Educators More Likely to Embrace AI Tools

    While educators across the United States agree that AI has enhanced classroom engagement, enthusiasm for AI's benefits is strongest among young teachers, according to a recent survey from learning technology company D2L.