New England Games SIG

June 14, 2012

Can Games Save Education? 

Education is at a cross roads.  Students have access to unprecedented resources and interact with content and other students around the globe faster than they can turn to page 236 in their text books.

Games dominate interactive time with young learners and have proven their ability to engage, entertain, teach and impact.  Can games really impact education as we know it today?  Our panel takes a focused look at the state of education and the reality of changing education in a 21st century way.

The panel, moderated by John Dyer (Latitude News) and including Robert Johnson (President, Becker College), Dave McCool (CEO, Muzzy Lane) and Mike Connell (CEO, Native Brain), will discuss:

• Game developers have long understood that there are different types of game players and have developed different games and elements to touch everyone from grandmothers to marines.  Can/will educators turn to a customized form of education?  Is there a way to get teachers and school districts to change or is there just too much inertia?
• Games have a proven business model, while education is mired in a slow mature market, will games have to make their impact as adjunct material or is there room in the mainstream?  Can we learn something from the business model of games?  Are parents a better target customer than school districts?
• What are the biggest risks in converting to game based education?  Who do you see as leaders in taking these risks?

Stay tuned as additional panelists are announced!

Come early or stay late to enjoy light appetizers / drinks and to network with your peers. The event will be held on Thursday, June 14th from 6pm – 9pm at the Microsoft NERD Center (One Memorial Drive, Cambridge).

6:00pm – 7:00pm: Networking & Light Appetizers, Refreshments

7:00pm – 8:15pm: Panel

8:15pm – 9:00pm: Post-Panel Networking

Registration is required! Please register here: http://gamesandeducation.eventbrite.com 

Sponsored By:

______________

Click here for a summary of the NE Games SIG’s previous events.