DEPARTMENT NEWS3D GameLab Summer Camp for Teachers Turns Learning Into a Game - Register now! A Boise State online summer camp will show teachers how to turn their classrooms into a living adventure that challenges students with motivating quests, engaging projects, games and activities.
The 3D GameLab summer camp is a project of the university and the Department of Educational Technology (EdTech) in the College of Education. The fully online camp runs from Aug. 1-21. Participants can log in from their school, home or mobile device. “Over the course of three weeks, teachers will learn to design a real-world, cutting-edge education where students can choose their own paths in the curriculum,” said Lisa Dawley, chair of EdTech. The summer camp gives teachers the tools and training to turn their classrooms into a living game that meets national standards. Teachers will learn how to:
“Imagine a classroom where the learning experiences are so engaging that your students arrive early, stay late and return home only to go online for more,” Dawley said. “The 3D GameLab summer camp can show you how to make that classroom a reality.” For more information or to register, visit http://3dgamelab.org. Cost of the summer camp is $295 and CEUs are available. This story was originally published in Boise State's UPDATE, April 19, 2011 issue. UPDATE Also, see Converge Magazine 2011-2012 Sean Ellenberger Memorial Scholarship Winner - Ginny Cronin
MET student Ginny Cronin has won the 2010-2011 Sean Ellenberger Memorial Scholarship in the amount of $3,132.00. Ginny’s long-time social work and service with children at risk and with special needs in Washington State are impressive. Her practice supporting families who have adopted children considered high-need based on their history of abuse, neglect, and multiple placements exemplifies the exact type of outreach these scholarships funds were intended to support. Congratulations Ginny! Dr. Janet Worthington to Retire
Farewell.... In 2004, I retired as Dean of Livelong Learning and Continuing Education at SUNY Plattsburgh in New York. That same year, my husband Gary and I moved to Boise, Idaho, and I began teaching technical and grant writing for the EDTECH department. Over the years, the numbers of EDTECH programs offered and the number of students enrolled have greatly increased. Consistently, the students have been of the highest caliber, and the faculty, and staff have been dedicated, hard-working professionals. I will certainly miss the excitement of being a part of this innovative program, but Gary and I have travel plans that must be put into action. I wish all of you the greatest success! --Dr. Janet E. Worthington Although the EDTECH team will miss Dr. Worthington greatly, we all wish her the very best! She has made significant contributions to the EDTECH Department, and has inspired many students along the way. Thank you for being our colleague and friend! EDTECH - Leading the Way to Tomorrow's Classroom by Mike Journee
Looking into the future seems an impossible, mystical dream for most. Yet students and faculty in Boise State’s Department of Educational Technology do it every day. Theirs is a realm of virtual worlds and avatars where the concepts of social networking are taken as far as technology allows in the name of finding new and interesting ways for teachers and students to engage, usually outside of the three‐dimensional construct of the traditional classroom. It’s a world in flux that’s being explored even as it’s being created. “It’s very hard to predict 10 years out anymore,” says Lisa Dawley, head of the Educational Technology Department (EdTech) For the complete story, please visit EDTECH -Leading the Way to Tomorrow's Classroom, by Mike Journee EDTECH Student Success StoriesShane Wheeler, MET Student, was successful in securing a Qwest Grant for next year. He asked for $11,443, and received $10,843. Out of 77 people that submitted, Shane's grant won part of the pool of $50,000. He says he couldn't have done this without the expertise of Dr. Janet Worthington, EdTech adjunct instructor. 
Patricia Smeyers Nasa Explorer Schools will be utilizing a project she created in EDTECH 502 with Dr. Hung, Robotics Jigsaw lesson, as a resource for their Robotics Education Module. As of now, it is posted on their NEON website, and next school year it will part of their program. Patricia wants to thank Dr. Hung for inspiring her and giving her the tools necessary to have such a wonderful recognition. They also will recommend Patricia's K-2 Weather Unit from Dr. Jackie Gerstein's EDTECH 541 class to elementary teachers. NASA Explorer Schools modules are for fifth grade classrooms and up, yet it is a tribute to Dr. Gerstein that they found it worth recommending. If you'd like to share your successes with us, we'd love to hear from you so we can include your stories in our newsletter as well. We all are very interested to hear what our graduates are doing with their EDTECH degrees. Please write Dixie Conner. Faculty Publications & NewsDr. Lisa DawleyDr. Dawley will present two sessions at the upcoming ISTE conference. Games, Simulations, and Virtual Environments for Learning and Teaching, Wednesday, June 29, 2011, 1:15-2:15 p.m. Impressive Environments for Science Education Hyper-Learning or Over-Hyped Learning, Tuesday, June 28, 2011, 10:30-11:30 a.m. For more information, search ISTE Conference.Annie JefferyAnnie Jeffery, an adjunct faculty member, has had a book chapter published in the book Teaching Arts and Science with the New Social Media, edited by Charles Wankel. The chapter is called - "Using multi-user virtual environments for international classroom collaboration: Practical approaches for teaching and learning in Second Life" by Annie Jeffery, Scott Grant and Howard Gregory. You can find this publication here Emerald_Insight Dr. Ross PerkinsDr. Perkins presented a paper and poster at this year's annual conference of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) meeting, which was held in New Orleans, Louisiana (April 7-12). The paper, co-written with Ms. Laura Bond (Dept. of Biology) was titled, "Effects of Personalization of Email and Email Content Length on Web-based Survey Response." Dr. Perkins was also a co-presenter at a poster session titled, "Defining Quality in Distance Education: Examining National and International Standards for Online Learning". The poster was based on an extension of work done by Drs. Barbara Lockee, John Burton, and Ken Potter, all of whom are faculty in the Instructional Systems Design program at Virginia Tech. Dr. Perkins is co-presenting a poster session in June 2011 in Vancouver, British Columbia at the American Society for Engineering Education. The poster is based on work being done under the auspices of a grant funded in January 2011 by the National Science Foundation. Co-presenters include grant principle investigator, Dr. Kirsten Davis (Construction Management) and Dr. Sondra Miller (Civil Engineering).Dr. Kerry RiceDr. Kerry Rice was invited to present a workshop title “PBL in a Digital Age” at the NOYCE Regional Scholars Conference in Indianapolis on April 8, 2011. NOYCE Conference Dr. Kerry Rice will participate in a panel discussion at the upcoming USDLA conference in St. Louis with Mickey Revenaugh, Senior VP at Connection’s Academy and Dennis Tulli, Principle of Commonwealth Connections Academy: Dr. Dazhi YangDr. Yang presented a paper called "Teaching difficult engineering concepts in the language of emergent processes" at the 2011 American Educational Research Association (AERA) in New Orleans, LA on April 12. PARTNER NEWSAssociation for Educational Communications & Technology (AECT) to Host EDTECH WebinarThe Association for Educational Communications & Technology is hosting a webinar provided by Dr. Lisa Dawley and Chris Haskell, Dept. of Educational Technology. All are invited to attend. For more information, see http://www.aect.org/default.asp Webinar - 'Quest-Based Learning: Turn the Classroom into a Living Game' Presented by: Lisa Dawley & Chris Haskell Date & Time: Tuesday, May 17, 2011 Start Time: 3:00 PT / 6:00 ET To attend the meeting, login as a guest on May 17 at: http://edtech.acrobat.com/department/ Many educators and instructional designers are exploring game-based learning opportunities as a means to engage learners in dynamic new modes. These adoptions are sometimes unsuccessful as teachers attempt to "teach" games, integrating them into an existing didactic instructional model. In this session, we'll explore the design of quest-based learning as a means to shift the classroom into a living meta-game environment while still addressing curriculum standards. Drawing upon our work with 3D GameLab, a quest-based learning platform, we'll discuss a rationale for quest-based learning, design elements of quests that engage learners and provide customized learning opportunities, and discuss the resulting shift in pedagogy as students "game" their way through the curriculum. INFORMATION YOU CAN USEFrom Student Outreach ServicesBelize Field StudyThe Boise State University Center for School Improvement & Policy Studies is pleased to announce an exciting international field study for educators. This trip to Belize is scheduled from June 4-15, 2011. BELIZE FIELD STUDY: Schools & Communities This ten-day field study will focus on contemporary issues of education in Belize and the way that specific schools work with their communities. Participants in this field study will be actively involved in forming new relationships with schools - meeting teachers, principals, students and community educators. Belizean educators will share how issues of environmental conservation, Belizean heritage, and culturally-specific knowledges are embedded in the school experience. School philosophies, curriculum, teaching, and alternative school experiences will all be the subjects of inquiry. Opportunities to volunteer at schools, working together with teachers and students, will also be available. The cost for this program is $2,795 per person and includes all lodging, round-trip airfare and travel insurance, all breakfasts and most dinners, and ground transportation and water taxi to the island. For more information or to download registration materials, visit our Belize Field Study website at: Belize Field Study website, or contact:
Welcome Elizabeth Kringen, Technical Records Specialist
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Student Outreach Services is excited to announce Elizabeth Kringen as the newest member of the EdTech team. She received her BA in chemistry from St. Catherine University in Minnesota, studied abroad in both Italy and Australia, and performed undergraduate research at a nature conservancy and in the rainforests of Australia. Her educational ambitions are to continue her studies in sociology and cultural anthropology and to obtain a degree in law. Elizabeth has replaced Kelti Baker who has left us to devote her time to raising her two beautiful, young boys and pursue a career in psychology. Elizabeth can be reached at (208) 426-5383 or 
