Wisconsin teachers and librarians to help create astrophysics learning game
Wisconsin teachers and librarians to help create astrophysics learning game
Wisconsin teachers and librarians to help create astrophysics learning game
By Karen Rivedel
February 9, 2024
Summary
On Friday, Feb. 9, a small group of select librarians and teachers from across the state will gather with game designers and scientists for a day-long workshop in Madison to develop a new educational computer game that will take learners to the furthest reaches of space.
The game development project is a collaboration of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, the Field Day Learning Games Lab in the Wisconsin Center for Education Research at UW-Madison, and the Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center.
This new game will be based on current WIPAC research.
Teachers and librarians who applied for the fellowship did not need to have a background in science or computer programming to be chosen - just a desire to learn and an interest in using games as part of their curriculum or programming.
During the workshop, the fellows will learn about astro-particle physics, play example educational video games, and brainstorm concepts for the new game.
The teacher and librarian fellows will also test the game once it's created and help develop activities and materials that other educators can use with the game.
In 2019, it led to the creation of Jo Wilder and the Capitol Case, an award-winning historical inquiry game that was played nearly 100,000 times nationally in its first year.
Reference
Rivedel, K. (2024, February 9). Wisconsin teachers and librarians to help create astrophysics learning game. School of Education. https://education.wisc.edu/news/wisconsin-teachers-and-librarians-to-help-create-astrophysics-learning-game/