Last time, this time...

Ok, last week I posted about what makes a good game but now I want to know about what makes a good team. While some schools have their students working individually (and of course at the college level it would need to be working on their own), I think one very relevant aspect of the Globaloria program is having  students learn to work as a team. Later in life students will be required to work with people that they don't know, have no common ground or possibly that they even won't like but they will still have to be able to work with them to complete projects or to get the job done.  If they have learned from this program how to put aside their differences and look for the common ground then they will have a life skill that is priceless.
To my students in the Computer Assisted Art/Globaloria class, write a blog about what you think is crucial in creating a successful team for designing and completing a thought-provoking, fun, STEM or Civics  based game. How many on a team? What should the different members be able to do? Should there be one overall manager/leader or does everyone have an equal role? Answer these questions and other topics relevant to the team-building process.

Making a "Worthy" Game

Ok, so our students have been reviewing games in the Play to Learn section of the Globaloria program. Several of the games are about the type of game genru that can be created. Now the question is...What makes a GOOD Social Issue Game? Do some serious thinking about this and post a RICH blog about how you can create a fun game and still cover a Social Issue, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) or Civic Issue. 

Saturday Night Live

Do any of you remember (or in the case of our students seen it on reruns!) Gilda Radner's character on Saturday Night Live called Roseann Rosanna Danna? She was one of the best they ever had on that show. She was definitely one that died too young... Do you remember when she would do the news with Dan Acroyd (I think it was him) and at the end of one of her rants about something he would say something like "what does that have to do with anything?" and she would say her catch phrase: "Well, it just goes to show you, if it's not one thing it's another". That is how I feel. After finally getting over my bout with bronchitis I now have messed up my back. Trying to do some wheel thrown pottery, I sat in the wrong position for too long of a time last Sunday and strained my back. I have babied it along all week but it really became much worse on Friday evening and I was very disappointed to not be able to go to our home football game. I like to support our students as much as possible so I felt bad twice - once for the back pain and once for not being there for our team. Hopefully it will improve.
I did go to our local Communities in Schools fundaraiser on Saturday and helped my Art students do free face painting for anyone that asked. Five students had said they would come and help but only three showed up. We had a good time but since I had to fill in for some of the missing students my back became very tired.
And this leads in a round about way to my closing thought "If it's not one things it's another!" I'll try and stay focused on the positive and let the rest go by the wayside. Don't remember Gilda Radner? Check out one of her videos.