Dallastown Area Intermediate School, York PA
Study gamification and Esports programs in California and Japan to develop a gamified approach to teaching and learning that builds community, re-engages students, and prioritizes social and emotional skills.
A visit to Blizzard’s campus in Irvine to learn more about the gaming industry!
Us on the summit of Mount Fuji! This was our most ambitious goal!
Learning how to breathe, walk, and meditate like a ninja in Kyoto!
Robot fighting at Red Tokyo Tower!
Visiting Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan!
Old Nintendo Factory Hotel
Our fellowship was full of incredible learning experiences related to gaming and Esports, but climbing Mount Fuji was the most powerful and memorable. The physical and mental toughness required to reach the summit was more than we anticipated, but the feeling of reaching the summit was indescribable and unforgettable. The experience provided a belief in ourselves that wasn’t there before and will help us authentically share mindful practices with our students.
Personally, we learned that we can adapt to a variety of situations. We constantly tell students to “be a problem solver,” and for two full weeks, we had to be a problem solver, even for the simplest of tasks like finding a restaurant within busy streets or ordering unfamiliar foods without speaking the language. Professionally, we learned a lot more about the Esports career pathway, collegiate programs, and the business side of professional gaming.
We unexpectedly landed a campus tour of Blizzard Entertainment in Irvine, California. When visiting UCI Irvine, we learned Blizzard headquarters was nearby and scoured the Internet to see if tours were available. We realized getting a tour was next to impossible, but we took a risk messaging an employee who we follow on Twitter. To our surprise, he wrote back, and a tour was scheduled. While there, we learned a ton about getting hired in the industry and the work they do behind the scenes!
We wasted no time when it came to implementation and immediately came home to run an Esports summer camp at our school for 25 student gamers. We received a lot of positive feedback! During the upcoming school year, one of our major goals is getting other teachers into the Esports Lab and ensuring they feel comfortable using the space. We created a shared folder to house lessons and videos teachers can utilize, so time in the Esports Lab is purposeful and includes social-emotional mini-lessons.
We talked to our principal and have a plan in place for an after-school Esports club in the fall, winter, and spring. Each cohort will run for 6-8 weeks with 24 students. During club time, students will hear about our experiences, watch video interviews, participate in discussions, play games together, and create digital products. We also created standards-based ELA and math lessons utilizing Minecraft and Mario Kart, so we can use the Esports Lab during the day with our students.
We will facilitate an Esports PEP (Pathway Explorer Program) as part of our school-wide initiative to highlight career pathways. Throughout the year, during each half-day of school, we will have 100 students cycle through rotations to play and learn about the skills needed and careers available within the gaming industry. Lastly, we continue to toy with the idea of hosting a community tournament at our school. Our principal is excited about the idea, but we are still figuring out logistics!