The Digital School on the Rise
(Photo courtesy of PSFK)
Would you send your kids to a video game school? Probably not when I put it like that. But, hundreds of parents are doing just that.
Quest to Learn is a New York school that uses a game-based curriculum that includes several video game based lessons to stimulate and engage students during the school day. The pedagogy is all about learning by doing and design and problem-solving are the big ideas behind the school. Students are taught to look at problems as systems, with several interrelated parts. However, they do not just play games, they build their own games and modify others. You have to see it to believe it, watch the NYT video here. Students collaborate to build games, each fulfilling a crucial role and working together to successfully complete the project.
Millions of children spend hours glued to screens each day. Whether it is video games,the television, a computer, iPad or cell phone, technology is now a favorite hobby of children worldwide. This screen time often happens solo, taking away social development time with family and friends. These technology schools provide collaborative technology uses. Students love their screen time. Quest to Learn realized this and is turning this technology enthusiasm among a 21st century generation into a fun way to learn.
Chicago is the next city to get Quest to Learn, thanks to the MacArthur Foundation. The school will open in Fall 2011.
Can digital schools be more successful than traditional education options?
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