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"Check out Edutopia's collection of articles, videos, and resources on using video games, simulations, and gaming concepts in the classroom. ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: JULY 11, 2011 | UPDATED: OCTOBER 6, 2014"

"The Managing Complex Change model puts language to that which makes some schools successful while others struggle. The model looks at five components necessary to create a desired environment. These include vision, skills, incentives, resources, action plan. If any one piece is missing the model indicates results schools will experience including change, confusion, anxiety, gradual change, frustration, and a false start. When thinking of successful schools such as Science Leadership Academy, The MET, The Island School, The iSchool, you will find they have all those components in place. On the other hand, when I hear teachers lamenting about their school failures, the model brings clarity to the fact that one or more of these components are missing. Below is the chart that lays this out. Following the chart, I'll take a look at what each missing component might look like in a school environment. As you read, consider which, if any are components, are missing at your school. save image Lack of Vision = Confusion When I hear exasperated teachers spinning their wheels, working so hard to get ready for all the various mandates and requirements, but never feeling a sense of accomplishment, it is clear there is not a tangible school vision that has been communicated. In some cases this is because what is being imposed does or can not reconcile with what the school wanted for their vision. Skill Deficit = Anxiety My heart goes out to those with a skill deficit. They are required to implement a curriculum they are not trained in using or being evaluated via measures with which they are not familiar. Or…they are put into a position they were not trained for or prepared to embrace. Social media provides a great medium for helping these teachers get up to speed, but when the outreach occurs, the anxiety is abundantly clear. Lack of Incentives = Gradual Change It is not unusual for innovative educators to feel like and be perceived as misfits. Islands onto their own

"Third grader Cordell Steiner makes a pretty convincing argument for using video games in the classroom in this TEDx talk. He describes feeling more motivated to learn and master new skills because of his eagerness to beat his own high score or finish before the clock runs out. He says he used to be bored in class when his teachers had to slow down to explain concepts, but now each student plays games intended to help him or her with specific skills they're trying to master. He even gives examples!"

"Immersive environments can be good learning vehicles if constructed and used correctly. Here are a set of virtual worlds that use the latest in game mechanics to deliver instruction in fun and interactive ways. Consider them as a supplement to a classroom or for use with students that respond well to such immersion."

"Kahoot! on Wednesday launched Kahoot! Studio, a new library of free, curriculum-aligned games designed primarily for K-12 classrooms. The game-based learning platform offers a library of 20 million public "kahoots," or learning games and quizzes, created by more than 50 million active Kahoot! users worldwide. Many teachers in the United States use kahoots during class, but the company heard that creating or finding usable kahoots would take a while. "Kahoot! is at the intersection of education, technology and entertainment and we felt that we had a responsibility and duty to offer original content in order to make the lives of teachers much easier," CEO Erik Harrell said in a prepared statement. "Teachers have told us that they don't always have the time to produce their own content and this was the ultimate impetus behind Kahoot! Studio.""

"Fact: Kids love Minecraft. The unique and ridiculously popular game is often compared to digital LEGO's, and at it's core, allows players to place and break blocks in a 3D world. With more than 22 million users in 40 countries, the Minecraft craze is only growing and kids can't seem to get enough. The draw of Minecraft? For kids, it's a blank slate and gives them the opportunity to let their imagination run wild. For educators, it is a perfect opportunity to fully integrate technology with learning. Minecraft is being recognized as an incredibly powerful, educational tool that acts as a medium for educators and students, alike, allowing them to unleash their creativity and fully integrate technology with learning opportunities. Because the game lives online, the multiplayer format can be utilized to emphasize digital citizenship and collaboration all through integrated project based-learning. Meet Connected Camps, an online summer camp for Minecraft that is breaking the rules in all the right ways. Yes, you read that right, Connected Camps is a virtual summer camp, that connects kids from around the country (and even the world) through a dedicated, monitored and secure Minecraft server."

"We know that kids love computer games and will spend hours on end totally engrossed in them. But "education games" are often neither educational nor much fun. The challenge is to find a way to organize, implement, manage, assess, guide and provide ample learning opportunities and still keep games fun. Minecraft - a wildly popular game that kids just can't stop playing - is changing that. I have found that Minecraft combined with design-based learning is the most powerful educational tool I have ever seen!"

"Similar to Google Alerts I covered in an earlier post, Google Scholar also has an "alert" feature that allows users to keep updated about the topics, news, and authors that interest them. Google scholar Alert is particularly useful for student researchers who are doing research around a topic area and want to have access to the latest and recent output about it. Creating an alert on Google Scholar will enable you to receive emails with updates and new releases about your alert. For instance, let's say your research topic is game-based learning and that one of the established authors you want to make sure to read his newest updates in this area is James Paul Gee. You can go ahead and create two alerts using the following key phrases : game-based learning, and James Paul Gee. From the time you create these alerts, anything published on Google Scholar with these two phrases in it will come directly to your inbox."

"In early September, my sixth grade social studies students began playing the SimCityEDU beta. Around the same time, my seventh graders began playing a non-digital debate game -- complete with teams, a point system and a leaderboard. All of my students are rewarded for their growth and accomplishments with a digital badge system. After one month, I find that my students remain highly engaged in their learning. Gamifying my classroom has truly been transformative! "

Scotland's game based learning resources

"Computer coding is promoted as a must-learn skill for 21st Century students. Dan Donahoo questions what's driving this view. Learning to code has become something of an edtech focus over the last 12 months. Venture capitalists are seeding places like Code Academy, Code.org and any number of mobile, apps and computer games to teach us and our students the language of computation. But, do all students need to learn to code?"

"Nunook Interactive Inc has released the BrainNook Grade 2 Arithmetic 1.0 app for iPad. BrainNook is the next generation of learning games for schools and homes. It is a social educational game that allows students to strengthen critical math and language skills in real time with their classmates. The web-based version of BrainNook is used by 100,000 students in thousands of classrooms across the country."

Learning STEM Skills by Designing Video Games | @edutopia http://t.co/8k39zzSC7T

"Google has recently released a new game called Smarty Pins which uses Google Maps for its layout. This is basically a game that tests players geography and trivia skills. I have been tinkering with it for sometime today and thought it ideal for classroom use with students."