Jeff+Pelich

__ THURSDAY SESSION DESCRIPTION __
Students of all ages love playing and exploring yet are often provided little time in school to engage in these activities. Jeff Pelich is a teacher in a grade 7/8 classroom for students with a variety of behaviour and learning exceptionalities. In an effort to engage these vulnerable students more fully in their learning, video games, technology tinkering, and other technologies have become the backbone of our classroom. This session will provide an overview to Jeff's classroom, his research into the struggles of our most challenging students, and how educators can easily use technology to enhance engagement and student achievement for those students that challenge us the most. __**Presentation**__ The presentation below will be modified up until the conference. media type="custom" key="26411056" width="90" height="90" Resources from presentation: Your Choice Organizer document __** MINDS ON MEDIA **__ Minecraft is a fantastic tool and one that students love. However, it isn't for everyone with many non-gaming teachers finding it challenging to learn and understand. Luckily there are many video games that we can use to engage our students!

In my Thursday session, I will talk about three different ways I have connected video games to learning:

1) Games to connect to learning, 2) Games as learning, 3) Games as an extension of learning.

Below are just some of the games that will be explored during the Minds on Media session on Friday and they will address all three ways to use video games in the classroom. Discover the inner-gamer in you (//chips, candy, and all!//) and visit this station. Devices will be ready and loaded with these amazing tools so that you can play and experiment.

Each game includes a Google Doc called "Activity Ideas." At the beginning of the document are the critical questions and lessons that I used with my students. Throughout Minds on Media, we will be collaboratively adding more ideas and resources.

Developer Website Activity Ideas ||= Available On: XBOX 360 Developer Website Activity Ideas ||= Available On: iOS, Android, Mac, PC, XBox, PS Developer Website Activity Ideas ||
 * = [[image:http://www.digiboardgames.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Machinarium-logo.jpg width="280" height="132"]] ||= [[image:http://123kinect.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Carnival-Games1.jpg width="320" height="125"]] ||= [[image:http://static-www.ecs.popcap.com/www.popcap.com/sites/pvz_franchise_2013/global/pp_pvz1_logo.png width="171" height="127"]] ||
 * = Available on: PC, Mac, iOS, Android

Developer Website Activity Ideas ||= Available On: Mac, PC, iOS Developer Website Activity Ideas ||
 * = [[image:http://kijk-online.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/simcity-2013-gameplay.jpg width="340" height="174" align="center"]] ||= [[image:http://epicepoch.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/civilization-5.jpg width="347" height="169" align="left"]] ||
 * = Available On: Mac, PC, iOS, Android

Other Great Games:

- Botanicula - Angry Birds - Tiny Bang Story - Lost Wind - Skeeball - Stratosphere - Waking Mars - Gesundheit - Wipe Out - Galaxy On Fire 2 - Flick Fishing HD