May 27 2008
Ever wondered why social networking is sooo popular with young people? Vanessa Van Petten here has made a little video to tell us oldies why. Someone of which is good info for anyone developing internet safety work. Thanks to my colleague Jim for this one.
May 20 2008
I’m often asked for innovative resources to engage young people in sustainable education, I think I’ve just stumbled on a real stonker of a resource. I’ve read with interest my fellow bloggers posts on using emerging technologies, games and graphic novel type media, animoto and games. This ingenious creation provides a tool that probably caters for all learners.
WORLD WITHOUT OIL is an alternate reality gaming event, a serious game for the public good that takes multi-player games to the next level. World Without Oil concluded on June 1, 2007. However you can still sign up as a Netizen Hero and to participate in “WWO Lives,” an ongoing blog about all matters WWO. There will definitely be current links to good in-game stories from the WWO Lives blog.
WWO invited players across the world to help simulate a global oil shock. Anyone could participate by contributing original online stories, created as though the oil shock were really happening. The game’s masters rank the participants (“players”) according to their contributions to our realistic portrayal of the oil shock. The game also places value on player-created communities, collaborative stories, and collective efforts.
Each contribution helps the game arrive at a larger truth. No team of experts knows better than a given individual what effect an oil shock would have upon that individual’s life, or what action he or she will take to cope. Personal reactions to our simulated oil shock, placed in context with many other points of view, will help us all realize what’s at stake in our oil-fired culture.
Considering recent fuel price hikes and schools making an impressive effort to become Eco Schools and reduce their impact on the environment, this is a subject that is always current. On the WWO site there are lesson plans for teachers that can still be used, but I guess really the whole point is self-expression, being creative and active learning, the web more so than ever provides tools in which to do this.
The youtube clip below explains the whole concept. The feedback from young people is mighty impressive. I’m considering how the world would be different for me…..how would it be for you?
