Research

Throughout the development of EOS-503 we have been designing data collection systems built into the game that will allow us to collect player data (with their consent) of every action within the game, length of time playing the game, as well as their successes and failures. The goal of this data collection will be to compare players data with other forms of assessing learning theory application through written statements, and portfolios on the wise integration of technology.

We aim to see whether there are changes in play when returning to the game after 6 months, and what this data can tell us about participants' learning and training in that time. We are additionally looking at ways to use text analytics to analyze questionnaires and break down the ways that playing EOS-503 may change participants' thoughts, attitudes, or goals in applying learning theory in their teaching practice. We aim to begin these research efforts in the Winter of 2023. Till then we are refining the data collection methods, drafting the IRB forms, and coordinating the course instructors who will be including this game as part of their course as part of the study.

Inspiring educators and leaders to create equitable and ongoing access to high-quality learning;
Modeling the ISTE Standards for Students and the ISTE Standards for Educators, identifying ways to improve [technology] coaching practices;
Establishing productive relationships with educators in order to improve instructional practice and learning outcomes;
Modeling and supporting educators to design learning experiences and environments to meet the needs and interests of all learners;
Planning, providing, and evaluating the impact of professional learning for educators and leaders to use technology to advance teaching and learning;
Modeling and supporting the use of qualitative and quantitative data to inform their own instruction and professional learning;
Modeling digital citizenship and supporting educators and students in recognizing the responsibilities and opportunities inherent in living in a digital world.

Pixel art of a marble statue of a bird teaching from a book.

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FRONTIERS IN PLAYFUL LEARNING

Frontiers in Playful Learning is intended to: Energize scholarly discourse about game- and play-based teaching and learning research goals, methodologies, and findings; Connect members of the game- and play-based academic community who are using tabletop and digital games for instruction and/or designing tabletop and digital games to deliver intellectual, educational, and creative content; and Provide an open-ended, playful context for discussion about current scholarly work in game- and play-based teaching and learning (e.g., Virtual Reality, Alternate Reality, Table-top RPGs, Living Card Games, Massively Multiplayer Online gaming, narrative game design, instructional games, esports, etc.)

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UCONN IPAD CONFERENCE

On Wednesday, 11 May 2022 at 9:30a EDT, University of Connecticut educational technology expert Dr. Stephen Slota shared a presentation about a soon-to-be-published game for teacher education and assessment, EOS-503, at the UConn Conference on Teaching and Learning with iPads, Chromebooks, and Cloud-Based Computing (2022). Among topics discussed:

UConn research centered on game-, play-, and story-based education; Overarching instructional game design principles and processes; The form and function of a free, publicly available, browser-based game for teaching visionary leadership and problem solving (EOS-503); Relationships between ISTE Standards, best practices for technology integration, learning theory, and philosophies of education; How EOS-503 players enact thought and action in line with in-service technology coaches/administrators; The gameplay loop embedded throughout EOS-503; How EOS-503 can be used to assess learning over time and support teacher professional development; 1:1 alignment of learning and game/play objectives as grounded in a situated understanding of thinking and learning; Affordances of EOS-503 for practicing rhetoric, persuasion, and mediation skills; and Visionary leadership as taught through a simulated practicum experience.