Classroom constraints & the pass-back effect:

Games designed to transcend generational divides

Marjee Chmiel- The JASON Project

Nina Walia- PBS KIDS

Part 1: Classroom Constraints

• Time• Technology• Standards • Accountability

Time

Multiple Entry Points

Modified Challenges

Personal Goal Setting

Technology

• Many teachers don’t have installation permissions (avoid download-ables)

• Keep student permission constraints in mind• Have as many offline options as possible• Keep limited bandwidth in mind• Support is not optional• Build for 4 years ago

Standards

• Local standards matter most• Learning objectives must be crystal clear

(what will students be able to do that they could not do before?)

• Why does the game help students meet standards better than what the teacher was doing before?

Identify things that are the most conceptually challenging

Model Use in Classroom

Accountability

• Provide lesson plans/ worksheets for different “levels” of integration

• Keep standards up front• API integration/ achievement reports built

into game

Pass it Back!Kid Apps on Grown-Up Devices

PBS KIDS InteractiveNina Walia, Associate Director

pass-back effect: when a parent or adult passes their own mobile device to a child to occupy them when they’re on the go

»back seat of the car»at restaurants»waiting in line

pbskids.org

pbskids.org

9 million unique visitors per month

Pass-Back Effect Audience: Who They Are and What They Want

Parents AND Kids• Age range of kids: 3-6 year olds• Parents passback to distract but

educational value relieves the guilt

60% of Top 25 Paid Educational Apps Target Preschoolers

iLearn: A Content Analysis of the iTunes App Store’s Education Section, Joan Ganz Cooney Center, 2009

Pass-Back Effect Audience: Who They Are and What They Want

• Age range of kids: 3-6 year olds• Parents passback to distract but

educational value relieves the guilt• Content must be engaging and quiet

NOT Quiet

Quiet and Engaging

Pass-Back Effect Audience: Who They Are and What They Want

• Age range of kids: 2-5 year olds• Parents passback to distract but

educational value relieves the guilt• Content must be engaging and quiet• Most using iPhones vs. iPod Touch

Resources

PBS KIDS Mobile Downloads: pbskids.org/mobile

PBS KIDS Mobile Technologies & Learning Research: http://pbskids.org/read/research/mobile.html

Nina Walianwalia@pbs.org@missmodular

Thank you!

Marjee Chmielmchmiel@jason.org