With AT&T’s support, GameDesk is taking it’s model nationwide, helping to improve student outcomes across the country. “Up until now we have only been able to support schools here in LA. With AT&T’s support, we’re going to be able to scale up and get these new learning tools out there for everyone,” explained Lucien Vattel, founder and executive director of GameDesk. AT&T is contributing $3.8 million, one of AT&T’s largest single contributions to date under AT&T Aspire, to vastly expand GameDesk’s reach to parents, students and educators nationwide through two new initiatives that will develop both a physical large scale learning center and the creation of a national digital learning portal that take the very best work developed and/or tested in the center and make those material serve a national community of teachers, studnets, and parents. full story
Another great plug and highlight for GameDesk appeared on CNN. Syyn Labs, one of GameDesk’s current partners, was featured on the nationally televised CNN program, “The Next List”. Central to the profile was Syyn Labs’ collaborative relationship with GameDesk who together have been developing innovative “makers” curriculum for educational transformation. The piece, which featured one of Syyn Labs and GameDesk’s brainstorm sessions, positioned the two partners at the forefront of creating inspiring educational experiences.
GameDesk and Syyn Labs collaborated on a new, embodied version of GameDesk’s AERO! game, transforming it from a stand-alone iPad app to a fully immersive, multi-sensory flight simulator experience. Nicknamed “The Science of Flight”, this creation puts the player into the game by utilizing a custom-built Albatross Wing controller and 18 Dyson Bladeless fans. Together they replicate the effects of wind on an albatross’ wings, allowing the player to actually feel what it’s like to be a bird in flight. full story
Change The Equation held its first “Games Committee” meeting at the GameDesk offices in Los Angeles. Change the Equation is a coalition of over 100 CEOs of major corporations who have pledged to improve STEM learning in the United States. In addition to hosting the committee, GameDesk presented its insights and experiences as a leader in the digital learning space. Executives from Microsoft Research, AMD, HP, Carolina Biological, Epic Games, Activision/Blizzard, and E-line Media met to discuss the challenges and opportunities in using games as a medium for transforming K-12 education.
Among the topics discussed were embedded assessments within games to replace traditional written exams, the challenges involved in publishing and distributing educational games on a larger scale, and the possibility of creating game creator programs in schools across the nation. This first “Games Committee” meeting was a great start to an exciting collaboration that will further the cause of digital tools in education.
How can you use technology to revolutionize schools? Joe Wise, an educator and researcher with 39 years of experience, joins GameDesk to tackle this very question as our very own Associate Director of New School Models and Curriculum. Joe is co-directing GameDesk’s new game and digital based school that will be launching in the Fall of 2012.
Partnering with GameDesk is the natural next step for Wise. Recalling his first meeting with “kindred spirit” Lucien Vattel, CEO of GameDesk, Wise laughs, “It was like listening to me!” The two instantly hit it off and found they had remarkably similar goals. Moving forward alongside GameDesk and Vattel, Wise sees a bright future and the potential to finally realize his ambitious vision: “This is a culmination of years of cultivating relationships, and exploring. This is a really exciting phase in my life.” full story
Are educational iPad apps valuable for learning? Until recently, no studies had put iPad learning apps to the test. This month GameDesk released a study, led by USC Prof. Michelle Riconscente, on an iPad fractions game, Motion Math, for elementary-school aged children. The study, which applied a controlled experimental design, evaluated whether playing Motion Math led to increases in children’s fractions knowledge and attitudes. Over 120 participants played the game for 20 minutes daily for five days, for a total of 1 hour and forty minutes of game play. Among the main findings were that fractions knowledge increased an average of 15%, and participants gained confidence in their fractions ability and reported liking fractions more after playing the game. Changes on all outcome variables were statistically significant compared to a control group. full story
Bill Nye the Science Guy, recently joined the GameDesk team to build a library of digital science curriculum and games. Most recently, he has been working with us to build version 2.0 of the aerodynamics game, Aero!, for the iPhone. Bill has been helping the team understand how wings deflect air, proper equations required for a correct simulation of flight, and the coupling of yaw and roll. “Oh, it was big fun. I’m having a great time working with the Institute. Lucien and his team know what they’re doing. They’re top-notch, first-cabin, and are serious about complex science learning.” Bill has joined the Board of Directors for the GameDesk school and stated that he and GameDesk are now planning a series of science learning games and apps for release in 2012. full story
As part of its Science and Entertainment Exchange, the National Academy of Sciences announced that the GameDesk Institute is the winner of the 2011 Science, Entertainment, and Education Grant. The grant will support GameDesk’s Science in Motion project, an “embodied” game for the iPad, Xbox Kinect, and SMALLab system covering middle and high school geoscience standards.
The project benefits from the support of multiple collaborators—the GameDesk Institute, LucasArts Entertainment, University of Southern California, Tectonics Observatory at Caltech, California Science Teachers of the Year, and the New York Hall of Science. “To date, there have been very few efforts to create genuine partnerships among the scientific, entertainment, and education communities,” said Ralph J. Cicerone, President of the National Academy of Sciences. “Our review panel believes that the Science in Motion project is an excellent opportunity to bring together those communities to build a very unique and powerful educational experience.”
GameDesk was featured at Variety’s Venture Capital & New Media Summit as a “Technology All-Star”, within a consortium of key companies that have proven that strong ideas can thrive, attracting today’s digital consumers. GameDesk, alongside other new and successful technology companies, shared their stories on the road to success. GameDesk CEO Lucien Vattel introduced the audience to his ideas on an effective pipeline from research to product. Variety’s New Media Summit hosted the Duke and Duchess of Wales, who sent the clear message that their first U.S. stop wasn’t about fun and celebrity but about serious business and philanthropy. The talk focused on innovations and the possibilities of technology and new media. Lucien Vattel of GameDesk remarked, “Right now, within our current circumstances, education is the only product that any parent should be concerned about.”
GameDesk is a 501(c)3 nonprofit research and outreach organization that seeks to reshape models for learning through game-play and game development.
The organization looks to help close the achievement gap and engage students to learn core STEM curriculum. It develops project-based learning with a strong focus on purpose, ownership, and personal value.
The organization (originally developed out of research and support at the University of Southern California's IMSC) has now been in development, practice, and/or evaluation for over four years in various schools in the Los Angeles area.
With AT&T’s support, GameDesk is taking it’s model nationwide, helping to improve student outcomes across the country. “Up until now we have only been able to support schools here in LA. With AT&T’s support, we’re going to be able to scale up and get these new learning tools out there for everyone,” explained Lucien Vattel, founder and executive director of GameDesk. AT&T is contributing $3.8 million, one of AT&T’s largest single contributions to date under AT&T Aspire, to vastly expand GameDesk’s reach to parents, students and educators nationwide through two new initiatives that will develop both a physical large scale learning center and the creation of a national digital learning portal that take the very best work developed and/or tested in the center and make those material serve a national community of teachers, studnets, and parents. full story
GameDesk and Syyn Labs collaborated on a new, embodied version of GameDesk’s AERO! game, transforming it from a stand-alone iPad app to a fully immersive, multi-sensory flight simulator experience. Nicknamed “The Science of Flight”, this creation puts the player into the game by utilizing a custom-built Albatross Wing controller and 18 Dyson Bladeless fans. Together they replicate the effects of wind on an albatross’ wings, allowing the player to actually feel what it’s like to be a bird in flight. 
Are educational iPad apps valuable for learning? Until recently, no studies had put iPad learning apps to the test. This month GameDesk released a study, led by USC 
Bill Nye the Science Guy, recently joined the GameDesk team to build a library of digital science curriculum and games. Most recently, he has been working with us to build version 2.0 of the aerodynamics game, Aero!, for the iPhone. Bill has been helping the team understand how wings deflect air, proper equations required for a correct simulation of flight, and the coupling of yaw and roll. “Oh, it was big fun. I’m having a great time working with the Institute. Lucien and his team know what they’re doing. They’re top-notch, first-cabin, and are serious about complex science learning.” Bill has joined the Board of Directors for the GameDesk school and stated that he and GameDesk are now planning a series of science learning games and apps for release in 2012. 
GameDesk was featured at Variety’s Venture Capital & New Media Summit as a “Technology All-Star”, within a consortium of key companies that have proven that strong ideas can thrive, attracting today’s digital consumers. GameDesk, alongside other new and successful technology companies, shared their stories on the road to success. GameDesk CEO Lucien Vattel introduced the audience to his ideas on an effective pipeline from research to product. Variety’s New Media Summit hosted the Duke and Duchess of Wales, who sent the clear message that their first U.S. stop wasn’t about fun and celebrity but about serious business and philanthropy. The talk focused on innovations and the possibilities of technology and new media. Lucien Vattel of GameDesk remarked, “Right now, within our current circumstances, education is the only product that any parent should be concerned about.”