Accrington Academy students designing computer games for homework (From Lancashire Telegraph)
When news happens, text LT and your photos and videos to 80360. Or contact us by email or phone.
Accrington RSS Feed Send your news, pictures & videos
Accrington Academy students designing computer games for homework
3:27pm Tuesday 17th January 2012 in Accrington
INSPIRATION Accrington Academy pupil Daniel Rolling taking part in the exercise to create a game, inspired by the project put together by ICT department head Lindsey Dedaniec
STUDENTS at Accrington Academy have created their own computer games, following a ‘cutting-edge’ project to make ICT and homework more fun.
Led by the ICT department head Lindsey Dedaniec, 120 year nine students at Accrington Academy made individual games from scratch, using specialist technology.
The students were told they could not design violent games, but create ones that have an educational purpose.
Despite the strict guidelines, Lindsey said the boys in particular would spend hours and hours after school building them.
And as part of the ICT09-Mission Go course they used a virtual learning platform, ‘itslearning’, to work on the games in their own time.
Using ‘itslearning’ the students were able to view tutorials, notes and videos when they needed help after school.
By deadline day they had created countless problem solving games.
The students filmed themselves and loaded the footage into the games to give instructions to the players and created riddles to unlock keys to the next stage.
Lindsey, who was nominated for a global award from ‘itslearning’ after introducing the system into the Queen’s Road West School, said: “One of the challenges of teachers is to get homework out of students.
“But with this project we didn’t have that problem.
“The students carried on with their games in their own time. They had to create two levels and came up with different ideas. The students, the boys in particular, took the opportunity after school and would spend hours and hours working on them.
“This has been about carrying out research, learning theory and the curriculum, using something they are interested in.
The project has come as the Education Secretary Michael Gove announced he was scrapping the existing ICT curriculum and replacing it with a new course in Computer Science which teach industry-based skills.
Comments(12)
David09
says...
12:00pm Wed 18 Jan 12
Graham Hartley
says...
11:11pm Wed 18 Jan 12
J.Stephens
says...
3:44pm Fri 20 Jan 12
Graham Hartley
says...
5:23pm Fri 20 Jan 12
Graham Hartley
says...
5:33pm Fri 20 Jan 12
Have it?
Polyester Slacks
says...
2:35pm Tue 24 Jan 12
Graham Hartley
says...
10:00pm Wed 25 Jan 12
Polyester Slacks wrote:Poly divines correctly that I am an acidic critic of what passes for education in schools.
It would appear that Mr. Hartley has not visited any schools recently and I very much doubt he is allowed near any. He obviously has no passion for the subject, mistaking ICT or IT or ITC. His reference of "corduroys" is a little out of date too, has he visited a school recently? I'm sure that when the School comes to buying any Raspberry kit Mr. Hartley will be at the forefront with his briefcase and business card in tow.
ITC and sometimes ITc I use to show that the control element is not central to the enterprise, as it appears to be if I use the ICT acronym.
A corduroy is a term used in the IT business to describe any outdated process or its proponents.
Though Poly may doubt that I am allowed near any, I have visited ten schools recently. I eschew briefcases and business cards, and have no interest in selling Raspberry kit.
Polyester Slacks
says...
2:04pm Thu 26 Jan 12
Polyester Slacks
says...
2:04pm Thu 26 Jan 12
Graham Hartley
says...
3:55pm Thu 26 Jan 12
Graham Hartley
says...
8:55pm Tue 31 Jan 12
Graham Hartley says...
6:58am Wed 18 Jan 12