Pilot a New iPad Game from GlassLab and the National Writing Project

Have the young people you work with put their powers of persuasion to the test with Mars Generation One: Argubot Academy.

GlassLab is looking for ELA and STEM educators and summer program leaders to pilot and provide feedback on a brand new iPad game to teach argumentation and reasoned thinking. Designed in collaboration with the National Writing Project and NASA, Argubot Academy transports players to Mars in the year 2054, where they will live among people in the planet’s first city, and learn how to be an informed citizen and responsible leader.

Players take on the persona of a new student at Argubot Academy, the city’s middle school. There, each player will have to make very adult decisions about the building and governance of the city. For example: Where will the citizens get their protein? Which pets are best suited to the environment on Mars? Can robots really understand human emotion and meaning? Players have to build sound arguments for every choice they make – but in this city on Mars, people settle their differences by equipping robot assistants called argubots with claims and evidence for battles of the wits.

In the game, players will methodically construct their argubots, and in the process, they will learn critical higher-order reasoning skills required for success in today’s world, such as: how to match evidence to claims, how to make a valid argument, how to recognize the strengths of different types of arguments, and how to make decisions collaboratively.

While youth play, educators can access dashboards to get real-time feedback on progress and achievement mapped to Common Core Standards for Reading & Writing. If you’re an educator innovator interested in participating in the pilot, check out the details below and sign up now, or send an email to Tamas Makany at tamas@instituteofplay.org to take part in this out-of-this world experience! And stay tuned for more opportunities to pilot games from GlassLab and the National Writing Project!

Details

* Pilot Period: June – July 2014

* Access: Download the free App here!

* Grade level: Grades 6-8

* Subject matter: ELA and STEM

* Time commitment: 2 x 30-45 minute sessions and a short survey

* Tech requirements: iPads 2 and up

To learn more or sign up, visit GlassLabs Playtest with Us