Digital content developers and educational researchers discuss using games to enhance professional development for teachers. This transformative model is designed to better prepare teachers to motivate and teach in STEM areas. Teachers engage in robust, interactive game worlds to obtain crucial conceptual and procedural content understanding while enjoying console quality gaming experiences. Then, it’s only a matter of time before they’ll power up learning in the classroom.

1. tim triad • interactive • media
Dr. Scott Brewster
Victoria Van Voorhis
Mitch Weisburgh
Dr. Richard Van Eck
Powering Up STEM Professional Development with Games

2. The Big Question How can we make games
ubiquitous in schools?
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3. Professional
Development
360 approach;
Get teachers hooked first
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4. What We Know: K-8 Teachers
❖ Need improved math & science
skills
❖ Lack positive attitude about
math & science
❖ Uncomfortable with games
❖ See games as supplemental

5. We cannot change students’ math or science scores or
solve the STEM pipeline problem until we address these challenges.
Where Do We Start? Pre-Service Teachers;
In-Service Teachers
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6. So what does game-based training in
STEM look like for teachers?

7. Gamifying PD
❖ Skills & Knowledge
❖ Using Games in the Classroom
❖ Making Games a Core Part of
the Classroom Experience

8. Adopting Solutions Teacher Education Programs;
K-8 Professional Development
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9. Existing Products

16. What We’ve Learned
❖ Improved STEM knowledge &
skills
❖ Enhanced preference for STEM
disciplines
❖ Improved comfort teaching
with games

17. How to Appeal To Teachers
❖ Console quality graphics &
media
❖ Engaging narrative
❖ Cross-gender appeal

18. A Part of the Package
❖ TPACK Framework
❖ Aligned to Standards
❖ 21st Century Skills
❖ Formative Assessment; Dashboard

19. TPACK
Technological Pedagogical
Content Knowledge
Framework to understand and
describe the knowledge needed
by teachers for effective
pedagogical practice in a
technology enhanced learning
environment

20. Jordan Ellenberg
Simple, Profound Complicated, Shallow

21. Commercialization

22. Conclusion & Questions