Katie Salen on the Power of Game-Based Learning (Big Thinkers Series)

Big Thinkers Video Series

Some of the most compelling visionaries in the world -- from Sir Ken Robinson to Jane Goodall to Martin Scorsese -- are focusing their attention on how to improve education. From innovative classroom concepts to suggestions on how to foster creativity and collaboration, they share their valuable insights for teaching and learning and illuminate new solutions to old problems.
Get inspired by their big ideas.

More Edutopia Coverage on Game-Based Learning:

• BLOG: Gamifying Student Engagement

  Social studies teacher and ed techie Matthew Farber outlines the basics of gamification and suggests how they can be used to engage students in a game-centric world.

• BLOG: How to Build Curriculum Units Using the Video Game Model

  Blogger Andrew Miller shows educators some specific techniques for building a game structure across different subjects.

• BLOG: The Games Pupils Play

  Former Edutopia contributing editor Owen Edwards wrote this blog about Quest to Learn and Katie Salen's work when the school first opened in 2009.

The New York-based Quest to Learn school has continued to grow and evolve since its founding in 2009, and now the model is being remixed in Chicago at ChicagoQuest. Katie Salen continues her work with both schools as executive director of the Institute of Play. Institute of Play also offers a great page with resources for educators about game-based learning. In addition, Katie has since moved on from Parsons the New School for Design to become a professor in the School of Computing and Digital Media at DePaul University in Chicago. Keep up to date with Katie Salen and Institute of Play on Twitter.

Visit the Big Thinkers series page to see more videos.