For the past several weeks, the Institute of Play has focused its efforts on working with its new and existing teaching faculty. The first week was devoted to working through fundamental concepts related to game-based learning, design thinking and the ins and outs of founding and running a new school. The new 7th grade teachers, learning strategists, Director of Wellness and school secretary are a talented and diverse group, with a range of interests, backgrounds and skill sets. We look forward to working with them and we know they're eager to share!

“The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” - Alan Key

Expert practitioners, academics, activists, representatives from non-profits and game designers were gathered this week at the annual Games for Change festival in New York. Under discussion and debate was the games as a meaningful agent for social change, the impact of current games for social change and the future and transformative power of games and learning.

A lot of discussion evolved around mobile games and learning. As University of Madison assistant professor and researcher Kurt Squire pointed out, "With mobile devices, we can take kids out of the walls we’ve put up around them, that currently keep them from participating." Squired explained similarities between the process of playing and designing games to the process of designing and a community. In both activities stake holders must: identify resources, invent and change rule systems, achieve competencies and level up, plan strategies and ultimately organize their community. "This makes games a mechanism to participate in the world—as you become competent you want to do something about what you see happening around you."

Matthew Kam and Subhi Quraishi of ZMQ, also joined the conversation, presenting their work and research using mobile games to make education more accessible to children. Specifically in India, where child labor frequently prevents kids from going to school. As they pointed out in their presentation, mobile devices allow children to learn outside of the formal school setting. They also underlined the importance of a human-centered design process that focuses on the local culture and its needs.

This week marked the launch of Mobo Studio, the Institute of Play and Q2L's afterschool enrichment program. With a focus on digital citizenship, creativity and design for mobile platforms, Mobo Studio extends Q2L's focus on tinkering, problem-solving, creating, and inventing. In a studio-like environment, Mobo Studio brings together experts in their fields to empower Q2L students to take on the roles of designers, inventors and creativity specialists. This trimester, an amazing group of collaborators will come together to present our pod offerings— Pearson Foundation Mobile Learning Institute, Mark Ecko's Sweat Equity Enterprises and the Education Development Center. We're also cooking up something special with the art and technology center Eyebeam, called "Super Design Wednesdays."

The classes or "pods" include Comics, Character and Creativity, Generating Buzz, Mobile Fashion and Super Sleuths. Each pod is taught (or in some cases co-taught) by a hand-picked teacher-mentor who is eager to help kids learn new things. In the comics pod, work will be geared towards exploring drawing, designing characters and writing dialogue, with students using everything from paint brushes to digital pens as tools. Generating Buzz, a collaboration with Marc Ecko's Sweat Equity Enterprises, introduces students to the branding process, walking kids through the design cycle step-by-step, from brainstorming ideas to creating in-store displays. The fashion pod examines fashion as a communication system for the mobile generation. Students will make clothes that will not only carry mobile devices but also use them to communicate with one another using Bluetooth and encoded messages. The six-week pod, Super Sleuths, is presented in collaboration with the Education Development Center. Its focus—on playtesting science games—will help students think critically about games and what they teach them. Read more about Mobo's teacher-mentors on the Mobo team page. If you are in the NYC area and have sewing equipment or supplies to donate, please complete our online form or email William Moyet, Director of Afterschool: wmoyet@q2l.org.