[Edu]State vs National standards

Tue May 30 17:56:43 EDT 2006

I'd be willing to help with MD, PA and VA.  I'm a licensed teacher in 
all 3.  Going to teacher conferences is a good idea also; presenting 
about what I do in my classroom with games is on my list of things to 
do.  I have one presentation that I've done using state science 
standards to convince people that playing Roller Coaster Tycoon in class 
is a good idea (although I don't do it in science classes necessarily; 
I've done it in computer literacy classes).
I think it is too late this year to submit proposals for the CEC 
Conference next year, but that is also a good place to target...  their 
conference pulls in people from all over the world, and if you did a 
poster session presentation (I found those the most worthwhile, although 
Looney Games would definitely lend themselves to a demonstration 
presentation!), combined with a small table to sell games you could get 
a lot of attention and make money.  Especially with that 30% discount.

Magi

Laurie Menke wrote:

> I don't know how many states use the ITBS...I know it's a lot, so your 
> idea would be useful as well.  But in California, we have the STAR 
> testing system which is written specifically to fit California state 
> standards.  My guess is that there are many states that have their own 
> testing systems as well, and that those would be the states that 
> really focus heavily on standards.
>
> As for the enormity of the task of linking each state's standards to 
> LL games, I really don't think it would be *that* huge of a task.  It 
> will definitely take time...don't get me wrong.  I would estimate 
> about 60 hours of work initially.  But after that, it's just a matter 
> of keeping up as states change their standards.  If most states are 
> like California, then the standards change every several years.  So 
> let's assume as many as 15 or 20 states will need updating per year.  
> Since we'll already have the template and know what we're looking for, 
> that might mean another 10 hours or so of updating per year.  So, yes, 
> that's a lot of work, but marketing-wise you'd get a lot of bang for 
> your buck.  Even if you had to pay someone to do it at, say, $10 an 
> hour, you're talking $600 start-up and $100 a year after that for the 
> thing that will probably most sell school administrators on LL 
> products.  Make the brochure of ideas to sell the teachers.  Make the 
> link to standards to sell the administrators.  Get out and play the 
> games with teachers at teacher's conventions, and you should do some 
> pretty brisk sales.  :o)
>
> That all said, I would be interested in helping out with some of that 
> this summer...either with the standards, the brochure, the 
> conventions, or all of the above.  If you'd like my help, then send me 
> a private e-mail and we can set up the details.  :o)
>
> Laurie
>
>
>
> */Carol Townsend <carol at looneylabs.com>/* wrote:
>
>     In some ways, it's just a huge task to FIND the standards for each
>     state. I've found (www.edstandards.org ) and it seems to be a pretty
>     good, up-to-date site... or at least as up-to-date as the associated
>     links are. But yes... this would be huge task.
>
>     Let me ask: how many states use things like the Iowa Test of Basic
>     Skills? Having grown up in Iowa, I know what they're like, having
>     graduated from HS in New York, I know they're given all the way out
>     there and having taught in MN and IL, I know they're here too. So,
>     are they pretty ubiquitous? Do many states use them? Are there other
>     tests that are more widely used?
>
>     Benchmarks for the ITBS are here:
>     http://www.state.ia.us/educate/ecese/nclb/doc/ccsb.html . Would it be
>     good to use these instead of national standards since many schools use
>     tests - and therefore if our games help reach test benchmarks they're
>     going to help in classes?
>
>     Am I just beating around the same bush?
>
>     Carol
>
>
>
>     On 5/30/06, Pat Fuge - Gnome Games wrote:
>     >
>     >
>     > I agree with Laurie - each game should have a way to relate to every
>     > specific state that there are standards for so that teachers can
>     grab and
>     > play and ensure the games meet their state standards, allow them
>     to improve
>     > their students benchmark performance etc.
>     >
>     > But this is a monumental task - 49 states per game with
>     ever-changing
>     > verbage can be more than a full time job. (Iowa doesn't have
>     standards yet
>     > as that is a local government responsibility)
>     >
>     > Perhaps there is a way that someone in each state can work
>     backwards to LL
>     > to help you guys out? I know we do lesson plans for many of the
>     games
>     > already but they are WI specific.
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     > Pat Fuge
>     >
>     > Gnome Games
>     >
>     > (920) 499-4263
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >
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