Global Kids' Online Leadership Program

Last Friday we kicked off our first meeting for this year’s Emoti-Con! planning committee, called the Youth Action Team or A-Team.

Emoti-Con! is an annual youth digital media and technology challenge, now in its third year. On June 2, 2012, over 150 New York City youth from programs throughout the five boroughs will gather to showcase digital media and technology projects designed for the betterment of the world, be inspired by their peers, and meet professionals in the field. Youth will compete for awards in multiple categories, including most innovative and best potential for social impact.

The A-Team is comprised of a group of high school students who will be helping to plan Emoti-Con! Some of their tasks leading up to the event will include: setting the agenda, choosing guest speakers, promotion and outreach, and designing a youth-led workshop.

Continue reading "Emoti-Con! Youth Action Team Launches" »

Posted by Daria at 4:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This week, GK spent a productive day visiting The Epstein Middle School School in Atlanta, where the school has implemented a badging system beginning with their sixth grade. Global Kids, along with staff at Epstein, custom designed a badging system to support the development of independent learning skills amongst the student body, funded by the Covenant Foundation.

The system is based on the recognition that learning in the 21st Century takes place not just in classrooms, but after school and through informal uses of digital media. To develop life-long learning skills, youth need to recognize how they are learning valuable skills across these venues and how to strategically navigate these sites of learning. Badge systems are designed to provide scaffolding, motivation, and recognition.

(Youth who are working on badges at Epstein can receive a power-up to miss certain classes to work on their next badge. They must wear this tag on the right to identify themselves.)

Continue reading "Working on Badges in Atlanta" »

Posted by Daria at 9:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In this week's Playing 4 Keeps, youth blogged about their experience going to E-Line Media to go behind the scenes of Gamestar Mechanic last week. You can read their entries here.

One entry to highlight is Kendell’s, who wrote:
Our trip to E-Line Media taught me a lot about the complex process of creating a chapter for Gamestar Mechanic and also about the many different jobs there are at E-Line. I learned how each member of E-Line contributes something to the finished product, whether it be the dialogue or the expression on the characters’ faces, and that the process involves a great deal of give and take. In the end, the team at E-Line Media will have produced a chapter that along with conveying the right message to the player, is appealing to everyone.

Youth spent the majority of the session designing their own challenge around a serious issue, except they did it entirely with paper and pen, rather than online. One group chose global warming as an issue and another group chose violence prevention. Each group brainstormed a story narrative and then wrote or drew out each step on index cards, including an intro, missions, and outro, in keeping with Gamestar Mechanic’s usual challenge format.

Continue reading "Playing 4 Keeps - 11th Session" »

Posted by Daria at 9:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Our trip to E-line Media taught me a lot about the complex process of creating a chapter for Gamestar Mechanic and also about the many different jobs there are at E-line. I learned how each member of E-line contributes something to the finished product, whether it be to the dialogue or the expressions on the characters' faces, and that the process involves a great deal of give and take. In the end, the team at E-line Media will have produced a chapter that along with conveying the right message to the player, is appealing to everyone.

Posted by KendellP4K at 4:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This week, after quite a build up, the Playing For Keeps youth leaders traveled across town to the home of Gamestar Mechanic, the offices of E-Line Media!

The youth met with web designers, graphic designers and programmers, seeing all the "behind the scenes" of Gamestar Mechanic, then met to review the development process used by the professionals.

They were wonderful hosts, enthusiastic to share with us about their work and how the youth leaders can get involved as we move forward in our collaboration with them to create a social impact game design challenge.

To view the rest of the photos, click here.

Posted by Barry Joseph at 1:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)