Subject: Games + School Reform

Posted by Jane Tedder on 10/6/2008
In Reply To:Games + School Reform Posted by Linda Booth Sweeney on 10/6/2008

Message:

Greetings,

I have had good experience with “Friday Night in the ER.” I have used the game with groups of administrators in school systems of various sizes. The hospital environment and the use of external invasive elements are close to the kinds of worlds that school systems face. However, I like the fact that having the non-school world as the context encourages participants from breaking away from education world language and givens. Discussion and reflection during and post game is then more easily focused on the systemic realities that discourage change and impede good results.



The game is fun to play; participants get quite engrossed. One caveat to consider, though, is that it requires up to three hours to play the game and explore the implications of the results. Trying to do it in less time will lead to disgruntlement and poor learning results.

Jane Tedder

Follow Ups:

Games + School Reform - James Barnes 10/6/2008 
Games + School Reform - Jane Tedder 10/8/2008
Games + School Reform - Linda Booth Sweeney 10/8/2008