Peer Review

Quest to Learn: Developing the School for Digital Kids

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Reviewed:: Feb 14, 2017 by Teacher Education

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:

This is a free textbook that is offered by Amazon for reading on a Kindle. Anybody can read Kindle books—even without a Kindle device—with the free Kindle app for smartphones and tablets. Download the app for your device and start reading for free.

'Quest to Learn, an innovative school for grades 6 to 12 in New York City, grew out of the idea that gaming and game design offer a promising new paradigm for curriculum and learning. The designers of Quest to Learn developed an approach to learning that draws from what games do best: drop kids into inquiry-based, complex problem spaces that are built to help players understand how they are doing, what they need to work on, and where to go next. Content is not treated as dry information but as a living resource; students are encouraged to interact with the larger world in ways that feel relevant, exciting, and empowering. Quest to Learn opened in the fall of 2009 with 76 sixth graders. In their first semester, these students learned -- among other things -- to convert fractions into decimals in order to break a piece of code found in a library book; to use atlases and read maps to create a location guide for a reality television series; and to create video tutorials for a hapless group of fictional inventors. This research and development document outlines the learning framework for the school, making the original design available to others in the field. Elements in development include a detailed curriculum map, a budget, and samples of student and teacher handbooks.

Type of Material:

Open Textbook

Recommended Uses:

The methodology outlined in this book can be applied to schools, individual classes, or school districts. It would be helpful for individual or team discussions for professional development or policy making decisions.

Technical Requirements:

Kindle reader or a Kindle app installed on any device. While the electronic version is free, the user must have an Amazon.com account to download the eBook. Readers can use Macs or PCs, Tablets or Smartphones using the Kindle app.

Identify Major Learning Goals:

This is a report on how the NYC school "Quest to Learn" was created as a learner-centered school. An approach to learning that draws from gamfication principles such that learners can apply inquiry-based learning to solve complex problems.

Target Student Population:

Professional development for teachers, policy-making for innovative administrators and other stakeholders in schools. The text would be informative for parents of 6-12 grade learners.

Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:

Ability to use eReader software. Knowledge of teaching and learning as well as 21st century skills/approaches would be helpful.

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:: The report describes how a new school was created as a learner-centered school based on inquiry and complex problem-solving using principles of gamification. Provides guidelines, curriculum, and theory so that this model can be replicated to other schools and learning situations. Much of the eBook topic is presented in list format making it easy to follow the guidelines. The book is well-written, comprehensive, detailed, and well-organized.
Concerns:: Some background in 21st century skills/approaches would be helpful in order to fully understand this book.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:: This is an R&D document that outlines the school's framework such that others can design a similar curriculum in their communities. It is a good example of how design thinking can be used to bring innovative ideas to teaching and learning Good example of how problem-based learning and gamification can be applied to an entire curriculum.
Concerns:: Target audience may be limited to those choosing similar approaches at their schools.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:: The material is easy to access from the appropriate link on the Amazon.com website. It is free and available for download.
Concerns:: Only available free if you order online and use Amazon's apps. Otherwise, a paper copy can be ordered (not free of charge). The Amazon Kindle eReader software may be a little frustrating if one is used to scrolling down rather than across when reading on-screen. One must have Amazon software (Kindle) and an Amazon account before going forward.

Other Issues and Comments:: Although this is a free report in electronic form, it may be purchased in print for $20. Whether electronic or print, one must have an Amazon.com account in addition to the Amazon Kindle software.
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