Upcoming Conferences: page 2
Looking forward to seeing you there

Are Preservice Students Gamers?: page 3
simSurvey 2005

Meet Me at the MUVEES: page 5
An Interview with Chris Dede

Games as Construction Zones: page 8
An Interview with Dr. Idit Harel

Webcast features simSchool: page 11
Innovate Webcast

Pilot Testing: page 12

Register: page 13

simSchool Newsletter: Bill Halverson, David Gibson, Melanie Zibit, Mark Favazza

Good morning class!

  This fall, simSchool is being piloted and improved to make it ready for public release. in Spring 2006. So stay tuned!

This issue shares what twenty teacher education faculty across the country told us when they piloted simSchool in September. We are listening to their insights and advice, making changes in simSchool and then re-piloting with their preservice students in November. simSchool thanks ISTE for their contribution to our pilot efforts. As a simSchool partner, ISTE is helping build working relationships within their vast network of technology-using educators.

As in every issue, simZine serves as a window into research related to games and simulations in education. Inside this issue are interviews with two reknown researchers and developers - Dr. Chris Dede from Harvard's Graduate School of Education and Idit Harel the founder of MaMaMedia. Read what intrigues them about games and simulations for learning, what they see as the benefits for education, and their unique efforts developing educational games and simulations. Both interviews are the first installment of a two-part series with each expert, so watch for the next issue to complete these informative interviews.

Also check out the survey results on preservice students' attitudes toward games and simulations in the classroom! SimSchool is preparing an article about this preliminary research into the question "Are today's teachers gamers? and How do gamer teachers think?" Watch for news about two upcoming books - one with research articles and the other stories from the field about educational games and simulations development edited by David Gibson, Clark Aldrich and Mark Prensky.

One indicator of increased awareness and use of games and simulations in education is the growing number of conferences that serve as forums for researchers, developers and users to share and further their efforts. See page two for conferences where simSchool will be. See you there!

Please feel free to be in touch with us with feedback, ideas for future issues, and to tell us of your own work developing and using games and simulations in education. We'd love to publish you!

simSchool.. a powerful online learning experience
that builds confidence in the classroom.