Breaking Out and Into Cross-Curricular Collaboration
While thinking about ways to improve ICT skills at the various schools in my district, I thought about the limited technology and teaching resources available. Smart boards are rare. Having a projector in every room can be sporadic. Communication is mainly done via emails. Most Learning Commons have resources for students, but the schools in my district has limited resources for teachers. So I wondered: What would be a creative way to bolster ICT skills with limited resources? Then I remembered that a few months ago, I got to create and monitor a Breakout game.
For those who aren’t familiar, Breakout EDU games are a way to work collaboratively in groups to solve puzzles and then use clues to open locks on a box. The first to open their group’s box, wins. Overall the students had an amazing time. The teachers enjoyed the activity as well and noticed how nicely the activity linked to BC’s Core Competencies because the game itself is designed for students to communicate with each other in a group, think logically about the problem and apply what they have learned in class, and work together as a group to solve the problem.
I would push the Breakout Edu further and explore each department for what they had to offer. Why not have the wood working class build the physical boxes? Why not have students from different Humanities 8 classes create one for another Humanities 8 class. Then have another class make up the clues, test it and provide feedback (see example here). There is an opportunity here for student, teachers and teacher-librarians to work collaboratively together, across all curriculums.
Digital Breakout
So what does this have to do with ICT skills and providing professional curriculum-based resources? I decided I would dig a little deeper to see if Breakout games could be digitized, and if they could help meet ICT professional needs in my district. I was not disappointed by my discoveries.
Teacher and students can improve their ICT skills and create a Breakout game anytime, as long as they have access to computer, iPad, or smart phone. Digital Breakout EDU has resources for digital games, but if you aren’t into paying for content, then there are other ways you can create your own. Syliva Duckworth has create a breakout digital game for Canadian content. This can be done completely online and you could even use video chat programs, use Google hangouts and Google docs to share information with each other. You can even put the clues on smart boards, if those are available. If the game is digitized, students can play on their smartphones in the classroom.
Break into Collaboration
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The best part about online digital breakout games is that they can be used to work collaboratively with other students, teachers, classes, schools, and across the country, or even the world. This is a resource that, once created, can be played at any time and across all curriculums. Teacher-librarians could work collaboratively to have both online and physical breakout games. The physical games can be stored in library for all to use, and the online ones can be linked through the Learning Common website. If they are readily available, then students can even sign them out, or play the digital games at home with their families.
The biggest advantage is that it’s fun. I’ve played them, created them, and lead a class through the activity and students do enjoy them. Breakout games provide a wonderful opportunity for students, teachers and teacher-librarians to create content and curriculum-based learning, and even learn a few new ICT skills while they are at it.
To Teach a Librarian 