Globaloria Student Recognized for Game Design Work at Carnegie Hall

Last Friday (May 31st), Matthew Samples of Tygarts Valley High School was recognized for his game design work at New York City's Carnegie Hall for the 90th Annual Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards Ceremony. Matthew's silver medal-winning game, Carl and Carly's Big Day, was created in Globaloria with partner Brittany Shrader, who was unable to attend the events in New York.

Prior to attending the ceremony, Matt and his teacher, Mrs. Diane White went on a bus tour of the Big Apple and stopped by World Wide Workshop's headquarters for lunch.

Special guests to the Carnegie Hall event included keynote speaker Sarah Jessica Parker, 2013 Alumni Achievement Award Honoree Zac Posen, Terrance Hayes, and Usher. There was also a video message from First Lady Michelle Obama.

Over 230,000 entries were submitted for judging in the Video Games category this year, with just over 1,800 awarded silver and gold medals. The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards were created to identify teenagers with exceptional creative talent and bring their remarkable work to a national audience.

Thanks to Scholastic for making sure Mrs. White and her student were able to attend the event.

Here are a few photos from their visit to New York City:

Congratulations to Matthew, Brittany and Diane!

I get a little jealous!

Okay, I can't help it!  Sometimes I get jealous and what is bad I was jealous of two of my mentees recently. 

Sophia from the Boys and Girls Smythe Clubhouse in California and Zander from The Young Women's Leadership School of Astoria in New York were able to take their students to present at Google offices in their cities.  How awesome for those students!  
 
Students in California visited the Mountain View location and students in New York visited the New York City offices.
 
Through the years with Globaloria my students have presented to a variety of audiences and what a great experience for them.  Now these two groups were able to present to Google representatives. This is a great way for students to build their confidence and get expert feedback. Yeah Sophia and Zander for taking your students.

Make opportunities for your students to present to others, even if it is for other teachers.  The more they present the better they get and the better their games tend to get. 

Globeys Deadline: Tuesday 4/30

Reminder: Hidden Object Games nominations are due Tuesday, April 30.

You can nominate 1 Hidden Object Game per Globaloria class you teach. Students submitting team games to the Globeys are also eligible for the Hidden Object Game competition.

Click here for directions on submitting a nomination.

Don't let your students miss out on the opportunity to win great prizes for their Hidden Object game!

Mini-Workshop Survey!

Hi Everybody!

Hope you had a great weekend. Just wanted to remind everyone about the Mini-Workshop survey we put together to improve our Professional Development program for next year. If you haven't already, please take 5 minutes to fill out the survey and help us help you!

2012-13 Mini Workshop Survey


Thanks in advance!

Yvonne

The Globeys: How to Nominate Games

This year the Globeys Game Design Competition includes an award for Best Hidden Object Game. We are asking YOU to nominate the top games from your students by April 30.

Here's how:

Log into LMP & click Globey Entries

    Select Hidden Object Game as the Competition. Check off a student to nominate him or her for consideration in the next round of review.  Each teacher gets 1 nomination for the number of Globaloria class sections they teach. You can apply these however you would like.

   Nominated students will be reviewed by our judging committee & winners will be awarded a prize at the Globey Awards Ceremony in the spring.

Globaloria Students Work Overtime

Last Saturday, 45 students and 3 teachers at Overfelt High School in San Jose, CA, put in extra hours of programming to accelerate the development of their Globaloria games. Spirits were high -- fueled by pizza! -- and the successful Hackathon resulted in completion of many programming milestones.  

Bravo to these hard workers!

 

An Overfelt HS student hacks away at his Globaloria game.

 Interested in scheduling a Hackathon at your school? Email kara@worldwideworkshop.org.

Straight from the Help Desk! -- March Edition

Picture courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Happy Wednesday everyone!

It is March, and that means that Globey deadlines are approaching soon. The next big deadline for many of your students in the Game Demo, due in early April. For a full list of deadlines for your area, please see any of the following links.

Via the World Wide Workshop homepage (available to all)
Via Globaloria Central (available to registered users, including students)
Via the Globaloria Educators platform (available to registered teachers only)

Moreover, since many of your students have been using Globaloria and programming for some time, they may need a refresher. Check out the Actionscript Cheat Sheet as a helpful reference for your students' team or hidden object games. It reviews syntax, programming topics, and some other things that your student might need for their projects.

There is a printable version of this page, as well as many other great resources on your school's Help Center!

Have a great day! =D

Famous Faces Support Students Learning to Code

What do Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, and entertainer will.i.am agree on? 

Kids need to learn computer programming.

Watch this video from code.org featuring tech leaders explaining why learning to code is so essential for today's students.

Share the video with your Globaloria classes!

Globeys Deadline: March 1

Reminder: A Globeys Deadline is Coming Up!

Paper Prototypes are due on Team Pages next Friday, March 1, for full-year students.

Did you know Globeys winners and finalists win great prizes like laptops and video games?

Don't let your students miss out on the chance to win!

Obama: Let's give more kids the opportunity to make games

On Presidents' Day, our own president was speaking out in support of programs like Globaloria.

During a Google+ Hangout open to the public, President Obama called for more in-school offerings for K12 students in game-based learning, noting that computers and video games can be a substantial force to engage students in STEM and learning in general.

"What it does is not only to prepare young people who may choose to not go to a four-year college to be job-ready," Obama said, "But it also engages kids--they feel like 'I get this, this is not just me sitting there slouching in the back of the room while somebody's lecturing.'" 

Read the article here.

Fresh from the Help Desk!

Hi everyone! Here is a tip for you and your students that may help your run your class. A feature that we introduced this year to the Help Desk is the ability to connect your Google Account to the Help Desk.

If you or your students already have a Help Desk account, you can continue to use that. However if you do not, there is a new option available. It's really easy:

• To go the log-in page for the Help Desk in the upper righthand of the screen.
• At the log-in page, click "Sign in using Google"
• If you haven't signed in, sign in when prompted.
• Allow the Help Desk to connect your account.

When you preform these steps, if you don't have an account associated with that email, a new one will be created, and you can click the Google button to log-in.

If you already have an account, you can also perform these steps in order to log in with the Google button.

For more tips, check out the your school wiki's Help Center and the Help Desk's Knowledge Base.

As always, if  you have any questions, feel free to message the Help Desk!

REMINDER: Mid-Year Virtual Academy - January 26th, 2013 - 11am - 2pm EST

Make a projectile game using our new step-by-step video tutorial!

 

Spend an hour on your game before the session (You will have additional time to work with live support at the academy)

Post your work by January 25th


 View agenda, tutorial, and prize info on the
January 2013 Virtual Academy Page

Join us in the Virtual Classroom Next Saturday!

Adobe Connect Room

Globeys News: Due Dates Have Changed

Globeys News | Globeys due dates for full-year classes have changed.

The new Paper Prototype due date is March 1

The new Game Demo due date is April 5

Please notify your students of the new deadlines!

Keep up the good work!

 And get excited to celebrate your students' games at the Globeys ceremony in the Spring...

Globaloria Games Wanted!

Exciting news! The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, a national competition that celebrates students’ creative talents, is inviting Globaloria teams to submit their completed games for recognition!

Please reach out to students with completed games – students from past years, or second year students – and invite them to apply. You, the teacher, can also submit a student's game on his or her behalf.

Submissions are due before December 15^th, so please circulate and encourage today!

Last year, a Globaloria student won gold prize for game design and was invited to Carnegie Hall in NYC to receive his award! Please notify your students about this once in a lifetime opportunity!

Giving Thanks, Giving Back

Globaloria is all about changing the way we learn and grow as a community. Our responsibilities as educated citizens extend outside the classroom, as we recognize our places as contributors to a globally conscious society.

Since Hurricane Sandy hit our hometown area in New York City, members of the Workshop team have been actively involved in the relief efforts. We have been collecting donations that are distributed in the affected areas and also lending a helping hand in the field.

Here I am with my trusty gloves & boots @ Randall's Island!

Last week I volunteered in an effort to clean up Randall’s Island Park, a beautiful place where many local schools take field trips.Volunteering was a nice bonding and networking experience with the others out there. It also heightened my consciousness and awareness of my place in the world. All that plastic and pollution in the water- it made me so happy to work in an office that consciously recycles. As I became tired raking, I was so grateful for my 4 limbs and strength that others may not have- and I was happy to put it to good use, as I hadn't done manual labor in awhile! 

What are you thankful for this season? Please share your stories.

Happy Thanksgiving!

-Jaime, Special Projects Coordinator at the World Wide Workshop

Announcing: Globeys 2013

We are thrilled to announce the 2012-2013 Globaloria Game Design Competitions...aka The Globeys! 

 

This celebration of student work in Globaloria culminates with an award ceremony in the spring, where outstanding students are recognized with exciting prizes! (think laptops, drawing tablets...)

NEW this year: Students do not have to register for the Globeys. To be eligible, students must upload milestone projects to their Team Page by the assigned deadline.Their Team Page now features a Globey status so students can see whether they're on track. It's easier than ever to participate!

Also, for the first time ever Hidden Object Games will be eligible for Globeys recognition. Stay tuned for more on this!

Find the deadlines for your students below & start spreading the word!

WV, TX, CA - Full Year Program

1. Paper Prototype - Jan 25
2. Game Demo - March 1
3. Game Presentation - May 15
4. Final Game - May 17  

WV - Fall Semester Program

1. Paper Prototype - Dec 10
2. Game Demo - Dec 15
3. Game Presentation - Jan 15
4. Final Game - Jan 20
   

WV - Spring Semester Program 

1. Paper Prototype - March 15
2. Game Demo - April 15
3. Game Presentation - May 15
4. Final Game -  May 17
   

NY- Full Year Program

1. Paper Prototype - March 1
2. Game Demo - May 1
3. Game Presentation - June 5
4. Final Game -  June 7
   

Send questions to competitions@globaloria.org
See past winners & more at Globaloria.org/competitions

November 13 Mini Workshop

Happy Friday Everybody!

Rock n' Roll y'all!!

Just wanted to take a minute to remind everyone about our upcoming Mini Workshop on TUESDAY November, 13 2012 at 7 pm EST (6 pm CT, 4 pm ET). The topics covered in Tuesday's session will include: How to request Professional Game Reviews, Information about this year's Globey Awards, and a lesson on Drawing & Animating in Flash!

Please complete the assignment on the November Mini Workshop page and post your work! Make sure to bring your questions to Tuesday's session.

Thanks guys!


Yvonne

REMINDER! Oct Mini Workshop TONIGHT 7pm ET

Hi All,
Just wanted to remind everyone about our Mini-Workshop tonight at 7pm ET (6pm CT, 4pm PT).

To-Dos before the session:
- Complete the Buttons assignment on the October 2012 Mini Workshop Page - Post your work! 
- Join us for a Live Q&A TONIGHT! October 9, 2012 from 7-8 PM EST (6-7 CT, 4-5 PT), in our Virtual Classroom

- Win Prizes for your participation! Flash software, drawing tablets, gift certificates and more. Click here for all the details. 

Hope to see everyone there!

Yvonne

Blogger Notice!

Teachers, have you tried to edit your students' blogs, but realized you cannot click on their posts? Don't panic, we have a fix for you! When students add their teachers as authors to their blogs, they are defaulted as Authors. This means that they can create and delete their own posts on the blog, but not the posts of the student. In order for teachers to be able to edit their students' blog posts, they need to have their students go back to the Permissions settings and change the teachers from Authors to Admin.

Here is how you do it:
Under Settings > Basic - in the section called Permissions, set the Permission for the teacher's account from "Author" to "Admin".

Don't know what I'm talking about? Then please check out this post on our revamped Knowledge Base of the Help Desk!

Happy Blogging!

Calling All Globaloria Girls!

Know an outstanding Globaloria girl? Encourage her to apply for the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) Award for Aspirations in Computing, which honors high-school women active in technology. Awardees are selected for their computing and IT aptitude, leadership ability, academic history, and plans for post-secondary education.

Prizes include:  

• $500
• Laptop computer  
• Engraved award (for student & for school)
• All expenses-paid trip to awards ceremony 

The application deadline is October 31! Find application details online, or email kara@worldwideworkshop.org for more information.