Hurrah! The Adventure Author Teachers' Handbook is beginning to evolve and I am gradually posting chapters on our new Teaching Materials page. Eventually this will become one hefty tome, but we hope you will want to read the whole thing, especially the theoretical bits (promise we'll keep them light, but they're vitally important!). You will be able to download the chapters singly to help you with each stage of a project, as well as having the option to download the complete collection. There will be video tutorials to help with some of the technical stuff, and short exemplar games to go with some of the sections, in case you want to demo the principles or techniques of a given chapter.
The following chapters are now available:
Introduction - sets the scene with thoughts about the role of Adventure Author and NWN2 in the 21st century curriculum
Section 1: Working with the Software
Getting Started - Time to Play! Important thoughts about the value of play and the importance of the children teaching each other.
Gathering Ideas with the Fridge Magnets - creative planning with our touchy-feely magnets.
Setting the Scene - including thoughts about 'story locations' and 'reading pathways'.
Hooking and Helping the Player - including thoughts about visual strategies, embedded text, 'narrative vehicles' and creatures who meet and greet.
To follow soon:
Talking the Talk - using the Conversation Writer
Developing Simple Quests - setting conditions via the Conversation Writer and significant plot items.
The production line for Section 1 continues . . .
To follow in the coming weeks:
Transitions
Testing, Testing - Using the Comment Cards
Trouble Shooting
Then the Section 2 production line begins, giving all the theoretical and curricular underpinnings that any credible classroom project requires . . .
Section 2: Learning and Teaching
Learning and Teaching Matters - recommended teaching approaches; looking at the learning
Curriculum Matters - A Curriculum for Excellence: language and literacy and game design; cross-curricular opportunities
Related Language Tasks
Creativity - we have lots of stuff on this!!!
It's a slow process putting these chapters together, but we will eventually get there. We'd be very happy to know what you think of the teacher materials, whether they are helpful, whether there's anything missing, etc, so please do get in touch if you get a chance.
Cathrin, you're a real gem! Thanks so much. I can't wait to dive right in and am looking forward to the release of the new AA software installer.
Posted by: Judy Martin | Thursday, August 07, 2008 at 09:11 AM
Thank you so much for your enthusiastic welcome of these resources! I do hope you find them useful. They aren't formal teaching plans, with formal learning intentions and assessment criteria, but I think they still provide a solid base for teaching and learning. Formal plans will be added in time as separate docs where appropriate.
It's great that you are raring to go - I really look forward to hearing what you get up to when the installer is ready!
Posted by: Cathrin Howells | Friday, August 08, 2008 at 10:55 AM