In this workshop we will explore how to use free digital games such as Fort McMoney and Inside the Haiti Earthquake to engage students in the social, political, economic and environmental issues related to complex topics such as oil development projects, disaster relief, and climate change. For example, the game Fort McMoney weaves in documentary footage as players take on the role of a reporter writing a story on the boomtown Fort McMurray and the adjacent oil sands development project in Alberta, Canada (www.fortmcmoney.com). Workshop participants will experience the games firsthand through guided gameplay and will contribute to a discussion about how to use the games effectively in the classroom in a variety of subject areas and grade levels (free student activities will also be provided). Please bring your own device and headphones - the games are compatible with Windows, Mac and Chromebook devices (Fort McMoney can also be played as an App on iOS). For more information please go to www.changegamer.ca.Bio:
Mike Farley has been teaching middle and high school Geography and Social Studies for 14 years in the Toronto District School Board and currently at University of Toronto Schools. He has been using digital games with his classes for over 10 years, and in 2013 founded ChangeGamer, an organization comprised of teachers and academics who are passionate about game-based learning (www.changegamer.ca). In 2014, the Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS) presented Mike with the 'Innovation in Geography Teaching' award, the highest honor for Geography teaching in Canada.
