One Planet Education Network Launches the First in Its Series of 21st Century Global Challenges for Kids
Boston, MA (PRWEB) August 05, 2013 -- One Planet Education Network (OPEN), a leading provider of online multiplayer adventure learning games that engage and inspire kids to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills, today announced the first in its series of complementary international distance learning events.
OPEN and Small Solutions – Big Ideas are hosting the International Distance Learning Summer Camp from July 19th to August 2nd, during which students from the Mission Society Power Academy (PS 79X Elementary School) in New York City and two summer science clubs in Kenya (Nairobi and Bungoma) will remotely access OPEN’s “Saving the Black Rhino - Mkomazi” multiplayer adventure learning game.
With the support of the US Department of Education, the National Science Foundation, and Mkomazi National Park in Tanzania, OPEN has created Saving the Black Rhino – Mkomazi, targeting 10-15 year old students. The story backdrop is about human civilization in sub-Saharan Africa colliding with unique species of Rhino, which in turn collides with a multi-billion dollar black market in animal parts trade. OPEN’s Rhino gameplay illuminates all of the stakeholders in this complex world of endangered species preservation and seeks to inspire young players with the knowledge gained through gameplay to develop practical solutions that can be applied in their own communities.
“This summer camp is the first in a series of planned International Distance Learning programs which utilizes OPEN’s multiplayer role-playing games as a primary learning and training tool. Our games and related international programs based on real world topics are designed so that children will obtain skills to succeed in a fully interconnected planet and take on difficult global issues that challenge our civilization,” said George Newman, CEO, of One Planet Education Network.
In OPEN's realistic park environments, students apply learned content to authentic apprenticeship roles across a diversity of disciplines, including environmental field research, energy conservation consulting, archaeology, and engineering. Navigating these storylines through time-travel, students become protagonists in the story of human history, and at critical junctures will be given the opportunity to explore possible outcomes of their decision-making. This allows them to think critically about the past, present, and future.
For students in the complementary Distance Learning program series, this virtual experience will culminate in a collaboratively written position paper for the world leaders. Authored by students, this paper will take virtual knowledge, experience, and insight, and apply it constructively to the real world.
OPEN’s educational 3D learning environments integrate STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), social studies content, and USA Common Core state standards with game narratives based on real places and scenarios that address important challenges of the 21st century.
“Learning is changing and teaching needs to keep pace,” said Wenaud Ronelus, a science teacher and organizer of the Bronx Science Club. “Children today need classroom tools that engage and inspire them to solve complex problems and develop critical thinking skills. OPEN’s virtual 3D multiplayer platform provides the type of realism seen in today’s video games but with storylines that are designed to teach environmental responsibility while stimulating creative problem solving. The intensity of gameplay between students underscores how effective a teaching tool the OPEN adventure games can be with upper elementary and middle school students.”
About One Planet Education Network:
One Planet Education Network (OPEN) is a leading provider of online multiplayer adventure learning games that engage and inspire kids to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills. OPEN’s mission is to transform teaching and learning by combining the power of 3D virtual video games with educationally rich storylines that challenge children and inspire a 24x7 passion for learning.
Visit us at http://www.oneplaneteducation.com, like us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/oneplanetEN) and follow us on Twitter: @OnePlanetEN.
George Newman, One Planet Education Network (OPEN), http://www.oneplaneteducation.com, +1 (617) 818-7514, [email protected]
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