Getting Serious Games into the K-16 Classroom (Victoria Van Voorhis)

Google Tech Talk November 3, 2010 Presented by Victoria Van Voorhis. ABSTRACT Victoria Van Voorhis of Rochester, NY based Second Avenue Software will discuss the challenges in taking serious games and interactive media from the margins to the mainstream across the K-16 spectrum. Her essential question is why, given the efficacy data that we have about serious games, aren't they being integrated into the educational experience of today's students? Drawing on her years as a classroom educator, a leader in creating new media for integration into school curricula, and a business strategist she will offer a unique and multi-faceted perspective. Van Voorhis believes that solving the challenges of design and implementation of serious games are essential to scaling the potential learning outcomes. More importantly, she observes that serious games have not been developed with business models informed by effective publishing and financial sustainability strategies. Van Voorhis will provide suggestions for addressing these issues while focusing on the proven learning outcomes games offer K-16 educators and students. About the speaker: Victoria Van Voorhis has worked in the education and technology industry for more than 15 years. She is the founder and CEO of Second Avenue Software, Inc., a woman-owned business that specializes in the development of award winning interactive media and serious games for education and training. Her goal for Second Avenue Software is to creatively blend pedagogy with technology to build innovative learning environments and curriculum that empower teachers and engage students. Prior to founding Second Avenue Software, Ms. Van Voorhis was a teacher at the middle school, high school and college levels. She played a leadership role in evolving Xerox Corporation's business strategy. Ms. Van Voorhis received her undergraduate degree from Smith College and her master's degree from New York University. She resides in Pittsford, NY, with her husband and children. Second Avenue Software provides content authoring, managed and services custom development services to a wide variety of clients including Pearson Education, McGraw-Hill, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, W.W. Norton and K12. While working across many academic disciplines, Second Avenue Software has specific expertise in the development of materials for STEM. In addition to its development work, Second Avenue Software also conducts primary research regarding the educational efficacy of new media and serious games for the K-16 and corporate market. Slide presentation is available here: https://docs.google.com/a/google.com/present/view?id=0Aea18hMZqGSxZGQ4NXo2cGZfMGd4MzNwbWhu&hl=en&authkey=CMSItQY