NASAGA - Games and Simulations

DESIGN Certificate Program

Coordinated by Matthew Richter and his crew

Note: There are two certificate programs and this one is on the design of games, activities, and simulations for education and training. The other one is on facilitation. You cannot take both certification programs simultaneously.
This certificate program provides an opportunity for NASAGA 2008 conference participants to gain professional credibility in the area of design of games, activities, and simulations for education and training. Previous participants reported real value in working and learning with experienced game designers to focus their conference experience on the specific skills they wanted to build.
There are three parts to this certificate program:
A pre-conference workshop on the design of games, activities, and simulations
At this workshop, participants will explore basic concepts related to the design of educational and training activities. They will have hands-on experience in the design and development of games, activities, and simulations. At the end of the workshop, each participant will identify a specific design project to focus her or his work for the rest of the conference.
Five selected sessions
During the rest of the conference, participants will attend at least five concurrent sessions to acquire experiences and techniques to more effectively complete their design project.
There will also be opportunities to meet with others in the program as well as session presenters throughout the conference to share daily insights.
Presentation of design plan
During the last day of the conference, participants will present their projects and plans in a wrap-up session.
Optional follow-up activity
As a design certificate program participant, you are strongly encouraged to write up your game, activity, or simulation for publication in Simages (or some other professional journal). The workshop team and the Simages editorial board will assist you with their editorial feedback.
Workshop materials
All participants will receive a copy of Design Your Own Games and Activities (published by Jossey Bass and selling for $57). They will also have access to the resources at the NASAGA website and to another website with hundreds of training games and thousands of pages of materials on the design of learning activities.