Cool+School+(Erin)

The game I played for the educational review was the online game, //Cool School//. This is a great game for elementary students, especially the lower grades like K-1. //Cool School// allows the player to select an area of a school (playground, gym, cafeteria, etc…) and watch a very short scenario/situation. The player then gets to select what would be the appropriate action for one of the characters to take as conflict resolution.

The players can learn a lot about resolving conflicts. The students would learn examples of what and what not to do during similar situations within their real environments. The game also allows them the opportunity to possibly see how their decisions may affect their peers. To be successful, the player needs to know the different options available in situations that can occur in the school setting and be able to make the appropriate decisions.



//Cool School// teaches through feedback. Players are given choices of how to resolve the situation (i.e. tell the teacher, push their way in line, or explain turn-taking). Each choice is accompanied by a video of what could take place if the characters did as the player chose, whether correct or incorrect. This helps the students better comprehend which one would make the better choice. There were quite a bit of the Learning Principles present in the online game. For students, //Cool School// definitely had the achievement aspect as a reward system. For each situation that is resolved, the player receives a trophy and a letter of the alphabet (part of completing the game). Between scenarios, the students can see their “trophy room” and view the letters of the alphabet that they have been rewarded. There is also definitely a transfer principle found with the game. Once the students determine the best choices, they can transfer them into their “real” lives and implement them into their everyday school lives. The players are actively engaged in making the decisions and seeing the outcomes of their choices. This part also allows them to probe the possibilities and rethink them as necessary. The probing also brings in the “psychosocial moratorium” as they can make the choices they wouldn’t always make as themselves to see what the outcomes can be if they chose the wrong one.

This game would be of great use in an early elementary classroom, in my opinion. It is full of fun characters that the students can relate to and offers a lot of choices of “where to go”. As a teacher, I would use this periodically throughout the school year, especially at the beginning, to teach and reinforce Kelso’s Choices/conflict resolution to the students. The school counselors (at least here in Forest Grove), spend several weeks talking about conflict resolution and Kelso’s choices with the students. This game would be a great review after sessions with the counselor. I would also implement it as “defensive driving” for students that are having difficulties with conflicts and need to be reminded of possible resolutions.

media type="youtube" key="m0eX4td3j0s" width="560" height="315"

(Photo 1: [] ) (Video: [] )