KORCOS24

In this engaging and practical workshop, participants will learn how to create and/or revive a culture of service within their school, drawing from a real-life success story. The session begins with storytelling, where participants will hear how one school successfully revitalized its service culture by aligning it with the school’s mission and existing practices.

Participants will explore the process of involving teachers in identifying current practices, redesigning a service guide to clarify expectations for both teachers and students, and creating a unified language and vision that resonates with the entire school community.

The interactive portion of the workshop includes an activity where participants will receive an envelope containing key questions to consider when building or reviving a service culture in their own school. Before opening the envelope, participants will write down their questions on post-it notes and share them within their group. The group will then compare their questions to those in the envelope, fostering discussion about common themes and differing perspectives.

Following this, groups will conduct a SWOT analysis to assess strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to service learning in their schools. Together, participants will brainstorm three actionable steps to take back to their school to enhance or create a culture of service.

The workshop concludes with a group discussion, providing an opportunity to share insights and refine action plans. Participants will leave with practical strategies and a clear vision for fostering a service-oriented culture that is deeply rooted in their school’s mission, culture, and practices.

Outcomes:

1. Participants will learn how effective leaders assess and understand the current state of service learning within their school context.
2. Participants will discover how leaders draw on their observations and reflections to create a vision for service learning that inspire and motivates their team
3. Participants will build reflective practice skills, allowing them to continuously evaluate and enhance their approach to service learning within the school context.
4. Participants will leave the workshop with ideas on how to create and sustain a service learning culture that aligns with their school's mission and existing practices.
   

The material in many elementary science textbooks regarding electronics is somewhat outdated in terminology, materials used, and in diagramming. My aim with this workshop is to both modernize how we teach this material and to provide a deeper understanding to those tasked with teaching it. I will also demonstrate a few additional simple experiments to expand the material should a teacher wish to do so.

Outcomes:
After this session, you should have a better and more modern understanding of the material laid out in the science textbooks regarding basic electronics.

This workshop offers a unique opportunity to learn from local educators and explore the latest trends in coding, physical computing, and computational thinking.

Outcomes:
Participants will understand the basic concepts of computational thinking. Gain hands-on experience in problem-solving and algorithm design. See how small, incremental steps can lead to significant outcomes and be inspired to apply computational thinking to their own challenges.

In this interactive workshop, I will present innovative methods for incorporating board games into the history classroom to enhance student engagement, critical thinking, and understanding of historical concepts. Drawing on my experience using games such as San Juan, Ticket to Ride, Brass: Birmingham, and Axis & Allies, I will demonstrate how these games can serve as powerful educational tools for exploring significant historical events and themes.

The session will begin with a detailed presentation on how I have integrated these games into my history curriculum. Participants will learn about the specific historical content each game addresses, such as the Industrial Revolution, the development of transportation networks, and global conflicts. I will share insights into how gameplay mechanics reflect historical realities, and how these games can be used to initiate rich discussions and reflections among students.

Participants will also explore how to create reflective assignments that deepen students' understanding of history through the lens of these games. For example, we will examine Brass: Birmingham as a case study to discuss the Industrial Revolution—its economic drivers, transportation methods, and regional significance. We will also consider the game's limitations and discuss how to address what might be missing from its historical portrayal.

By the end of the workshop, participants will be equipped with practical strategies for implementing game-based learning in their own classrooms. They will also gain the tools to critically analyze the effectiveness of board games as educational resources and to design activities that make history both accessible and engaging for their students.

Outcomes:
Understanding the Role of Game-Based Learning in History Education
Participants will be able to articulate the benefits and challenges of using board games as a pedagogical tool in history education, focusing on student engagement, critical thinking, and experiential learning.
Familiarization with Specific Board Games and Historical Themes
Participants will gain familiarity with the board games San Juan, Ticket to Ride, Brass: Birmingham, and Axis & Allies, and how each game can be used to explore and reflect on different historical periods and themes, such as the Industrial Revolution and global conflicts.
Application of Historical Concepts Through Gameplay
Participants will learn how to connect the actions within the games to real historical events and processes, such as the industrial advancements in ""Brass: Birmingham"" or transportation and trade in ""Ticket to Ride.""
Critical Analysis of Game Mechanics and Historical Representation
Participants will critically analyze how effectively the games represent historical realities, including the strengths and limitations of the game ""Brass: Birmingham"" in depicting the Industrial Revolution. This will include evaluating the historical accuracy, the region chosen, and what elements may be missing or oversimplified.
Development of Reflective Assignments to Deepen Understanding
Participants will learn how to create reflective assignments that encourage students to think deeply about the historical content, the gameplay experience, and the connections between the two. This will include guiding students in making justified arguments and analyses of the games’ historical relevance.
Enhancing Teaching Strategies Through Game-Based Learning
Participants will be equipped with strategies to effectively integrate board games into their history curriculum, ensuring that the games are not only engaging but also educationally meaningful.
Encouraging Student Engagement and Creativity
Participants will explore ways to use board games to boost student engagement, foster creativity, and encourage students to approach history from different perspectives."