Sticky++MacArthur Foundation

A Productive Approach to Learning and Media Literacy through Video Games and Simulations

The Epistemic Games Group was funded through a sub-award from the Games and Professional Practice Simulations Group at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The goal of the grant was to learn what aspects of popular games could be emphasized to build linguistic, cognitive and technology skills of underprivileged youth with purpose-built games. The Epistemic Games Group focused on development and testing of the core technologies for Urban Science, our web-based urban planning game in which players develop civic and ecological thinking skills.

PI: James Paul Gee

Co-Investigators: David Williamson Shaffer, Richard Halverson, Erica Halverson, Kurt Squire, Constance Steinkuhler, Elizabeth Hayes

Funder: MacArthur Foundation

Amount: $1,800,000 ($330,000 subaward)

Duration: 3 years

Collaborators: David Hatfield, Alecia Magnifico, Kelly Beckett, Elizabeth Bagley, Padraig Nash