Wendy W. Amato holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Virginia. Prior to her doctoral work, she served as an administrator and classroom teacher in a K12 school. In addition to being the Chief Academic Officer for Learners Edge-iteach-Teaching Channel, she is an instructor at the University of Virginia’s School of Education and Human Development where she teaches Cross-Cultural Education for Diverse Learners. Her publications and research interests center around questions of culturally sustaining pedagogies, DEI, and teacher formation. In addition to being an avid traveler, Wendy enjoys pickleball and chocolate.
Sarah is an Evaluation Manager and Professional Learning Specialist for Learners Edge, the leading provider of online continuing education courses for PreK-12th grade teachers' professional development. A former elementary classroom teacher, Sarah now manages the instructor team and creates courses and other content for Learners Edge.
Session description
Explore historic sites around Philadelphia with our app-based scavenger hunt! You’ll enjoy connecting with ISTE educators as you move around the city completing missions, taking photos and earning points to move up the leaderboard (win fun prizes!). Network, mingle and find inspiration for your classroom with this gamified excursion!
Grade level:
Skill level:
Purpose & objective
The purpose of this excursion is to engage educators in a gamified learning experience using a free tech tool, Goose Chase, that inspires application in the classroom. They’ll network with other educators from around the world while learning about historic sites around the city of Philadelphia.
As a result of participation in this session, participants will: 1. Collaborate with an individual or group to complete a scavenger hunt walking tour of historic sites in Philadelphia, using the Goose Chase app.
2. Participate in a scavenger hunt that includes the gamified principles of choice and challenge, serving as a model for a gamified unit of study that meets content objectives while engaging students in playful learning.
3. Explore historic sites and gather ideas for experiential learning in your classroom.
4. Make connections and share inspiration with educators from around the globe.
Participants will meet in a central location (outside the convention center) to learn about Scavenger Hunt details (10 min).
Break into small groups or pairs and plan your approach to the game (5 min).
Explore interesting sites throughout the Philadelphia city center, like City Hall, Love Park, and Rittenhouse Square on foot using the scavenger hunt app (90 min).
Meet at the final stop for our Scavenger Hunt and recognize the top finishers! (15 min)