Games+Learning+Society 10 Conference

Bridging the gap between researchers and entrepreneurs
Cameron White, Esteban Sosnik, Matt Messinger, Ira Sockowitz

Many researchers and entrepreneurs agree that high-quality games hold the promise of driving student achievement. At the same time, there is a stark, potentially counterproductive disconnect between the fast-paced, iterative logic of consumer game development and the lumbering process of creating and distributing educational games. Much of the best research is locked up inside universities while most experienced game designers are developing entertainment software; developers interested in applying their skills to educational games have limited access to leading thinkers and practitioners in the field. During this session, join the founding team of co.lab -- an edtech accelerator by NewSchools Venture Fund and Zynga.org – and the executive directors of Learning Games Network and the Wisconsin Center for Education Products and Services, to brainstorm about how we can make research more actionable and create new opportunities for collaboration between startups and universities.