NLII Annual Meeting

Mark and I have been invited to present a pre-conference workshop on Croquet at the National Learning Infrastructure Initiative's (NLII) Annual Meeting on January 23rd, 2005 in New Oleans, LA. The NLII is an EDUCAUSE program that focuses on creating learning environments that use information technology tools to improve teaching and learning, reduce costs, and provide greater access to higher education. NLII is very much interested in virtual communities that can be used to augment or replace face-to-face interactions. Another area of interest is in games and simulations which have become a natural part of many students’ environment. NLII positioning argues that the motivation, engagement, and active learning associated with games makes them a potentially useful tool for educators. The NLII’s particular interest in games and simulations is to gain a fresh view of cognition and learning by looking at games as the intersection of play, pedagogy, and technology. Mark and I are greatly looking forward to this meeting and hope that we can make some good contacts with people who understand the power of what we are developing in Croquet.