The following outline can be used as you prepare to train others in DimensionU.
Keep in mind that the experience level of the teachers will dictate how much time you spend in each area.
Keep in mind that the experience level of the teachers will dictate how much time you spend in each area.
.Sample 2-2.5 Hour Training
Notify DimensionU prior to training if you need any electronic materials ([email protected])
Part 1 (10-15 minutes)
Use the beginning of DimensionU training to introduce yourself, what DimensionU is (some may be intimidated by an educational video game), and how you use the program with your own students.
-Introduce yourself
-What is DimensionU?
Part II (60-90 minutes)
During this portion of training, you'll want to show attendees how to play the games via a quick demo and then allow them to try. Don't forget to emphasize that their job isn't to be good at the game-- their job is to be able to assist and help students with the curriculum. You're merely having them in the game now to give them an idea of what it looks like.
-Demonstrate logging in at www.dimensionu.com and selecting TowerStorm
-Curriculum selection and entering a gameroom
-Enter a Gameroom for Demonstration
Tip: Read your audience. More or less game time may be appropriate. I rarely have teacher attendees access all three games during a training.
Part III (15 Minutes)
Now that participants have had the opportunity to create a student game room and join a Teacher created gameroom, they need some practice using the Teachers app themselves.
A few important features to highlight:
Part IV (30-45 minutes)
The educator portal may not be as exciting as the games but this is where most teachers will be spending their time while utilizing DimensionU. It's important to make sure participants have a good working knowledge of how to use this resource.
User Management tab
Reports tab
Resource Tab
Closing (5-10 minutes)
Ask for any remaining questions, thank the participants, and give them time to complete the survey.
Notify DimensionU prior to training if you need any electronic materials ([email protected])
Part 1 (10-15 minutes)
Use the beginning of DimensionU training to introduce yourself, what DimensionU is (some may be intimidated by an educational video game), and how you use the program with your own students.
-Introduce yourself
-What is DimensionU?
- Program that incorporations curriculum with a multi-player video game
- Content driven for Math and Literacy
- Can be differentiated for each student
- Offers an exciting way to review or preview material, as well as assess students
- A tutor or teacher replacement!
- Available via web (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge) and mobile (iOS, Android, Kindle)
- TowerStorm- great first game to start with; lots of curriculum
- Meltdown- high engagement and intensity
- Velocity- cannot progress without answering correctly
Part II (60-90 minutes)
During this portion of training, you'll want to show attendees how to play the games via a quick demo and then allow them to try. Don't forget to emphasize that their job isn't to be good at the game-- their job is to be able to assist and help students with the curriculum. You're merely having them in the game now to give them an idea of what it looks like.
-Demonstrate logging in at www.dimensionu.com and selecting TowerStorm
-Curriculum selection and entering a gameroom
- Discuss the levels and how each student can be on a different level. Refer to our level chart on the Getting Started page.
-Enter a Gameroom for Demonstration
- Discuss how to get a question and how to use resulting travel power.
- Show what happens when a question is correct/incorrect.
- Show tutorial by pressing the '?' key on your keyboard.
- You may choose to create a gameroom for them via Teachers, or allow them to create by clicking Play Now or Search.
- Suggest they intentionally miss at least 1 question to see how the game responds.
- At the end of the game, direct teachers to the review screen. Offer suggestions on how they can incorporate this into their lesson (whole class review/make corrections/informal assessment).
Tip: Read your audience. More or less game time may be appropriate. I rarely have teacher attendees access all three games during a training.
Part III (15 Minutes)
Now that participants have had the opportunity to create a student game room and join a Teacher created gameroom, they need some practice using the Teachers app themselves.
A few important features to highlight:
- Teachers gamerooms can be 5, 10, 15, or 20 minutes (unlike the 10 minute rooms students create)
- Team game option
- Ability to set curriculum
- Teachers can create as many rooms as they'd like
- Rooms expire 15 minutes after no one has joined
- Model creating a gameroom and the available features
Part IV (30-45 minutes)
The educator portal may not be as exciting as the games but this is where most teachers will be spending their time while utilizing DimensionU. It's important to make sure participants have a good working knowledge of how to use this resource.
User Management tab
- How to add users, search users, create classes
- Allow everyone to practice adding a student and creating a class (creating a class is usually not necessary for After-school. Gauge the audience and whether its worth spending time here).
Reports tab
- Reporting options
- When and how to pull reports
- Useful for informal assessment, review, remediation, class leaderboards
- Reports update around 2:00 AM ET for the previous day
Resource Tab
- Curriculum alignment is key- demonstrate how to differentiate based on the results of this search.
Closing (5-10 minutes)
Ask for any remaining questions, thank the participants, and give them time to complete the survey.