Washington Interactive Learning Alliance and announces Receives ICAP Grant to Advance Play-Based Learning
Uniting Educators and Game Developers to Transform Educational Experiences
Seattle, WA —October 1, 2024 — The Washington Interactive Learning Alliance (WILA) is thrilled to announce that it has been awarded a grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce’s Innovation Cluster Accelerator Program (ICAP) Cohort 2.5. This grant will fuel WILA’s mission to bring together educators and game developers to develop innovative, play-based learning tools that engage students and enhance educational outcomes.
WILA’s initiatives focus on the intersection of education and gaming, aiming to create tools that inspire curiosity, boost student engagement, and improve learning in classrooms across Washington.
Event Details
WILA will host its Expanded Games and Education Conferenceon November 16, 2024, at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle, WA. This full-day event will serve as a platform for educators, game developers, and industry leaders to collaborate and share insights on how interactive gaming technologies can improve learning experiences.
Partnering for Success
WILA is proud to partner with leading organizations that share its vision of creating impactful educational games:
· Seattle Indies: A non-profit organization supporting independent game developers.
· Seattle Ed Tech Meetup: A dynamic group fostering collaboration at the intersection of education and technology.
· Perfect Day Games: A creative game development team passionate about crafting engaging, immersive games.
· University of Washington EarthLab: Providing support through research and collaboration, particularly in user experience design for educational tools.
· foundry10: A research organization focused on educational research and technology, bringing valuable insights into how games can impact learning.
And our venue for the Games and Education Collider series of events Pacific Science Center: An iconic venue and partner in promoting STEM education through hands-on learning and interactive exhibits.
The Goals of the Washington Interactive Learning Alliance
The overarching goal of WILA is to unite educators and game developers to create innovative educational tools, but the alliance is driven by several specific objectives:
· Improve Play-Based Learning: By merging the expertise of educators with the creativity of game developers, WILA aims to create games that make learning more fun, engaging, and effective.
· Foster Industry Collaboration: Facilitate partnerships between educators and game developers to ensure that educational tools are both functional for teachers and enjoyable for students.
· Support Educational Technology Development: Help game developers create classroom-friendly tools that enhance learning outcomes and are easy for teachers to adopt and integrate into their lesson plans.
· Develop a STEM and Gaming Talent Pipeline: Partner with universities and provide students with mentorship, hands-on learning opportunities, and pathways to careers in STEM and game development.
· Reduce Roadblocks to Accessible and Inclusive play: Provide space for the development and cataloging of actionable steps for educators and gaming talent to take that improve accessibility and inclusive gaming education experiences.
· Drive Economic Growth: Support the growth of startups and established businesses in the educational technology sector, creating new job opportunities and expanding Washington’s influence in the gaming and education industries.
Event Highlights
· Keynote Speakers: Leading voices from the education and gaming industries.
· Workshops: Sessions focused on creating effective, user-friendly educational games.
· UX Toolkit Development: A collaborative effort to design a toolkit that helps developers create classroom-ready games.
· Games for Learning Hackathon: A hackathon where teams of educators and game developers will work together to prototype game-based learning tools.
A Vision for the Future of Learning
“By fostering collaboration between educators and game developers, we’re not just creating games — we’re building tools that can transform the educational landscape,” said Tim Cullings, Executive Director of WILA. “This conference and our ongoing partnerships will lay the foundation for a brighter, more interactive future for students and teachers alike.”
About WILA
The Washington Interactive Learning Alliance (WILA) is dedicated to bridging the gap between educators and game developers to create engaging, effective game-based learning tools. Through partnerships, events, and ongoing support, WILA is working to build a robust pipeline of STEM and gaming professionals while driving innovation and economic growth in Washington’s educational technology sector.
For More Information, Contact:
Tom Swanson
Communications Director, Washington Interactive Learning Alliance
Email: tomswanson3@gmail.com
Phone: 206–406–8892