How Can Gaming Save the World?

This is the question Jane McGonigal asks in her inspired Ted Talk, “Gaming Can Make a Better World”:



After launching On the Path of the Elders last week, it was rewarding to listen to McGonigal’s compelling talk. Not only does she reconfirm the value of gaming, but -- more importantly -- her argument speaks to many of the ideals at the heart of PathoftheElders.com.

McGonigal argues that gaming develops skills and beliefs vital for solving some of the world’s biggest challenges. In particular, she claims that gaming produces individuals with a strong conviction that they are capable of changing the world. Too often, however, these individuals limit their influence to a virtual landscape.

As game designers, educators, and role-models it is up to us to convince these gamers that their skills have real value: the same optimism, team-work, resourcefulness, and determination that makes gamers successful in online worlds can and must be brought to real world problems. 

But how much difference can gamers make?
McGonigal brings some hard-hitting statistics to the table:

• Today, the average youth in a country that has a large gaming culture will have spent 10 000 hours playing online games by the age of 21 (to put that number in perspective, they will have spent 10 080 hours in school between grades 5 and 12).

• Globally, we spend 3 billion hours a week playing online games.

• There are currently 500 million virtuoso gamers (defined as people who have spent at least 10 000 hours gaming).

• As gaming companies continue to expand globally, there will be a billion more virtuoso gamers in the next decade

In other words, the number of highly skilled gamers is increasing exponentially. If we don’t start figuring out how to use gamers’ abilities to solve real world problems, we’re wasting a huge resource. 

Our Vision

From the beginning, using gaming to solve real world problems has been one of the aims of On the Path of the Elders. It is our hope that PathoftheElders.com will serve to:

1. reconnect Aboriginal youths with their culture and history
2. decrease Aboriginal youth suicide rates
3. create a bridge between Non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal cultures

By promoting leadership, negotiation, and decision-making skills, PathOfTheElders.com will demonstrate to players that they have the ability to become advocates for change. We want youths to recognize their connection to a rich and vibrant culture, and realize that the skills they use in the role-playing games are the same skills needed to be leaders in their communities.

Building PathoftheElders.com has been an intense, challenging, and thought-provoking journey. Speakers like Jane McGonigal remind us why we have invested so much of ourselves in this project and what might be its rewards for future generations.

Collette Jackson, Content and Marketing Specialist at BlackCherry Digital Media, is writing on behalf of On the Path of the Elders, a free online educational resource that explores Cree and Ojibway history and culture, and the signing of Treaty No. 9.

Check out On the Path of the Elders at pathoftheelders.com.

For more information, email us at info@pathoftheelders.com

Created in partnership with BlackCherry Digital Media, Archives Deschâtelets, the Doug Ellis Collection at Carleton University, Our Incredible World (Pinegrove Productions), the Mushkegowuk Council, Neh Naak Ko, the Archives of St. Paul University, Carleton University, and Wendy Campbell, Educational Consultant (Learning Methods Group).

This project was made possible with the support of the Department of Canadian Heritage through the Canadian Culture Online Strategy. Created with additional financial assistance from Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and the Inukshuk Fund.

Launch Party for PathoftheElders.com a Success!

The public launch of PathoftheElders.com on Wednesday, March 24th was celebrated by the project’s collaborators and select members of the public at Carleton University’s Art Gallery.

Terry Hoganson, member of BlackCherry Digital Media, describes the event as magical: “It was amazing to have all of these people, who have dedicated countless hours and limitless energy into making On the Path of the Elders a reality, come together and share their stories. Really inspirational.”

Speakers included Mr. John Mark Seck, president of BlackCherry Digital Media; Stan Louttit of Neh Naak Ko; Greg Spence of the Mushkegowuk Council; Dr. Kimberly Matheson, Carleton University Vice-President (Research and International); Franziska von Rosen of Our Incredible World (formally Pinegrove Productions); Dr. Elaine Keillor and Dr. John Medicine Horse Kelley Cle-alls, co-directors of Carleton's Centre for Indigenous Research, Culture, Language and Education, known as CIRCLE.

Each of the speakers spoke with a passion and intensity that demonstrated their deep commitment and dedication to PathoftheElders.com. 

Amongst the many memorable moments were:

• Dr. Cle-alls performing a opening prayer.

• Mr. Louttit vividly describing his own experiences growing up, and the need to give today’s youth access to Aboriginal perspectives on history.

• Ms. von Rosen recounting with obvious emotion the experiences she and her team had while interviewing and recording Elders for the website.

• Dr. Cle-alls giving an impassioned speech about the disconnect in Aboriginal communities that has arisen as a result of disastrous colonial interventions such as residential schools, and the need for resources such as PathoftheElders.com to show Aboriginal youths that they are part of a deep and meaningful tradition and culture. 

• Mr. Seck unveiling the site’s stunning graphics and high-quality animation to a captivated audience.

But what was most striking about the launch party was the vision everyone was carrying for the future.

It was clear that each person at the launch believed PathoftheElders.com will make a difference in helping Aboriginal youths reconnect with their culture and history.  

And of course, during the reception everyone was eager to play the role-playing games, and explore the archival photographs, watch the videos, and listen to the audio clips!

Visit PathoftheElders.com today and let us know what you think!

Collette Jackson, Content and Marketing Specialist at BlackCherry Digital Media, is writing on behalf of On the Path of the Elders, a free online educational resource that explores Cree and Ojibway history and culture, and the signing of Treaty No. 9.

Check out On the Path of the Elders at pathoftheelders.com.

For more information, email us at info@pathoftheelders.com

Created in partnership with BlackCherry Digital Media, Archives Deschâtelets, the Doug Ellis Collection at Carleton University, Our Incredible World (Pinegrove Productions), the Mushkegowuk Council, Neh Naak Ko, the Archives of St. Paul University, Carleton University, and Wendy Campbell, Educational Consultant (Learning Methods Group).

This project was made possible with the support of the Department of Canadian Heritage through the Canadian Culture Online Strategy. Created with additional financial assistance from Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and the Inukshuk Fund.

On The Path Of The Elders Launches Today!

We’re pleased to announce the launch of PathOfTheElders.com!

What:

PathOfTheElders.com is a free online educational resource exploring the culture and history of the Mushkegowuk Cree and Anishinaabe Ojibway of Northwestern and Northeastern Ontario, and the signing of Treaty No. 9.

Ideal for youth aged 13-17, PathOfTheElders.com reconnects Aboriginal youths with their past, while developing leadership, negotiation, critical thinking, and decision-making skills.

Features: 

• Six innovative role-playing games

• Video and audio clips of Elders 

• An essay about Treaty No. 9 written from an Aboriginal perspective

• Over 300 archival photographs

• Downloadable Teachers' Kits and Curriculum Connections

Visit PathOfTheElders.com today and let us know what you think!

Collette Jackson, Content and Marketing Specialist at BlackCherry Digital Media, is writing on behalf of On the Path of the Elders, a free online educational resource that explores Cree and Ojibway history and culture, and the signing of Treaty No. 9.

Check out On the Path of the Elders at pathoftheelders.com!

For more information, email us at info@pathoftheelders.com

Created in partnership with BlackCherry Digital Media, Archives Deschâtelets, the Doug Ellis Collection at Carleton University, Our Incredible World (Pinegrove Productions), the Mushkegowuk Council, Neh Naak Ko, the Archives of St. Paul University, Carleton University, and Wendy Campbell, Educational Consultant (Learning Methods Group).

This project was made possible with the support of the Department of Canadian Heritage through the Canadian Culture Online Strategy. Created with additional financial assistance from Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and the Inukshuk Fund.