Ryan Schaaf | Notre Dame of Maryland University (original) (raw)

As a professor, author, blogger, consultant, and keynote speaker, Ryan Schaaf wants to help educators reach the learners of the digital generations. Before higher education, he was a school teacher, instructional leader, and mentor teacher. In 2007, he was nominated for Maryland Teacher of the Year.

Ryan’s passion is helping teachers, students, and thought leaders see the potential of using digital tools for instruction and how to leverage their incredible potential for meaningful, real-world, and relevant learning experiences. His mission is to energize audiences into taking the necessary steps to prepare students for their futures and not our past.

His first book, Making School a Game Worth Playing: Digital Games in the Classroom was released in 2014 through Corwin Press. His second book, Using Digital Games as Assessment and Instruction Tools and third book, Reinventing Learning for the Always-On Generation: Strategies and Apps that Work were released through Solution Tree Press in 2015. Reinventing Learning for the Always-On Generation recently received an IPPY Award for its contributions as a resource book for educators. His latest book, Game On: Using Digital Games to Transform Teaching, Learning, and Assessment was recently released in November of 2017.
Supervisors: Ian Jukes, Nicky Mohan, Linda Tsantis, Wendy Drexler, Sr. Sharon Slear, Gary Thrift
Phone: 410-532-5376
Address: Baltimore, MD

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Papers by Ryan Schaaf

Making School a Game Worth Playing: Digital Games in the Classroom

New Horizons For Learning, 2012

This participatory action research project examined digital game-based learning and its effects i... more This participatory action research project examined digital game-based learning and its effects in a technology-enriched classroom with elementary school students ages 8 to 11. Experimental and control groups received identical content instruction with differing instructional strategies during 8 lesson cycles. Student observations and attitudinal surveys constituted data sources to determine which student group had a higher level of engagement and time-on-task behavior. The results indicated the experimental groups that utilized digital game-based learning showed higher attentiveness and student engagement compared to the control group’s lesson cycles in most of the testing trials.

Corwin Press eBooks, Jan 8, 2016

Making School a Game Worth Playing: Digital Games in the Classroom

Historically, bullying has been an accepted part of adolescence. With key demographic changes in ... more Historically, bullying has been an accepted part of adolescence. With key demographic changes in the United States and the evolution of information and communication technologies, more children are falling prey to a new form of bullying. School leaders, policymakers, and politicians are creating laws such as Maryland’s Grace’s Law to combat the digital epidemic of cyberbullying. Unfortunately, many teachers and school administrators are left with the burden of implementing cyberbullying laws without trying to distinguish the cause and take action to prevent it. School systems must develop methods for recording cyberbullying incidents to produce accurate data results. Teachers, school leaders, lawmakers, and government officials must fund and implement cyberethics programs in schools to help students develop into responsible, compassionate global digital citizens.

The Canadian Journal of Action Research, Jun 6, 2012

Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) activities were examined in comparison with effective, researc... more Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) activities were examined in comparison with effective, research-based learning strategies to observe any difference in student engagement and timeon task behavior. Experimental and control groups were randomly selected amongst the intermediate elementary school students ages 8 to 10 years old. Student observations and attitudinal surveys were completed after eight lesson cycles to determine which student group had a higher level of engagement and time-on-task behavior. Six of the 8 trials showed a higher student survey average in the level of student enjoyment while experiencing DGBL. Six of the 8 trials produced equal or higher class average scores for focus and attentiveness during DGBL versus alternative strategies. Seven out of 8 trials produced higher student table observation averages for DGBL. In conclusion, the data suggests DGBL can be as effective in the classroom as other research-proven instructional strategies. BACKGROUND Clarksville Elementary School (CES) is located in Clarksville, MD, an affluent neighborhood in the Baltimore/Washington corridor. It is one of the 39 elementary schools in Howard County, Maryland, one of the top public school systems in the United States. Howard County's schools frequently rank first in Maryland as measured by standardized test scores and graduation rates. CES has a total enrollment of 554 students, with 60% of the student population categorized as White, and almost 31% Asian. Only 0.2% of the student population qualified for the Free and Reduced Price Meal Service.

Making School a Game Worth Playing: Digital Games in the Classroom

New Horizons For Learning, 2012

Corwin Press eBooks, Jan 8, 2016

Making School a Game Worth Playing: Digital Games in the Classroom

The Canadian Journal of Action Research, Jun 6, 2012

Combine hard work and deep fun in classrooms with digital game-based learning. Students of the al... more Combine hard work and deep fun in classrooms with digital game-based learning. Students of the always-on generation gain information through different tools and learn differently than generations before them. Discover how to incorporate digital games and use them to craft engaging, academically applicable classroom activities that address content standards and revitalize learning for both teachers and students.

Gain practiced guidance for implementing digital games for the classroom.
Consider research and theory that confirm the power of play in childhood development and learning.
Explore the positive and negative characteristics of different gaming platforms.
Review classifications of games, including the prime educational uses for short- and long-form games.
Examine the different types of assessment, how they can factor into digital games, and the roles facilitators and students play with each.

Discover how digital gaming can improve learning and prepare students for successful futures. The... more Discover how digital gaming can improve learning and prepare students for successful futures. The authors—both experienced educators and enthusiastic gamers—contend that students of the 21st century communicate and learn differently than previous generations. By incorporating digital games into lessons, student learning will more accurately reflect the interactive, engaging reality students experience outside the classroom and better prepare them for college and careers.

Learn why students of the digital generation require different learning and teaching methods than previous generations.
Discover the benefits of playing games for educational and professional development purposes, which include making students active participants in their learning.
Gain consistent, clear definitions for terms related to gaming in education.
Access lists of suggested digital games and learn for what purposes the games are most useful.
Consider how digital games can address students’ diverse learning needs.

Cultivate effective 21st century classrooms. Teachers and administrators must respond to the digi... more Cultivate effective 21st century classrooms. Teachers and administrators must respond to the digital bombardment students face to ensure their success in the 21st century world. Explore the differences in students neurological processing from previous generations, investigate the nine critical attributes of digital learners, and discover practical strategies for making learning relevant, engaging, and fun through digital activities.

Understand how the digital generations exposure to technology is rewiring their brains and the challenge this rewiring creates for educators.
Identify learning attributes unique to 21st century students, and gain strategies to support each attribute.
Recognize the strengths and weaknesses of different digital tools, and learn to use each in teaching, learning, and assessing.
Learn why the digital generation must be engaged and taught differently than previous generations to ensure learning.
Select the traditional teaching practices that can be integrated with digital technology to best educate students