Duodenoscopes are important medical devices that are used for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedures. However, the devices have had serious problems in the past.
Luckily, several medical device companies have stepped in to solve the problems. (Here are five of the innovations.)
Duodenoscopes are flexible, lighted tubes threaded through the mouth, throat and stomach into the top of the small intestine. They’re an important tool for spotting problems such as lesions and tumors in the pancreatic duct and bile duct, but the devices are also complex, with many small working parts.
“Duodenoscopes – regardless of whether they are reusable or single-use – are one of the most technically complex flexible endoscopes to design and manufacture, as they travel deep into the body with a camera mounted on the side instead of the front,” David Pierce, EVP and president of MedSurg and president of endoscopy at Boston Sci, told Medical Tubing + Extrusion. “The device must be flexible enough to safely navigate tortuous anatomy, yet stiff enough to effectively deliver therapy to a patient’s biliary anatomy.”
Reprocessing them is tough — a bad situation because reprocessing failure can result in one person’s tissue or fluid remaining on the scope and going into someone else. By 2015, there were numerous reports of deadly “superbug” infections associated with the devices. The FDA later reported in 2019 that the reprocessing problem was a lot worse than previously thought —with contamination rates around 5.4% for high-concern bugs such as E. coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
The FDA recommended in July 2020 that hospitals and endoscopy facilities consider using duodenoscopes with disposable components to lower the risks of infection. The agency also said it believes that the best solution for reducing the risk of disease transmission from duodenoscopes was through innovative device designs that make reprocessing easier, more effective or unnecessary.
Since the FDA recommendation, the agency has cleared several duodenoscope innovations – ranging from disposable duodenoscopes to disposable components that make reprocessing easier. Creating single-use scopes or scope components is not without challenges.
“In any single-use scope, the main challenge is to design an endoscope which is on par with the quality of a reusable while keeping the production costs low enough to make sense in hospital economy. A single-use scope must cost a fraction of a reusable scope and this is an innovation and manufacturing challenge,” Rasmus Kümmel Holtze, Ambu’s director of global product management in gastroenterology, said.
Here are five single-use innovations to reduce “superbugs.”


Prolonged exposure to high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) will cause long-term
damage to your body. But hypoglycemia, low blood sugars, can cause immediate
harmful effects including a diabetic coma. It is important to be able to recognize the
signs when your blood sugar is too low and to carry emergency supplies to rectify the
People will react and show different symptoms when their blood glucose levels are too
low. They can include some or all of the following:
* Feeling hungry
* Feeling nervous or panicked
* Feeling light-headed or dizzy
* Weakness or lethargy (wanting to go to sleep)
* You may be confused, having difficulty speaking or stringing thoughts together.
Once you have experienced hypoglycemia a few times you will begin to recognize the
signals your body will give you when you need more food in your body. It is important
to check you blood sugar with your monitor and have something right away that will act
immediately to raise your blood sugars. Hard candies or glucose tablets work fast and are
easy to have on you at all times. In case you are not able to help yourself, carry
something that identifies you as a diabetic and instructions of what to do and who to call
if you need assistance.
Once you have eaten something, test your blood sugar again in 15 minutes to make sure
that it is going back to a normal range. You will want to have a snack or a meal too as
the burst of sugar will not be long lasting.
By eating small and frequent meals every two to three hours you can lessen the chances
of having hyperglycemia. Another safety precaution that should be taken includes eating
prior to exercising and afterwards to keep up your energy level.


Foreign Workers, 1941-5 (1941 - 1945)
About this artwork
August Sander’s monumental documentary project ‘People of the 20th Century’ has been described as a work of cultural and social history executed in the medium of photography. It comprises over 500 photographs classified into seven groups, further subdivided into more than 45 portfolios representing the social classes and professional divisions of the time. This is a photograph from the group ‘The City’ and its portfolio entitled ‘Foreign Workers’, which Sander produced during 1941–5 in Kuchhausen in the Westerwald, where he and his wife settled after leaving Cologne. The people depicted in the portfolio are mainly agricultural labourers from the Ukraine, who had been allocated to the local farms because of the national labour shortage. Most of them left the region at the end of the war.
- title: Foreign Workers, 1941-5
- accession number: AL00115
- artist: August SanderGerman (1874 - 1964)
- gallery: In Storage
- object type: Photograph
- materials: Black and white photograph on paper
- date created: 1941 - 1945
- measurements: 19.30 x 24.00 cm (paper 43.90 x 34.00 cm; mount: 46.00 x 36.00 cm) (framed: 48.20 x 38.20 x 3.20 cm)
- credit line: ARTIST ROOMS National Galleries of Scotland and Tate. Lent by Anthony d'Offay 2010
- copyright: © Die Photographische Sammlung/SK Stiftung Kultur - August Sander Archiv, Köln/VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn and DACS, London 2016.
Considered one of the finest photographers of the twentieth century, Sander's bold style of portrait photography, as well as his typological approach, has had an enormous influence on modern photography. During his apprenticeship in several German studios and his time in his own studio in Austria, he developed his individual style. Then in 1910 Sander moved to Cologne and produced his first large group of photographs, which he later included in his concept "People of the 20th Century". This was created in the mid-1920s and compiled up until the 1950s. He photographed groups of people in his native Germany, classifying them according to their occupations and positions in society.


Nitrogen is essential for raising crops and a deficiency will soon become evident. Older leaves on the plants start to turn yellow due to a reduction in chlorophyll production. Flowers, fruit, protein and starch content are all reduced when your crops suffer from nitrogen deficiencies.
Chlorosis Stunted growth General starvation
Maintaining sufficient fish populations is the best preventative measure to ensure adequate levels of nitrates, nitrites and overall nitrogen. Monitoring the nitrogen levels, as well as other nutrients, in your system will inform you regarding the types of crops that are compatible with your conditions.


The Académie française, the institution that regulates official changes to the French language, has approved a proposal to change the spelling of approximately 2,000 French words.
This includes eliminating the accent circonflexe when it appears over the letters i and u, eliminating some hyphens (eg. week-end becomes weekend), adding some hyphens (vingt et un becomes vingt-et-un), and changing some accents.
In other changes, oignon (onion) becomes ognon. The accent remains in cases where the meaning would be too confusing without it. For example:
- un homme mûr – a mature man
- un homme mur – a wall man
Lest we panic, all official sources say that both the new and the old spellings should be considered correct.
Here is a link to an eight page document describing the changes.


Description, Dialogue, & Action
This article was last updated December 12th, 2008. Thanks to everyone who provided suggestions!
So, you’ve got the perfect story: a great character, your basic plot, a world, and hey—maybe you’ve even sketched out a few scenes. But there’s just a few things missing—maybe the dialogue just doesn’t seem to work, or your action scenes don’t seem realistic. So for all of you out there who just need a few quick pointers, I hope this helps.
When having trouble writing description, try blocking out the scene in very general terms. What are you trying to convey? Is it hot? How many people are there? What kind of floor are your characters standing on? You don’t need to get into the really fine details, but your audience is going to want a mental picture. I usually keep in mind three main characteristics: the atmosphere, the general placement of objects or people, and either what the main character is doing or what he or she looks like.
The town was bright and bustling; nary a breeze ran through the crowded city streets. The sweltering midday sun was as hot as midsummer, though the seasons still claimed the day as spring. The abundant light flashed and reflected off metal armor and shining trinkets in the various stalls of Travelers’ Square. A young guard wiped his forehead with the back of his tanned hand at his post in the corner of the Square as he surveyed the ever-changing scene. Merchants bartered and haggled, shouting across the busy cobblestones as they advertised their wares. A few roadside performers practiced their acts, gaining the attention and coin of several passersby with their prowess. Old Alchnet the wizard scowled as he caught the guard’s stare, and the youth quickly redirected his gaze. He looked down, carefully refastening the cuff on the stiffened jacket of his cobalt uniform.
Atmosphere: Hot & crowded—not a very personal or quiet place.
Placement of objects/ people: There are stalls to either side of the road, backed by merchants, and travelers line the cobblestones.
Main Character: A young guard on duty, wearing a blue uniform.
Words like ‘sweltering midday sun’ give both the time of day and the temperature—effective in concisely describing the scene and giving the reader a feel of the heat before the scene has even truly begun. The guard’s tanned hand shows that this kind of day isn’t so unusual—Traveler’s Square is a temperate place. The roadside performers, merchants, and the stalls themselves all add a certain sense of reality, in addition to making the Square seem crowded.
Granted, this example would be best used for an introduction to a chapter or story—it sets the scene with minute details, but very little action takes place. Scenes like this one are good to introduce new settings, but can be easily overused, making the story long and drawn out.
Descriptions don’t have to be long. In fact, most character descriptions won’t be. A sentence or two is enough to give a basic understanding of a character, which can be built upon later—in the meantime, the action can continue. (Some character descriptions take place during an action scene already in motion. See Erin M. Evans’ “The Deception of Description” for more on writing in-action descriptions of characters.) For quick character descriptions, focus on the most obvious attributes. If the character towers over everyone in the room and has ornate tattoos all across his bald head, don’t tell us about his dainty nose. Remember: not everyone is perfect. Some characters should have physical flaws—don’t forget to describe them.
Lastly, add little details about the nonentities—that is, the characters who don’t particularly have a big part—or give more depth to your character by referencing their past. Both give a sense to the reader that this world isn’t being created—it’s being viewed. Details make the story. Use your imagination!
Many of the steps for good dialogue are similar to those for a good description. Dialogue is a great opportunity to sneak in details about the characters—what they’re wearing, their personalities, or their current mood. The tone of a voice, or the action of a character speaking, expresses a lot to the reader. In this first example, notice Alchnet’s temperament—he’s just been robbed, and he isn’t too happy with the guards who are on duty, Keorni and Marik.
“If I may, sir.” Keorni stepped forward, his voice deep and firm, and paused at Marik’s right elbow. “What did the thief look like?” His tone was sufficiently officious, but unthreatening. Marik bit his tongue, wondering where the words had gone as his partner took the brunt of Alchnet’s glare.
“Thief was tall. Elven.” Alchnet’s thin eyes shifted behind them, angrily noting the crowds avoiding his tent, then returned to Keorni. “Silver hair.”
A tall elf? Marik found his voice, finally, and jumped in. “Tall, sir?” Most elves were short, save those in the royal family; a tall elf might be bastard nobility. Or just a fluke. Marik, with his fair blonde hair brushing six feet, would have easily towered over any of them.
“Yes. Tall, sir,” the Wizard hissed, his voice pitched mockingly high. He tugged at his beard, straightening it for an instant, then began examining another rack of wands, his dark eyes narrow. “About your height, boy.”
Alchnet keeps his answers short and terse. His eyes shift; at one point, he even hisses at the guards. If you were a happy-go-lucky halfling who’d just won a bet, you wouldn’t be ‘hissing,’ now, would you?
Through the dialogue we also learn the description of a character not even present: the thief is tall, elven, and has silver hair. It’s not the most poetic way to describe a character, but it is, in some cases, effective. Be careful not to use this technique often, however—having your characters described this way is memorable, and it gets impractical very quickly.
Keep in mind that dialogue tags such “hissed” or “snapped” should be used in moderation. “Said” is fine for most instances, and no dialogue tag at all is frequently just as suitable. If you don’t use a tag, however, be sure not to put the name of or refer to someone who isn’t speaking next to the dialogue. Otherwise, it becomes ambiguous as to who’s doing the speaking, as in this example:
“I would like the leather armor.” The shopkeeper tallied up the order.
It's difficult to tell if the quote belongs to a customer or the shopkeeper, here. We can assume it's not the shopkeeper, but the reader automatically associates the dialogue with the nearest name, and so what logically makes sense (that a customer is buying the armor) and what we automatically assume (because the shopkeeper is closest to the quote) is in conflict. Without dialogue tags, be careful to make sure the speaker is unambiguous.
The next example is multi-purpose: it describes the character, gives insight to his personality, and—as an added bonus—shows the benefit of dialect. A thief growing up on the streets doesn’t have the education of a high-elven noble. One of the ways to demonstrate his background is through his language.
“Ye’ve got a fertile imagination on ye, taka. Don’ even try yer dagger.” The stranger’s eyes glinted, and Marik dropped his hand. His captor was a black-haired youth, obviously of Lowertown. At his waist was a belt strapped with at least seven daggers; his left arm boasted a worn leather band with another. “Ye look like ye’ve been ’ere awhile. Ye should know th’ rules. Lessen ye’re just thick ’eaded.” The youth let Marik fall, and leaned against the opposite wall of the narrow alley. He took out a dagger and tested its point. “What’re ye doin’ ’ere?”
The most important thing to remember when using dialect is not to overdo it. Dropping out half the letters in a word and replacing them with an apostrophe isn’t going to sound real. And even in a fantasy story, the reader seldom enjoys a tale that isn’t believable. (To an extent, at any rate.) Beyond that, make sure the character is consistent in his dialect. If he drops all his ‘h’s and never says ‘you,’ only ‘ye,’ remember that. Make a note somewhere—readers often remember such quirks better than the author, and they certainly aren’t going to hesitate to point out an error.
Notice that certain characters speak different ways. A dwarf has more of a tendency to speak roughly, while an elf might use words such as ‘thee’ or ‘thy.’ One of your characters might call everyone ‘mate,’ while another would be disgusted by such camaraderie. How much a character speaks develops their personality. If a seer only speaks once in three pages, while her companions have been conversing the entire time, she might come across as shy, or perhaps wise, depending on what she says. In the same way, someone who always speaks in riddles and rhymes will probably sound a little crazy. It all depends on what you want to convey, but a great deal of personality can fit between the quotation marks.
Here, balance is the key. As said by S. B. Hulsey (“Writing Action Scenes”), too much description can slow down the action. Still, some is not a bad idea—it helps to form a picture of the scene in the reader’s mind.
Of course, my first suggestion isn’t description—it’s choreography. In a battle scene, the placement of characters can be confusing, and the descriptions of their actions are often lacking. I suggest going over your scene mentally, then getting up and trying it yourself. If you’re really dedicated, get a friend or family member to be the other characters. Position them as you imagine the scene, then run through it—is it possible? I’ll use my own scene as an example:
Easily parrying her first advance, the youth darted under her defenses, scoring a light blow on the ribs. As he came out, Krishena slammed the hilt of her dagger against his forehead, and he rolled to the side, blood welling in the wound. Unflinching, he got to his feet in a single fluid movement, seemingly unharmed, though blood ran down the contours of his face. Dropping one of his blades as she threw hers, he grabbed the oncoming missile by the base of the blade, its edge cutting into his hand. Reversing the grip, he circled warily, searching for an opening.
Krishena, the woman, attacked first. The youth, a thief skilled with knives, was able to parry her blow while ducking under her arm and slashing at her ribs. However, he made the attack quickly, since he was defenseless for that short period of time—hence, he only scored a light blow. As he ducked back under her arm, Krishena brought down her own dagger on his forehead, and he rolled with the impact. And so on. I tried this scene myself, and I think it’s actually possible. (Though you’re of course entitled to your opinion.)
And—as I keep saying—little details make it real. If you don’t know much about battles, use your favorite authors for reference—R.A. Salvatore, in particular, is known for his choreography. Or just try the scene and see how it works. Rolling to the side to avoid a blow or reversing the grip on a dagger are both examples of common battle tactics—but it’s not something a barbarian character would do. Fit the fighting style with the character, and try to logically reason out their actions, even if you don’t truly know what they would do.
Remember, not all action scenes have to contain a battle. A court debate can contain a great deal of excitement, even if the characters aren’t fighting. Conflict makes action, but conflict can be emotional as well as physical. Even simple games, in some cases, could be considered action. A game of throwing knives, for example, doesn’t have to turn violent to be fast paced—tension, not violence, defines action.
On a grammatical basis, both dashes and the length of paragraphs are important to the feel of a piece. Dashes bring attention to the second clause of the sentence—almost like an extended comma, or a semi-colon. I usually use them to speed up action; two sentences take far longer to read than just one. With a dash the ideas stay linked, but less formally than with a semi-colon or period. Take the following two examples:
It stuck true, less than a finger’s width from the exact center, drawing looks of surprise from the others of the group. The woman was only one who seemed to not notice.
It stuck true, less than a finger’s width from the exact center, drawing looks of surprise from the others of the group—save the woman.
Shortened sentence style and fast dialogue also help to spice up a scene, but don’t overdo it. If the sentences get too short, the piece sounds choppy and overdramatic.
It’s a combination of action, dialogue, and description that ties any story together. Without action, the story drags on, and the plot never continues; without description, the setting is nothing more than a blank wall. Dialogue shows the characters' personalities, and complements both action and description at the same time. To learn to meld them all takes time, and practice. So start writing!
FARP Article Guestbook
|17 Feb 2011|| Lilmogirl|
I understand what is being said about shortened sentence style and fast dialog, but I am having a hard time with the comparisons. At the end of the first comparison it says, "The woman was only one who seemed to not notice." At the end of the second comparison it says, "Save the woman." In the first one it gives me the understanding that the woman was not paying attention to the happening in her surroundings. In the second, it makes me think that the woman needs to be saved. There just isn’t enough information for me to get a clear understanding of what is going on with the woman in the second comparison. And I do believe if I were reading a book with a dialog like this in it, I would be asking the question, "Why does the woman need to be saved?"
|31 May 2011|| Anon.|
|19 Jun 2011|| Julia K Cellini|
This is a great tutorial! I’ll definately come back to this one when I begin to write action scenes. Awesome examples too, I would like to read the rest of some of these stories.
|22 Nov 2011|| Caitlin|
That was actually very helpful, thank you so much! You seem like a very talented writer and I’d love to continue reading the story you were referencing
|31 Dec 2011|| Anon.|
Thank you. I’ve been working on a book I’m writing, and I noticed it was undescriptive. This helped me alot
I took notes.. I’m a nerd.
|30 Apr 2012|| Hello|
|30 Apr 2012|| Hello|
demi lovato is crazy talented
|23 Jul 2012|| Anon.|
|3 Mar 2013|| Lucas No|
Not to brag, but I’ve been highly praised for my use of description and dialogue.
|8 Apr 2013|| Anon.|
@Lilmogirl, I don’t know if you’re joking, but "everyone - save the woman" actually means "everyone - except for the woman". No need to save anyone, here.
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The collection of art and writing tutorials in the Elfwood Fantasy Art Resource (F.A.R.P.) is a part of Elfwood.
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Sketch pad - You can start small, if you wish, at around 5 or 6 inches by 8 or 9 inches. These are good for carrying around with you, in case of a drawing emergency. If you feel comfortable with a larger size, go for it. At this point, you don't need a high grade of paper. The idea is to do lots and lots of sketches, and for this newsprint pads or a sketch pad are cheap and work fine. If money is not an issue, a heavier weight drawing paper, like Strathmore, or even a hardbound drawing book is great. An art supply or office supply store will have these materials.
Drawing tool - A soft pencil is good, preferably a 2B or 3B drawing pencil. You can also try a felt tip pen or even a ballpoint pen, just to get a different feel. These can all be found at an art supply store, some office supply stores.
Kneaded eraser - These are sold in art supply stores, or some office supply stores. A small to medium size is good, unless you are working on large paper. These can be kneaded after use, to get a cleaner surface to erase with. These only erase pencil marks, not felt tip or ballpoint. There are erasers made for these pens - look in an art or office supply store.
Exercise 1 - Contour Drawing
(I recommend that you first read Art Instruction, to get the most benefit from this exercise.)
Contour drawing is a good beginning exercise, in the way that practicing scales is good for learning the piano. It uses the element of line to create a three-dimensional outline of objects. Natural objects are especially suitable, like plants, flowers, hands, and the human figure, but it is also good to try drawing non-natural objects, like containers with interesting shapes, or old shoes, which can have a lot of character.
Contour drawing should be done very, very slowly. Place your chosen object in front of you, where you get a good view of it. You will be starting to draw anywhere on the object's edge - but you will be aware of how the object doesn't end at that edge, but continues behind it, usually as a rounded contour, unless the object is geometric, for instance, a cube. (An outline of the object would be two-dimensional, or flat; a contour is three-dimensional.) Keep your eyes on the object as much as possible (try not to look at your paper), and concentrate on what the contour does, every single little curve or meander. Don't worry at this time about getting an exact likeness or correct proportions. If your edge goes into the form, follow it until it ends, and then pick up the contour where you left off.
Try to feel the line, its jaggedness or smoothness, its curve, its delicacy, or sharpness. If you feel the form going away from you, press down on your pencil. Your progress should be so slow as to be painstaking - don't draw the line until you feel sure of what it does next. It is like climbing the mountain, as opposed to flying over it. And don't think about what the form is, like elbow or leaf - just draw the line/contour and what it does. When you finish the outer contours, you can draw the inside contours, for example, the features on the face, or lines on a leaf. Don't erase for this exercise! You are not making a drawing - you are involved in a process of learning.
When you are finished, don't be dismayed if it doesn't look like a "real" drawing. If you do the exercise correctly, and many, many times, you'll see progress as you look back on last month's drawings. Carry your sketchbook with you as much as possible, for when you are in life's waiting rooms. The best time to draw, when you feel confident enough to tackle a figure, is with your family or friends. People are relaxed, in comfortable positions, and unself-conscious - and they make great models. Drawing yourself is good, too - your hands and feet in different positions.
Making it fun for yourself is good, too. Draw things that really interest you, and that you love. Play your favorite music, and wear your most comfortable clothes. Save your drawings - you will see progress, I promise! You are learning to SEE. And the more you learn to see, the more you will see, and that knowledge will in turn improve your drawing.
Recommended Drawing Books:
The Natural Way to Draw, by Kimon Nicolaides, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1941.
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, by Betty Edwards, J.P. Tarcher, Inc., Los Angeles, Distributed by Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1979.
Once you have done many contour drawings, and are feeling adventurous, try:
Blind contour: Try doing the entire drawing without looking at your paper.
Other hand contour: Try drawing with your non-drawing hand. This will really get you to slow down!
Suggested Art/Artists for Examples of Line Drawings/Etchings:
Line has been used in many ways throughout art history; not only with contour drawing, but with variations of the contour. The following are just some examples of the use of line in art: Picasso line drawings (especially portraits) - I was unsuccessful in locating examples of these on the Web; Holbein the Younger (click on the Scholar portrait thumbnail); Leonardo da Vinci;Ingres; Durer (scroll down to see the engravings); Chinese ink drawings (click on the images to enlarge); the sculptor Rodin's drawings; Mary Cassatt etchings (influenced by Japanese prints coming into Europe in the mid-19th century).
Van Gogh also did many ink drawings using line; rather than limiting his use of line to contours, he used it in the form of variously shaped marks, which serve to create a textural effect, as well as to help delineate spatial depth. A good example of the latter shows how "empty" space (the white of the paper) can indicate a sense of spatial depth as much as the actual lines and marks do so.


Do you have an interest in visual or performing art, creative writing or conveying information? You may enjoy working in the Arts & Communications industry. Below are some possible careers that may interest you in Arts & Communications.
Possible Career Pathways:
- Announcers - Announcers present music, news, and sports and may provide commentary or interview guests about these or other important topics. Some act as masters of ceremonies (emcees) or disc jockeys (DJs) at weddings, parties, or clubs.
- Art Director - Art directors are responsible for the visual style and images in magazines, newspapers, product packaging, and movie and television productions. They create the overall design of a project and direct others who develop artwork and layouts.
- Broadcast and Sound Engineering Technicians - Broadcast and sound engineering technicians set up, operate, and maintain the electrical equipment for radio programs, television broadcasts, concerts, sound recordings, and movies.
- Editors - Editors plan, review, and revise content for publication.
- Fashion Designers - Fashion designers create original clothing, accessories, and footwear. They sketch designs, select fabrics and patterns, and give instructions on how to make the products they designed.
- Film and Video Editor and Camera Operator - Film and video editors and camera operators manipulate moving images that entertain or inform an audience.
- Floral Designer - Floral designers, also called florists, cut and arrange live, dried, and silk flowers and greenery to make decorative displays. They also help customers select flowers, containers, ribbons, and other accessories.
- Graphic Designers - Graphic designers create visual concepts, using computer software or by hand, to communicate ideas that inspire, inform, and captivate consumers. They develop the overall layout and production design for various applications such as advertisements, brochures, magazines, and corporate reports.
- Interpreters and Translators - Interpreters and translators convert information from one language into another language. Interpreters work in spoken or sign language; translators work in written language.
- Industrial Designers - Industrial designers develop the concepts for manufactured products, such as cars, home appliances, and toys. They combine art, business, and engineering to make products that people use every day. Industrial designers consider the function, aesthetics, production costs, and the usability of products when developing new product concepts.
- Photographers - Photographers use their technical expertise, creativity, and composition skills to produce and preserve images that tell a story or record an event.
- Reporters, Correspondents, and Broadcast News Analysts - Reporters, correspondents, and broadcast news analysts inform the public about news and events happening internationally, nationally, and locally. They report the news for newspapers, magazines, websites, television, and radio.
- Recreational Therapists - Recreational therapists plan, direct, and coordinate recreation-based treatment programs for people with disabilities, injuries, or illnesses. These therapists use a variety of modalities, including arts and crafts; drama, music, and dance; sports and games; aquatics; and community outings to help maintain or improve a patient’s physical, social, and emotional well-being.
- Writers and Authors - Writers and authors develop written content for advertisements, books, magazines, movie and television scripts, songs, blogs, or other types of media.
Information from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics


The following article by Daniel O’Keefe appeared in School Library Journal on December 4, 2012.
If you’ve played enough well-designed games, you know that they provide immediate feedback, are constantly challenging, promote learning by doing, and reframe failure as iteration. As most teachers already know, these are core principles of good teaching. This is a powerful relationship. When we make it explicit, and design from it, we see students engaged in playful, studious, and deep learning.
In 2009, the Institute of Play, a not-for-profit design studio founded by a group of game designers, collaborated with the New York City Department of Education and New Visions for Public Schools to design and realize Quest to Learn (Q2L). A game-like public school in New York City, Quest to Learn opened its doors in 2009 with a sixth grade class of 78 students. It currently has 370 students in grades six through nine, and will add a grade each subsequent year until it graduates its first class in 2015. Teachers are licensed by the Department of Education and students take required standardized tests. But at Q2L, a team of game designers, curriculum specialists, and after school mentors work with teachers to design rigorous, engaging, game-like learning environments, including the design of classroom games.
At Quest to Learn, students face tasks that are challenging but approachable. Teachers assess student learning based on these tasks. Students receive meaningful feedback about their progress. Sound familiar? Of course it does. It’s good teaching, grounded in over 30 years of learning research.
Part of this process is the design of classroom games. So not only are the learning environments explicitly game-like, but students and teachers play games in these spaces, reflect on games, mod (modify) them, and design their own. We are designing a library of irresistible experiences for learning. It’s an illuminating collaborative process.
The game integration process begins in our weekly curriculum meetings attended by a teacher, a game designer, a curriculum specialist, and a learning strategist. The process springs from carefully considered learning goals that are based on New York State and Common Core Standards. The decision to integrate a game is usually sparked by one of two situations:
1. Sometimes it’s just a tough topic. For example, during a curriculum meeting, a teacher notes that arithmetic with negative integers is a troublesome topic. Games are excellent for tough topics, so we begin the process.
2. Sometimes content just feels game-like. Perhaps the space of the topic feels game-like (like circles, triangles, and rulers), or perhaps the mechanics/actions of the content feel game-like (like how citing sources can be similar to trusting players in a bluffing game). We try to brainstorm a prototype. Sometimes it doesn’t work, and that’s fine. We don’t push what’s not working just because we like games.
Our first response to these two potential sparks is always: “Is there a tool that already does this?” Our goal is learning, not game design. If the tool already exists, we use it. Some of the fine tools that we use include Algodoo, Minecraft, SimCity, Vernier and Pasco Probeware, LEGO robotics, MangaHigh, Brainpop, Prezi, Pixlr, Wikispaces, Comic Life, iMovie, Keynote, and these things called pencils. If a great tool does not already exist, then perhaps the game design process begins.
A note on leadership: the curriculum team follows the teachers, not the other way around. Teachers know what they want to teach, know their students, and know what will work best for the context. This is extremely important, and is not just a principle of our game design process but of our curriculum design process as a whole. The team supports with their skills, is a sounding board, and offers advice—but the teacher is the teacher is the teacher.
PROTOTYPE AND PLAYTEST
After zooming in on learning goals and deciding to move forward, we brainstorm relevant game mechanics or actions, playtest prototypes, and plan strategies for the classroom.
In the case of teaching arithmetic with negative integers, our game designer brainstormed and came back to our next meeting with an idea. She had us play a game that already existed, called Gloom. It had a mechanic where players could add or subtract points from another player’s stack of cards, so players were already adding and subtracting integers. It seemed like a good place to start, but its rules were too complex for the classroom and it didn’t focus in on operations with negatives. We focused on the learning goal, kept the basic card-covering and card-stealing mechanics, varied the numbers used (-5 to +5), and designed some additional arithmetic operations and actions. Each of these decisions had consequences that needed to be worked out through playtesting.
During subsequent meetings, we went through several iterations. We asked ourselves questions like: “Is this fun?” “Do I feel confused?” “Are the rules complicated?” “Do I feel active?” “Are we collaborating/competing?” “Do my choices matter?” And then we asked the overarching question: “Are we hitting the learning goals?”
Of course, as adults with arithmetic fluency, we can’t necessarily predict how students will react to the mathematics or the gameplay. We tackle this through playtesting. The teacher invites students with various strengths and weaknesses to play and provide honest and critical feedback. They complete a playtest reflection form that’s used as a springboard for the feedback session.
When students playtested our Gloom mods (modifications), which became a game called Absolute Blast, they reported that they would like to have more opportunities to “mess” with other players. We immediately worked to incorporate a stronger “stealing” element to the game. One student reported a feeling of “too many things going on in her head to make a good choice”—cognitive overload. We took steps to reduce this by constraining player choice and available information. These modifications improved students’ ability to competitively and strategically perform arithmetic with negative integers. Students sometimes come up with ideas that are so good that we immediately incorporate them. In this way, students engage in our collaborative design process and take on designer identities.
EXPLODING THE GAME
It’s important to note that our games are not one-and-done’s. They work best when the teacher “explodes the game.” This can mean a number of things. It can be something as simple as choosing the best time to introduce the game. For example, our game Shortcuts motivates students to wish that they had something like the Pythagorean Theorem. So, students might play it right before they are introduced to the theorem.
Perhaps the teacher wants to play the same game, but increase the levels of difficulty over time. If we use a game with a more open/fill-in framework, students can play with the same space, rules, and mechanics, but at varying teacher-created difficulty levels, which can be a differentiation strategy as well. Another great possibility is for students to create strategy guides for games. This works better with some games than others, depending on how close a relationship there is between strategy and content understanding.
Perhaps the students create the new game levels. Cast them into the role of game designers so that they can learn and display their content understanding as they work on new difficulty levels, or more interestingly, as they introduce fundamental modifications that require them to struggle with the content. For example, in our game Caterpillar, which is a heavy mod of Settlers of Catan, the learning goal is about understanding the probabilities of rolling two dice. After playing for a while, some students chose to mod only the game space, while others modded both the game space and the number of rolled dice.
If we don’t have the time to mod or design from scratch (or even if we do), we may explode games that we didn’t design. Why not take Scrabble and ask students why certain letters have their point values? How would they design a game like Scrabble if they were making it? Would they do it differently? How would their modifications affect player strategy? What would they have to understand in order to make informed decisions for a fun game?
What game will you take apart or mod for learning? It’s wide open. Explode the game.


Undisputed master of the woodcut, Albrecht Dürer is one of the most celebrated Northern Renaissance painters and printmakers. Dürer's etchings, engravings, and woodcut prints also contain exquisite detail and elaborate imagery drawing on religious and philosophical ideas.
Sell Albrecht Dürer artwork with us. We will research its value and popularity for you.
Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471–1528)
German painter, engraver, Albrecht Dürer was the designer of woodcuts and major art theorist. Dürer was born in Nuremberg and trained first under his father, a goldsmith. He was apprenticed (1486-90) to M. Wolgemut, in whose workshop he became familiar with the best work of contemporary German artists and with the recent technical advances in engraving and drawing for woodcuts. He was in Nuremberg for his marriage in 1496, but left in the autumn of that year for Italy. On this visit and during the longer stay of 1505-7, he made a profound study of Italian painting at the very moment when it was being changed by the revolutionary ideas of Leonardo da Vinci and others. He also studied the whole intellectual background of the Italian Renaissance, the writings of the humanists and, in particular, Mantegna’s attempts to recreate in engravings and paintings the classical canon of art. Dürer made his own personal synthesis of the arts of the north and south, a synthesis which was to have immense importance to European art. His success and reputation increased rapidly. Until 1499 he was engaged chiefly on engravings and designs for his books of woodcuts. He was encouraged by an enthusiastic patron, the Elector of Saxony, and he became the friend of many of the chief figures of the Reformation. Though he never broke with Catholicism, Dürer was deeply involved in the religious controversy until his death. In 1512 he was made court painter to the Emperor Maximilian. In his last years he planned and partly composed a thesis on the theoretical basis of the arts.
The Thames and Hudson Dictionary of Art and Artists. Typical of Dürer's Passion woodcuts, the print is a window onto an event rather than a balanced and complete composition. Despite the architecture, the palm tree defines the sub-tropical location of the scene.
Dürer began the Large Passion c, 1496-97; Strauss thinks it quite possible that The Flagellation (Bartsch 8, Strauss 37),was the first print in the series. Over the next few years, Dürer added six additional woodcuts, and the seven were sold as single sheets. Dürer returned to the series c. 1510, adding 4 more woodcuts, and published the series with a frontispiece and a Latin text by Benedictus Chelidonius printed on the verso of the prints. Other works in the series include The Agony in the Garden (c. 1496-97, though possibly 1498: B. 6, S. 38), The Deposition of Christ (c. 1496-97: B. 12, S. 39), Ecce Homo (1498: B. 9, S. 58); The Bearing of the Cross (c. 1498-99: B. 10, S. 59), The Lamentation (c. 1498-99: B. 13, S. 60), The Crucifixion (c. 1498: B. 11, S. 61), The Last Supper (dated 1510: B. 5, S. 148); The Betrayal of Christ (dated 1510: B. 7, S. 149), The Harrowing of Hell (dated 1510: B. 14, S. 150), The Resurrection (dated 1510: B. 15, S. 151), Christ as the Man of Sorrows Mocked by a Soldier (c. 1511: B. 4, S. 157). Although The Trinity (dated 1511: B. 122, S. 164) was not bound up with the other sheets of the Large Passion, in size, in style, and in subject matter, it is one with the late sheets of the series. Dürer interrupted his work on the Large Passion to work on his other great series, The Apocaplyse (c. 1498, republished with new works 1511) the Life of the Virgin (c. 1501-2, completed and published 1511), the Small Woodcut Passion (c. 1508-1510, published 1511), and the Engraved Passion (c. 1506-1510). The inventiveness shown in these related series can be quickly seen by comparing them: Dürer was rarely content to simply repeat an approach that he had already tried.
Walter L. Strauss in his catalogue raisonne, Albrecht Dürer Woodcuts and Woodblocks (Abaris Books, 1980), provides a summary of comments upon each individual work. Strauss’s Commentary volume in the Illustrated Bartsch series updates his commentary here. As always, Panofsky’s Life and Art of Albrecht Dürer (Princeton University Press, 1945, revised editions culminating in the 1971 edition) is crucial for an understanding of the work of this great artist and printmaker.
According to Walter Strauss (Albrecht Dürer Woodcuts and Wood Blocks [NY: Abaris Books, 1980], p. 342 and after), Dürer began the Small Woodcut Passion sometime in 1508 or 1509, completed it in 1510, and published it in 1511 with Latin verses by Benedictus Chelidonius facing each plate. There are thirty-seven woodcuts in the series, beginning The Fall of Man and concluding with The Last Judgment. While only a few of the plates are dated, those that are suggest that Dürer originally began with Christ’s Entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and concluded with The Last Judgment. As he was completing the series c. 1510, however, he added The Fall of Man, The Expulsion from Eden (dated 1510), The Annunciation, The Nativity, and Saints Peter, Paul, and Veronica holding the Suderium (dated 1510). These additions change the focus from a history of The Passion to a history of mankind with Adam and Eve as the source of man’s woes and Jesus as man’s salvation. Of all of Dürer's great works in series, the Small Woodcut Passion is by far the largest. It was also one of his most popular: it was reprinted several times up to an Italian edition of 1612. Although there exist later impressions printed from Dürer's original blocks, they are gray and blotchy and do not print well. In addition to the prints made from Dürer's woodblocks and the copies by Marantonio Raimondi (engravings published in Venice in the early 16th century), Virgil Solis (published in Nurenberg in the late 16th century with Solis’ monogram VS, and a set of very deceptive copies by Mommard published a bit later, there exists as well a set made in the 19th century from metal plates made from plaster casts of thierty-five of Dürer's original woodblocks after they were given to the British Museum in 1839. In 1844 Henry Cole of the South Kensington Museum (now the Victoria and Albert Museum) published his collection of the the Dürer Small Passion woodcuts and described the process by which they were made:
“The present work, with the exception of two subjects, is taken from the original engravings, prints drawn by Albrecht Dürer himself on the wood, and engraved under his own superintendence. [The consensus is that Dürer cut the blocks himself for his early works including The Ship of Fools until he could train professional woodcutters to reach the level he had achieved, worlds beyond anything anyone had done up to that time in terms of subtlety, fineness of line, density, etc.] . . . [T]he present, it is believed makes the fourth edition of the genuine blocks. I say genuine blocks, for so great was the popularity and estimation of the work, that there has been more than one obvious imitation of them, besides several avowed copies constantly circulating throughout Europe. The Small Passion is stated by all writers on the subject . . . to have originally consisted of thirty-seven subjects. . . . [He then distinguishes two lifetime editions of the complete work, as opposed to individual printings of individual works that Dürer sold or gave away when he traveled]. The third edition of the genuine woodcuts was published at Venice, in 1612, by a Librarian who, according to Heinecke, purchased them in the Netherlands. . . . The engravings republished in the present volumes are from the same blocks. Thirty-five of the thirty-seven of them have found a secure resting place in the British Museum. They were purchased in 1839 by Mr. Josi, the present keeper of the prints, from the Rev. P. E. Boissier, whose father bought them many years ago in Italy. . . . The four impressions of these blocks which were printed by Mr. Otley in his History of Engraving, (p. 730) show the extent of the damage which the blocks have suffered. But in the present edition of them, the defects have been remedied by using stereotype casts of the blocks, which have been taken by a special permission of the trustees of the British Museum [that would never have happened in this century!]. New border lines have been added, the worm-holes stopped, and those parts skillfully recut by Mr. Thurston Thompson, who has also re-engraved with full feeling, the subjects of the Sitting Christ and of Jesus Parting from his Mother. The process of stereotyping has had the good effect of restoring almost the original sharpness and crispness of the lines, and of rendering the present impressions nearer the state of the earliest impressions than they would have been had they been taken from the blocks themselves. This statement may seem paradoxical, but it will be seen that it has a reasonable explanation. In order to take a metal cast of a woodcut, a cast is first taken in moist plaster of Paris. This is thoroughly dried by baking, which causes it to shrink throughout, sometimes as much as the eighth of an inch in a cast of six inches in length. The result of this slight shrinkage has been to reduce these thickened lines nearly to their original fineness, and several of the present impressions are so crisp and clear that they will not suffer by comparison with choice early impressions.”
Towards the end of his apprenticeship with Wolgemut, Dürer produced his first dated painting featuring his father Albrecht Dürer the Elder in 1490. The portrait was part of a pair of panels intended either as pendants or as diptych wings. Dürer later traveled to Italy during the Renaissance, a remarkable era of creativity and invention. His stay in Italy was incredibly important for him, exposing him to the works of Andrea Mantegna, Antonio Pollaiuolo and Lorenzo di Credi. These painters were best known for their experimentation with perspective and the theory of human proportions, two innovations Dürer took great interest in. When he returned to Nuremberg that year, he began a successful career as a painter, receiving commissions from Frederick the Wise, Elector of Saxony. One of his best known paintings is Adam and Eve, 1504 which depicted the first full-scale nude subjects in German painting. His paintings are rare in the art market given Dürer’s predominant occupation as a printmaker.
Albrecht Dürer’s earliest prints were influenced by German printmakers such as Martin Schongauer. Engravings became his preferred technique for his later body of work. To create his engravings, Dürer first engraved the image onto a copper plate with a cutter. Afterwards, the engraved plate was inked and wiped, depositing the dark ink into the grooves. This technique would have been familiar to Dürer who worked as a goldsmith in his father’s workshop. Dürer’s earliest signed print was the engraving Holy Family with Dragonfly, c. 1494. His greatest achievements in printmaking include three engravings completed between 1513 and 1514: Knight, Death and the Devil, St. Jerome in his Study, and Melencolia I. These engravings are some of his most famous masterpieces in the medium. Dürer’s prints continue to command high prices in the art market. In 2013, Christie’s hosted an auction dedicated to Dürer prints. The auction earned $6 million in sales from its 62 lots.
It was during his apprenticeship that Dürer studied the technique of woodcuts. Wolgemut was an excellent teacher whose woodcuts were some of the best in Europe at the time. In creating the woodcuts, Dürer typically provided sketches of the design in mind and relied on artisans to cut the sketches into the wood. In 1496, he began creating 12 woodcuts which depicted the death of Christ. This series, titled Large Passion , took 15 years to complete. However, one of his greatest achievements in the woodcut medium was the Apocalypse, a set of 15 woodcuts narrating the revelations of St. John. This set was completed in 1497-98.
We offer a selection if impressions ranging from Dürer's first edition lifetime proofs to later editions and include some of the 1844 impressions as well.
Select bibliography: Walter L. Strauss in his catalogue raisonne, Albrecht Dürer Woodcuts and Woodblocks (Abaris Books, 1980), provides a summary of comments upon each individaul work. Strauss’ Commentary volume in the Illustrated Bartsch series updates his earlier commentary. As always, Panofsky’s Life and Art of Albrecht Dürer (Princeton University Press, 1945, revised editions culminating in the 1971 edition) are crucial for an understanding of the work of this great artist and printmaker.


How can gamification be used to increase motivation in a classroom? Gamification can look very different depending on the application. Game mechanics can be applied to small projects as well as an entire course. The use of XP, leveling up, leaderboards, badges, etc., can easily add elements of gaming to projects but the quality of the instruction and course design is the key to a successful implementation. The biggest contributing factor to the success of gamification is motivation. Learners who participate in a gamified task are typically intrinsically motivated to not only complete the task but to be successful at it. Educators need to be cognizant of the pitfalls of gamification when implementing such strategies. Gamification has roots deep in the Constructivism learning theory by generating motivation in order to complete tasks that are generally self-guided. The skills needed for a student to coordinate completion of the game mechanics align with the Constructivist ideas of a successful transfer of learning episode.
It’s widely agreed that the idea of gamification is growing in popularity. Many researchers have studied the effects of gamification in different scenarios. The topic of this paper is focused on not only what gamification means to education but how it affects learning through motivation in a Constructivist classroom. It is widely understood that motivation plays a positive role in learning. Gamification provides strategies that increase personal motivation to expand on skillsets for use in future quests. At it’s core, Gamification provides a way to incorporate Constructivist theories to technology rich learning environments by increasing motivation.
What is Gamification?
Gamification has been defined as “using game design elements in non-game contexts to motivate and increase user activity and retention” (Deterding et al, 2011). The elements that make up gamification can look different depending on the application. For example, gamification can happen in small assignments, projects, or a whole course. In addition to where the elements can appear, what types of elements can vary as well. In this section I will explore the various way gamification can look inside a classroom.
Game Mechanics: The basic parts of gamification have been called different things by different authors. Yang, Quadir, and Chen call these parts the “Badge Mechanism” (2015) and Brull and Finlayson call them “Gamification Mechanics” (2016). In this paper, I will refer to these basic parts as the game mechanics. These parts include scoring in XP, using badges, leaderboards, levels, and any other game like parts. These mechanics are used to simulate a game environment and can be used on most content areas with a certain amount of ease. In order for gamification to work, the literature suggest that at least some of these game mechanics need to be in place to be effective. Using game mechanics and other types of gaming strategies allows learners to solve problems in an engaging and fun way (Bruder, 2015). The game mechanics provide learners with one more tool that they can use to form their own understanding and learning through motivation. This Constructivist perspective illustrates how learners build upon their experiences to achieve successes.
Course or Content: Educators who may be overwhelmed or even skeptical about applying game mechanics to their own curriculum can begin the process slowly using mini-games. Individual projects or units can be easily gamified by renaming points/percentages to XP, introducing competition with a leaderboard, and creating some reward system with badges or prizes. On a small scale like this, motivation from the mechanics themselves can be difficult to attain, rewards and prizes help.
A gamified course uses game mechanics on a larger scale to create a community of learning. Holding motivation for extended periods with game mechanics alone is very difficult. To successfully gamify a course, there must be quests or some kind choice, otherwise learners quickly bore of the game. Providing a variety of projects that achieve the same objective will allow learners to follow their own interest and feel empowered to succeed (Proulx et al., 2016).
Gamified Learning Management Systems: As gamification grows in popularity more and more classroom management systems are offering a gamified option. These systems provide educators guidance in gamifying their course and can also offer a virtual environment for students to interact. It is important to note that studies have shown that the quality of the digital environment has serious impact on motivation and efficacy for learning. Not all environments are suitable for all situations, educators need to carefully select the right tool to match their needs (Kamasheva et al., 2015).
Constructivism in Gamification
The constructivist learning theory is all about students creating meaning from their learning experiences. The theory places the learner at the center of the learning environment and active participation is the main component to success. The main idea is that experiences help the learner formulate the meaning within the current context. It is through active participation that constructivists believe meaning is created. Gamification is a natural way to incorporate participation into curriculum and build upon experiences by increasing student motivation.
How Gamification affects motivation.
Motivation is defined as being moved to do something (Ryan & Deci, 2000). Therefore, a person who does not try to move forward is described as unmotivated. A person performing a task to attain an outcome is described as being extrinsically motivated, whereas a person performing a task for the pure enjoyment or interest is intrinsically motivated (Chen, Burton, Vorvoreanu, & Whittinghill, 2015). For example, someone who creates art because it makes them feel good and they enjoy it is intrinsically motivated; someone who creates art because they want to make money or status is extrinsically motivated.
Extrinsic Motivation: Traditional teaching styles use a teach-stop-test cycle with the goal of helping the learner to retain the content because they have to pass the test (Shute & Ventura, 2013). The motivation is for the student to do well on the test. As a result, often the content is forgotten soon after testing. This is extrinsic motivation because the learner is only motivated by outside or external factors. In the scope of gamified learning theory, extrinsic motivation often leads to ineffective results. In order for students to really care about and invest themselves into a project, they must be motivated from within themselves.
Extrinsic Motivation can be an applicable form of motivation to be successful but I think one would agree it is not ideal. In learners where an interest in games is weak, motivation to complete the task is in the forefront. The structure and objectives of the task need to also be engaging in order to hold the interest of the learner.
Intrinsic Motivation: When a student is personally vested in their coursework and find it fun, they become intrinsically motivated. Learners in game environments experience emotions such as frustration, wonder, mystery, and amusement, which provides a personal connection to the game or others playing the game. They report that how a game makes them feel inside is one of the major reasons why they play (Lazzaro, 2004).
In a review of 70 empirical research studies on the use of games in the classroom from Connolly, Boyle, MacArthur, Hainey, & Boyle (2012), the most observed positive outcomes were affectivity, motivation, and learning. The potential of games to foster intrinsic motivation is shown over and over throughout the research. Based on another series of surveys, observations and interviews with gamers, a motivation theory from Malone (1981) was put forward, which says that challenge, fantasy, control, curiosity, cooperation, recognition, and competition are the most significant motivational elements that make gaming fun and engaging.
Pitfalls of Gamification to Consider
Not everyone likes games: An important consideration to remember is that not everyone enjoys playing games. While gamified content may stimulate intrinsic motivation for many, some may still only be motivated by the external factor of passing (Yang, 2017). For these students there will be more effort from the teacher to make sure course objectives are met.
Role of the teacher: It is important for teachers to continue to play an active role in instruction, especially since all students may not respond well to gamification and/or a digital environment. Yang says “simply using digital games in the classroom does not guarantee satisfactory learning achievement, especially in the case of the absence of a teacher. Integrating appropriate learning strategies into a game can better enhance the learning performance.” (Yang, 2017, p.235) Gamification gives students a level of autonomy and in some scenarios, can be delivered as a self-paced course. Research suggests that motivation up-ticks are fewer in a self-guided program than with a facilitator. The reason for this can be tied to the decrease in motivation when a learner either loses interest or is confused with the content. The teacher delivering the program needs to be a reliable resource to students without interfering with the Constructivist ideology of student-centered learning.
Improper objective mapping: Gaming for the sake of gaming isn’t going to work. The objectives of the project need to be kept in focus during the development of the gamified curriculum. As stated already, gamification is not a one size fits all solution to learner motivation. Clear objectives and relevant content is key in sourcing the right gaming solution (Mathrani, 2016).
Constructivist learning theorists (e.g., Papert, 1993; Piaget, 1964, 1970) realize that game-like activities can foster learning. This is because students are willing to spend more time and effort on learning while participating in those activities. The increased motivation factors gained from gamification provide a Constructivist classroom strategies to increase student success. The use of XP, leveling up, leaderboards, badges, etc., add elements of gaming to projects but the quality of the instruction and course design to foster participation is the key to a successful implementation. The biggest contributing factor to the success of gamification is motivation. The uptick gained from increased motivation from the gamification of content is inherently transferred to future lessons and built upon to form a big idea. This allows students to build their knowledge and feel in control of their learning.
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Forty-seven years ago today, in 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first people to set foot on the moon. Even though we can still see pieces of equipment we left up there, even though we have moon rock samples sitting in museums, there are still people who don't believe it happened.
So on the anniversary of the day the first humans actually walked on the moon, lets all remember the time Aldrin got so sick of conspiracy theorists that he punched one in the face.
In 2002, filmmaker and conspiracy theorist Bart Sibrel confronted Aldrin with a video camera and demanded that he swear on the Bible that the moon landing really happened.
You can hear Sibrel call him a coward, a liar and a thief — just before Aldrin shuts him up.
Aldrin was never charged for anything — arguably fair, considering he risked his life for the sake of science and exploration.
You can watch the build-up to the punch in the video below: