Algorithms

Former ECOO President Peter McAsh passed along this Twitter message from Alec Couros and suggested that I dig into it.

Check this #algorithm game out and order a set for your classroom. https://t.co/yCvafdwcdx #edchat #eci832 #digcit

— Dr. Alec Couros (@courosa) April 1, 2022

So, of course, I did.

It’s called #ForYou: A Game About Algorithms created and shared by the folks at Media Smarts. I was actually quite pleased that it wasn’t just another online game although the online connections are very apparent once you play it.

It involves a special deck of cards that can be accessed by request to Media Smarts (for free) or there’s a PDF file there with the cards that you can download and create your own deck. How’s that for integrating a Maker Project?

The rules for play are available to read in this PDF file.

The goal has never been so important as right now. We know that there are algorithmic forces out there tracking us on the web for personalization and monetary reasons.

#ForYou is a card-based pattern-matching game that helps youth aged 13 to 18 understand the role that algorithms play in their online and offline lives, and the value of their personal information to companies that use those algorithms. The game is designed to be delivered either in school or in community spaces such as homework or coding clubs.

It’s nice to see a resource like this targeted to secondary school students and helps them become a bit smarter about what it means to go online. For those of us who pre-date being connected, advertising was so much simpler and easier to get our head around. Not so today and the more that we know, the better off and safer we will be.

If you’re a secondary school teacher, I’d suggest that you click through and take a look at this and see if there’s a fit for your classroom.

Thanks, Peter and Alec.