Toolwire Celebrates National Day on Writing through Game-Based Learning

Twenty pioneering colleges and universities now using Writing Games to support student retention and improve learning outcomes

PLEASANTON, CALIF. (PRWEB) October 20, 2015

As educators nationwide celebrate the National Day on Writing, community colleges are leading the way in the use of a new instructional tool for developing foundational writing skills: digital game-based learning. This fall, more than 20 institutions are piloting a series of 17 writing games launched earlier this year by Toolwire, a leading educational game provider that will deliver game-based learning to over 250,000 students in 2015.

Reading and writing are essential to college and career success. Because these skills are so fundamental to all other courses, acquiring reading and writing skills improves the likelihood that students will persist and complete their degrees.

"Writing composition is a gateway course that students need to succeed throughout their collegiate and professional careers," said Cameron D. Crowe, Executive Vice President of Toolwire. "Today is a great opportunity to spread the word about new approaches to writing instruction and the benefits of game-based learning within developmental writing courses. Toolwire is proud to work with these twenty forward thinking schools to provide innovative engagement strategies to support their students."

"These immersive games are an engaging and relevant way for students to practice writing fundamentals on their own time," commented Douglas C. Beckwith, PhD, JD, a former dean and current Senior Fellow at Toolwire. "For faculty, these auto-graded games are a time-saver that enables them to dedicate more time and personalized attention to helping students develop confidence in their writing abilities and master foundational concepts."

Over the years, technologists and instructors have begun looking more closely at the results of game-based learning within postsecondary education. Among these, the New Media Consortium's 2014 Horizon Report included game-based learning on a short-list of its top emerging education technologies. The report cites the power of edugames to engage students by situating learning in authentic, real life settings and the way games foster critical thinking and creative problem-solving through self-directed, interactive play.

While game-based learning within postsecondary education is currently an emerging category, Ambient Insight's 2014-2019 Global Edugame Market Report projects that revenue growth for this segment will exceed all other segments over the next several years.

For more information about the Writing Games, Toolwire will be hosting webinars this Wednesday, October 21st and Thursday, October 22nd at 10:00 am PT. To register, click here.

Toolwire will also be attending and sponsoring the Two-Year College English Association (TYCA) Pacific Northwest Conference in Spokane, WA (October 23rd – October 24th).

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About Toolwire: Toolwire develops, delivers, and supports immersive learning tools for online and blended learning courses. The company's Game-Based Learning and Virtual Desktop products and solutions help educational institutions engage learners and prepare them for success in the classroom and the workplace.

About the National Day on Writing: Established in 2009 by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), the National Day on Writing celebrates composition in all forms – from stories, poems, and letters to text messages, videos, and audio recordings – and demonstrates how writing is a vital part of our everyday lives. Thousands of writers from across the country recognize the National Day on Writing with local events, including write-ins, talks by local authors, and poetry slam celebrations. Tips for writers, writing resources for educators, and more information on the National Day on Writing, can be found on the NCTE website (http://www.ncte.org/dayonwriting).

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2015/10/prweb13032816.htm