When it comes to educational software, the trick is to make kids think they’re just playing a traditional escapist game, while they’re really being surreptitiously fed facts and logic problems that put their brains to work. But while many games have done this for years, the technique hasn’t really made the jump to online virtual worlds – most of the kid-friendly virtual worlds are more focused on socializing and having fun than learning. Now JumpStart, a best-selling educational software developer, is looking to fill this niche with its new JumpStart Virtual World, which launched this week in public beta.
The game has high production values, with rich 3D graphics, customizable avatars, and a large world to explore. The game is browser-based, and works on both Mac and Windows with a small browser plugin. The current release offers 5 themed zones, each of which is filled with games designed to entertain and teach at the same time (examples include a Story game, which requires the child to play a memory matching game as they attempt to find all of the parts of their story book). Each game also tracks the child’s progress, and allows parents to receive periodic updates via Email detailing how their kids are doing.
The JumpStart virtual world is broken into three main segments, each targeted towards a different age range. At launch the only one available is Story Land (for ages 3-5), but Adventure Land (6-8’s) and Futureland (8-10’s) will be opening up in March or April 2009. The game is free to try out and lets kids play in one of the world’s themed zones, but to access the majority of the content families will need to pay a $7.99 monthly subscription fee (the fee is per family, not per child, and also includes access to JumpStart’s library of retail games).
But while JumpStart’s world is loaded with content, at this point it doesn’t take full advantage of its online connectivity. To keep kids as safe as possible the game doesn’t allow for much socialization between avatars (an understandable restriction, especially with the 3-5 year-old set). But at launch there’s only one multiplayer game, though JumpStart exec Thomas Swalla says more are on the way. If JumpStart is going to be charging monthly dues, it needs to do more to separate itself from a standard off-line game. That said, in my testing the game was surprisingly fun (even though I am admittedly well outside the target audience), and could easily be a hit with kids.
Also check out Handipoints, a virtual world that tries to get kids to do their chores.
Ummmm, I give them 6 months – sorry but I just dont see it ….. maybe if they can get this INTO the school WITH real lessons (that are measurable) … but when kids have Runescape etc. at home to “Play with” … this thing doesnt stand a chance as is.
My oldest played JumpStart CD games. The graphics online look pretty good. I’ll have my youngest try it out. At least they might learn something.
My preschoolers absolutely loved the program. They have been playing for a week. They played and learned so much. I am a teacher and have recommended this site to all my friends and colleagues. It is such an exciting game, with lots of fun, as well, as the learning that takes place. Kudos to Jump Start.
Dr Dogood, I took a look at Runescape and it looks a lot like World of Warcraft. I don’t know what kind of parent you are but I don’t let my 1st Grader play M rated MMO’s. But he does play JumpStart at school and loves it. This is the first I’ve heard about they’re online version and I plan on checking it out.
I just checked out JumpStart.com and I must say I’m suprised at how robust the avatar builder is! The graphics are also pretty impressive. I haven’t subscribed yet to see the rest of the “Story Land” but at first glance it looks kid-friendly and easy to navigate.
My 4 year old niece has been playing non-stop for days. She seems to love it. Her mom is comfortable with the site and loves how it keeps the child occupied. Easy to use and the graphics are amazing. Best deal on the internet!
I would say we have a clear case of comment astroturing. Can we get some IP checks ?
I bet we see more. As far as this company is concerned, I’d rather put the little ones to work either outside or on some spreadsheets
My kids typically plan on Club Penguin because they love chatting with their friends, but I as a parent would love to have them enjoy an online game that actually teaches them something. I’ll have to direct them to the site and see how they like it
I don’t have kids but I’m in the technology industry and I just went to the site and checked out the game. No doubt the graphics are way better than any online game I’ve seen. Clearly, their technology platform must be pretty sophisticated.
3 year olds in a virtual world?? This I’ve got to see. Can it really be easy enough for a kid that young to navigate?
Where’s the educational value? I see a lot of content, rich graphics, and tools — items to get students engaged. But, how effective is the process in teaching students core math, reading, and writing skills?
I’d be interested to learn more about the didactic aspect of the virtual world. Too many educational companies out there are more concerned with figuring out how to engage than how to actually teach. Let’s face it; kids are smart. They can tell pretty quickly when a game is getting too brain-intensive. The problem with that is kids don’t want to mix times that are for leisure and times that are for serious learning. Figuring out how to both engage and truly teach is the holy grail of education.
Anyway, this is a step in the right direction, but I’m not convinced this is anywhere close to the best solution.
As a teacher, it is my philosophy that student engagement is the most essential aspect in learning. If you don’t have a child’s attention, you can forget the learning!
That being said, I have never seen any media more educationally comprehensive and engaging than JumpStart. I discovered the products late this summer and my students and I have been passionately preoccupied with it ever since!
Kids love exploration. Exploration leads to understanding which ultimately fosters learning. The JumpStart virtual world products are all about exploring. Kids also love the freedom of choice. Choice creates motivation. Motivation transfers to engagement and self-induced learning. When you have a child who yearns to learn, your job (as a teacher or a parents) becomes simple.
Kids want to have fun, be entertained, compete, and be rewarded. They embrace challenges when they have confidence in their skills. JumpStart allows kids to gain confidence as they master skills.
My students love technology and are innately ‘wired’ to figure things out through exploration. An engaging virtual world like JumpStart allows them to use their sense of exploration to understand and to learn. The entire world is an entertaining, engaging, motivating learning experience that ultimately teaches them to uncover answers and knowledge for themselves (a teacher’s dream).
The best and more effective learning occurs when kids don’t even know they’re doing it. This means that when a child is playing in a virtual world, they should be drowning in opportunities for learning like they are when they play JumpStart. Without even realizing it, a child will explore, discover, and begin to make connections with prior knowledge, creating new knowledge. Teachers will be pleased. Parents will be pleased. Kids will be entertained, engaged, and learning without even knowing it. The more choice and options available to kids, the more motivating and engaging it’s going to be. JumpStart has this down perfectly!
Way to go JumpStart for transforming my classroom! It’s now a place of motivated and engaged learners who are confident in their abilities and constantly yearning to learn more!
LOL … the comments on this are cracking me up …. “I would say we have a clear case of comment astroturing” is right ! …. my guess is most of these comments are coming from JumpStart.com employees … when real kids have club penguin and the like why would they even bother with jumpstart at home? … JumpStart employees post next *lol*
I went to the game and tried it as an adult and it was pretty fun to create my character, but then I just found myself in a world with no directions and nothing to do except walk around. I can’t imagine that kids would like this with nothing to do. There should at least be games to play or some goal to what they should be doing. The graphics and world were great but needs to have MEANING
Child engagement and child entertainment are two very different things. When something amuses a child it shuts off the very parts of the mind they need for real engagement.
Muse – to think. Amuse – to stop thinking.
*Correction:
According to Webster’s dictionary:
Muse:
Verb
1. To think deeply and at length about:
I mused unhappily over your comment and decided to respond.
Amuse:
1. To occupy in an agreeable, pleasing, or entertaining fashion.
2. To cause to laugh or smile by giving pleasure: Your comment amused me.
Your brain must be engaged and musing to find something amusing!
Thanks for all the comments! We are proud of the long history that our JumpStart and Math Blaster products have in helping to educate and entertain kids. As Jason comments in his article, our online virtual world is now available in beta and we invite everyone to go to http://www.jumpstart.com, create a Jumpee, and go exploring. We have also established fan clubs on Facebook and MySpace to help parents connect with others and share their thoughts and experiences about their children’s success at school and at play.
When Knowledge Adventure were first of all purchased by Havas Interactive, and soon afterwards Havas was purchased by Vivendi, they really lost a lot of their innovation, and it proved much more complicated to do business with them (I used to license products from KA for localization in Europe)
It is good to see that they are now independent again (with VC investment), and moving in more innovative directions.
I teach computers for K-6 at a high-tech school. My students love virtual worlds at home and typically play Club Penguin, Webkinz, etc.
Seeing Jumpstart.com is very encouraging as my students’ parents are constantly asking for more educational content for their kids to play when they can’t be outdoors running around, or if parents want to supplement learning at home.
I have always been impressed by JumpStart products throughout they years, and now they’ve taken their great ed content to a whole new level.
Great things are happening online in safe environments for kids to explore, and it’s nice to see a reputable company like JumpStart (Knowledge Adventure) continuing to take the lead.
testing….
Dr Dogood – Runescape doesn’t really have much in common with JumpStart. JumpStart has a long history of winning awards for high-quality content, and it has a lot of educational credibility. Now they taking it from a CD to online. Not sure that Runescape’s popularity means JumpStart won’t be successful. If anything, could be a good indicator of the opposite – that JumpStart fills a large gap and will be very successful.
Successful at what? I honestly cant see anyone but the above JumpStart employees or paid hacks give this a rating beyond “bleh” … there is no “there there”
interesting that jumpstart has chosen to launch a virtual world for young kids age 3-5…it does seem like an age group that hasn’t really been tapped into and with a brand like jumpstart i think it will probably be successful. most of my friends who are parents love the jumpstart games, and so do the kids. it is difficult to balance the desires of the parent and the kid and jumpstart has done that.
3-5 year olds who cant read or use a mouse yet? … You have got to be kidding.
What is the basis of breaking it into segments. Where would a 5.5 yr old kid go?
This look good
i ll try it