Poptropica is a game that includes quests, stories and mini games that students can engage in individually or in groups in the classroom.
I had never heard of Poptropica, but when I searched the game, it definitely is very colorful and looks like it could be engaging for students.
When you first enter the game, you get to create your own character down to their clothing, eye shape, hair style and a unique name. I chose Lazy Bear.
Personally, I find the game a little difficult to navigate, being that you couldn’t see everything on one screen. There are a series of shops, where you can actively play in different settings. The first place that I visited was the pet store, where I adopted a puppy.
There is a tutorial for new players, which is the next place I decided to go. The goal was to collect gold coins and learn the basic mechanics. As you move through the level (reminded me of the original Mario) you can interact with animals and other people in the game.
After completing the tutorial, I missed four of the 10 coins because I was unfamiliar with the navigation. This is definitely a game that would require some time and familiarity by the teacher in advance. I am not sure at this point, what academic advantages this program offers, but as I continue to explore the game through this unit, I am confident that I will get more from the program.
Educational Technology in Athletics | L. Butler 
In previous Ed. classes, we’ve discussed the value of early wins in education – that is, giving students early success in an endeavor in order to promote interest and excitement. I wonder if the difficulty of collecting all of the early coins in the tutorial would unduly frustrate a young student. Are the coins of any particular value in the game? How do they contribute to the motivation of a student to keep playing or succeed? I like the variety of different activities that you’ve described. It seems to build in elements of being able to choose what you can do, what learning styles you can bring to the game, and what skills will be developed.
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Poptropica was one of my favorite games to play in late elementary and middle school. The game seems to have changed since then, which is really interesting to me. The game was always so easy to navigate, and I hardly remember having any tutorials. It is a game that is a bit time consuming, so I am wondering how you feel after playing for awhile. Do you have a least favorite world or challenge that you’ve encountered? Can this really be used in a classroom or is it just for fun at home?
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