TVO’s leadership in digital learning has received international recognition with a 2017 International Serious Play Award for mPower, creative online games that teach fundamental K-6 math skills while enabling Ontario students to have fun and learn more about the world around them.
TVO mPower was announced as a Silver Medalist in the worldwide competition honouring outstanding games in advance of the 7th annual Serious Play Conference for international leaders who embrace the idea that games can revolutionize learning.
“While TVO mPower is fun, as the Serious Play award recognizes, the real strength of these games is that they are truly educational. TVO co-developed mPower with Ontario teachers and students, and the games support the Ontario curriculum,” says Lisa de Wilde, Chief Executive Officer.
Launched earlier this year, TVO mPower games are now in the hands of over 46,000 K-6 students, and are available free of charge to teachers throughout the province. The games use digital technology that adapts to each learner to help kids develop STEM skills while learning about the province’s communities and environment.
“The world is changing, and changing fast. Digital technology is revolutionizing the very nature of classroom learning, as well as the global competencies the next generation needs to lead rewarding lives. TVO mPower is a superb example of how we are harnessing technology to reinvent learning in the 21st century by developing evidence-based digital learning resources that parents and teachers can trust,” says de Wilde.
As the province’s partner in digital learning, TVO combines a deep knowledge of the Ontario curriculum, best practices in pedagogy, and wise use of digital technology to help set students up for success in school and in life. The Serious Play award is just the latest recognition of how TVO’s dynamic and cross-functional teams are harnessing creativity and commitment to deliver real impact for Ontario.
“Every student and teacher in Ontario deserves to have access to the very best digital learning resources, regardless of where they live. At TVO, we believe that learning is the great equalizer, and we are dedicated to bringing award-winning digital learning resources like mPower to every student in the province,” says de Wilde.
The mPower games are one part of TVO’s transformation from an educational broadcaster to a digital learning organization, which includes being the Government of Ontario’s partner for digital learning inside and outside the classroom, being the digital public space for Ontario-perspective in-depth current affairs, and empowering employees to thrive in an organization that embraces continual change.