CALICO offers hands-on workshops at our annual conference and also throughout the year. These are often (co-)organized by our special interest groups, but at our annual conference, any member can propose a workshop that is of interest to our community.
Current Schedule of Events and Upcoming Online Workshops
December 2024
December 16
Alice is Missing on December 16th, 2024, from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm (ET) (https://umich.zoom.us/j/95034837891). After the game, we’ll hold our SIG meeting from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm (ET) (https://umich.zoom.us/j/93445810529)
About Alice is Missing
Alice is Missing is a hauntingly immersive silent role-playing game about the mysterious disappearance of Alice Briarwood, a high school junior from the small town of Silent Falls. During the 90-minute session, participants communicate solely via text messages, creating a unique, deeply personal experience without verbal communication. The story unfolds in real time, with players sending texts within a group chat and one-on-one, as though they’re apart from each other. It’s an emotional journey through suspense and connection, bringing out elements that feel like a blend of games like Life Is Strange, Gone Home, Firewatch and Oxenfree. The game has received notable accolades, including:
- 2023 As d’Or – Jeu de l’Année Initié Nominee
- 2021 ENnie Product of the Year Gold Winner
- 2021 ENnie for Best Rules Gold Winner
After our play session, the SIG Meeting will be an open space to connect, discuss games and language learning, share current projects, catch up, and meet new friends.
December 20
Gaming SIG Workshop
We’re also thrilled to announce an upcoming workshop, Introduction to Game-Based Language Learning, on December 20th from 3:00 to 5:00 pm (ET) (https://umich.zoom.us/j/98704475343). This session will explore practical ways to bring game-based learning into your language classes, creating engaging, impactful experiences for students.
This is a unique opportunity to explore interactive storytelling and dive into engaging discussions with fellow CALICO Gaming SIG members. I hope to see many of you there!
January 2025
Workshop
Finding the Right Tool for Your Task
Workshop Leaders: Ursula Stickler and Joe Hopkins
The ICT-REV team has been collaborating with the European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML) for over a decade to generate an online, searchable inventory of freely available tools for language teaching. Using the ICT-REV inventory, we will show workshop participants how to locate and evaluate a suitable tool for different teaching tasks. Participants will share their findings and – ideally – continue to contribute to the further development of the inventory beyond the workshop.
More details TBA and registration will be available.
Demo: MyConversationTrainer
📆 Date: Friday, 01/17/25
⏰ Time: 11am PT/1pm CT/2pm ET
📍 Location: Please register in advance on Zoom
The event will be hosted by Antonio Pérez-Núñez, Spanish Professor and Developer of MyConversationTrainer. MyConversationTrainer enhances your Spanish classes and supports your teaching, helping your students develop their language skills through engaging AI-powered conversation practice and feedback.
February 2025
Workshop
Game-based Learning Using Group Projects
Workshop Leader: Mahmoud Amer
This workshop will demonstrate how game-based learning and students’ created projects can function as high impact learning experiences that promote deeper connections with course content. The presenter will share examples projects that promote collaboration, communication, and team building. By the end of the session, participants will be able to 1) create games they can fit within their curricula through open-access technology, including games that promote active learning, 2) think creatively to craft learning experiences that both engage and challenge students, and 3) embrace a new reality that exploits multiple technologies and repurposes existing ones.
More details TBA and registration will be available.
Previously Offered Online Workshops
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we grasped the opportunity of experimenting with distance collaboration technologies to meet up as a community and offer fully online workshops. These workshops happened during specific weeks of the year and were also intended to be as ‘hands-on’ and practical as the face-to-face workshops at our conference. Participants could attend no matter where they were located, and still get to interact with workshop leaders and other attendees.
The documents below give an idea of the online workshops previously on offer. Currently, we are offering online workshops again. You can reach out to info@calico.org if you have any questions or suggestions.