City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: FEBRUARY 28, 2018
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of a Grant Application to the U.S. Department of Education Institute for Education Sciences (IES) Small Business Innovation Research Project (SBIR) Program.
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ISSUE: Application for a grant to the federal government’s Institute for Education Sciences (IES).
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council authorize the City Manager to:
1) Ratify the application to IES for a grant of up to $15,944;
2) Approve the acceptance of funds from IES for up to $15,944, if the grant is approved; and
3) Authorize the City Manager to execute the necessary documents that may be required.
BACKGROUND: Alexandria Archaeology (AA), a division of the Office of Historic Alexandria (OHA), will partner with the lead applicant, Dig-iT! Games, LLC, to undertake the grant activities. The AA component of the grant seeks $15,944 from IES to create an inquiry-based online high school educational archaeology game focused on the archaeology of Alexandria’s Hotel Indigo site. The game will require students to think analytically and critically to evaluate data and make reasoned, evidence-based arguments based on 18th century documents and archaeological artifacts from the Hotel Indigo site. The grant will fund equipment for a new artifact photo studio for Alexandria Archaeology, staff time and one summer intern.
The goals of the overall project are to:
1) Create an engaging game product for high school students using artifacts and other
archaeological objects, primary and secondary sources, and summaries of real life analysis of the artifacts;
2) Develop and implement a model to capture learning and non-learning data to support
the required research testing and game assessment reports for the educator and content stakeholder; and
3) Develop a design approach for creating multiple game products from a platform that is suitable for use by museums to deliver new educational content.
Funding from IES will increase accessibility and awareness of the archaeology of early Alexandria and its waterfront, and allow Alexandria Archaeology to reach a currently underrepresented priority audience of high school students both in and outside of the City of Alexandria.
DISCUSSION: In December 2017, Dig-It! Games approached Alexandria Archaeology as a possible supporter for a new educational archaeology game for high school students. Subsequent conversations led to Alexandria Archaeology taking on the role of a project collaborator. The game is designed to be a combination of classroom debate and game that will facilitate analytical thinking and engage students in the incorporation of data in arguments they write. The game will introduce the history of the Alexandria waterfront to students. This will increase accessibility of Alexandria Archaeology’s resources to students both in and outside of the City of Alexandria, and provide teachers with a way to involve students in a specific, detailed and real-life example of the scholarship of history.
The following link contains information on other educational games created by Dig-iT Games, LLC: <https://dig-itgames.com/educational-games-social-studies-science-math/>.
Once developed, the game can be used as a pre- or post-field trip activity, or as a standalone lesson if a field trip is not possible. Inquiry: Water and Time is played on any kind of internet-capable device. It uses simple game mechanics to engage students. Students have their own artifact to analyze and make choices each round of the game about how they will analyze their artifact, whether to team up with classmates, and which references to use.
There were changes made by the game developer near the grant deadline making an earlier grant approval by City Council is not possible. As a result, the grant application was submitted, contingent on subsequent City Council ratification. If not approved, the application will be withdrawn.
FISCAL IMPACT: This grant, if awarded, will provide up to $15,944 toward research and content development of the educational archaeology game, Inquiry: Water and Time. The project will have minimal fiscal impact on City resources since the grant does not require any matching funds. Archaeological staff will oversee the project, which will be completed by a project intern who will conduct more than a third of the work.
STAFF:
Emily A. Baker, Deputy City Manager
Gretchen Bulova, Acting Director, Office of Historic Alexandria
Eleanor Breen, Acting City Archaeologist