EPIC Academy

What is EPIC Academy?

EPIC Academy is a place for educators to pursue professional development in a game-like environment that encourages exploration while allowing choice and learning at a pace that's comfortable to you.

EPIC stands for:

Engaging - Our learning quests are designed to, on the surface, expose you to new technology and ideas for your classroom, professional development, and even personal growth.  If you wish to do so, you can pursue these tools further, going deep with your own customized learning and, of course, getting rewarded for your efforts.

Playful - We want to take a playful approach to professional development.  Try new things!  Ask the question, "Wouldn't it be interesting if ____?"  Failure isn't stigmatized here.  It's an opportunity for learning!

Innovative - The approach of this program is designed to be different than what you're accustomed to.  This isn't your grandmother's dusty old workshop.  This is your opportunity to try something entirely new!

Connected - Good learning doesn't occur in isolation.  Together we can build on each others' strengths.  Here, you'll be encouraged to connect to other educators who are doing really cool things too.  It's all about community.  Who knows what we may come up with, together?

"EPIC Academy is an online professional development experience in which you have choice about what you learn and when you learn it."

What are some things that we'll learn in EPIC Teaching Academy?

Really, the possibilities are endless.  This is a professional development program that will grow over time.  We'll have learning quests on topics ranging from developing a personal learning network through social media to game-based learning to quests on effective technology integration.  Over time, new quest chains will be added for you to explore allowing you to earn even more XP and new badges.

Quests?  Quest Chains?  Badges?  XP?  Huh?

Mastery-Driven, Job-Embedded

EPIC Academy is set up like a game.  Lessons come in bite-sized chunks called quests.  Like quests in a game, you, the player will be given some information to get you started, and then must set out to accomplish a challenge learning new ideas and tools along the way.  These learning quests are arranged in quest chains, series of quests that successively build on a concept, culminating in a final quest that will put your newly acquired skills and knowledge to the test.  You can explore as much or as little of a quest chain as you like.

Earn CEUs As You Accumulate Experience Points

As you complete quests, you'll earn experience points, or XP.  As you earn more XP, your experience bar will fill, visually showing you your progress toward the next level.  Each level is associated with a rank within the community.  XP can ultimately be cashed in for CEUs in digital learning and other areas in the future.

Earn Your Badges

Completing an entire series of quests won't be easy, but it will be rewarding.  In addition to the satisfaction of overcoming the challenges and stretching your learning, you'll receive a unique, official digital badge indicating to the world that you've mastered a particular topic.  This badge is yours!  You can share it on your website, through social media, or through an online badge backpack.  You'll also receive a physical counterpart to your digital badges that can proudly be displayed on an EPIC banner outside your classroom.

PD Designed by Teachers for Teachers

In EPIC Academy, you’ll have the opportunity to experience learning quests designed by your colleagues.  One of the most powerful experiences for professional growth occurs when teachers learn from each other, sharing experiences and resources.  As you explore these quests, perhaps you'll be inspired to become a quest designer yourself?

Seasonal Content

Periodically, new learning quests will be added to EPIC while other content will rotate out.  This keeps things fresh and interesting.  And, don't worry.  You'll never lose your progress.  If you don't complete a series of quests before it expires you can pick up where you left off when it returns!  

Overall, this game-like approach is designed to foster choice, mastery, and yes, fun.

Here are some of the badges you can earn in EPIC Academy:

Connected Educator Series:

Skype in the Classroom

Twitter

Blogging

Pinterest

Creative and Connected Learning Spaces Series:

Genius Hour

SAMR

Game-Based Learning

Digital Tools for Learning Series:

Augmented Reality

Digital Tools for Formative Assessment

YouTube

Powerschool Learning

Coding

App Smashing

Google Apps for Education:

Google Drive

Google Docs

Google Sheets

Google Slides

Google Forms

and more!

Are you ready to begin your professional development adventure? 

Download the EPIC Academy Flyer Here!

Apply Here -https://docs.google.com/a/surry.k12.nc.us/forms/d/1bL6SWD9pjvEd1OIjQOaYuCKd51N_CawFtwYStyzzuXY/viewform

Want to view the EPIC Player Guide?  Check it out here!

Want to see a map of all of the player quests in the system?  Check it out here!

EPIC Academy by Lucas Gillispie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at http://epic.edurealms.com.