Amherst College, B.A.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, M.S.
Columbia University, Ed.D.

Karen Schrier is an Assistant Professor of Communication in the Media Arts department. Prior to Marist College, Karen worked as an educator, designer and media producer. She received her doctorate from Columbia University, where she wrote her dissertation on ethics and video games. While earning her doctorate, she worked as the Director of Interactive Media at ESI Design, an Executive Producer at Scholastic, and an Online Producer at Nickelodeon. Karen is the co-editor of a two-book series called Ethics and Game Design: Teaching Values through Play, which was published over the past year. She also serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Game Design and Development Education (JGDDE), was the Games Program co-chair of the ACM SIGGRAPH Conference in 2008 and 2009, and taught design at Parsons and Hunter College. Karen has co-created many digital properties, such as Mission U.S.: For Crown or Colony? and Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge, and her games have been featured in festivals such as Come Out and Play.

IGDA Scholarship Winner, Game Developers Conference (2009)
Columbia University Instructional Technology and Media Travel Grant Award (2008, 2011)
Columbia University Office of Policy and Research Fellowship (2007-2008)
Columbia University Departmental Scholarship (2007-2009)
Nomination, Webby Award, Kids and Family Websites, for ParentsConnect.com (2007, 2008)

Selected publications:

Edited Books

Schrier, K. and Gibson, D. (Eds.) (2011). Designing games for ethics: Models, techniques and frameworks, Hershey, PA: IGI.

Schrier, K. and Gibson, D. (Eds.) (2010). Ethics and game design: Teaching values through play, Hershey, PA: IGI.

Book Chapters

Schrier, K., Diamond, J., and Langendoen, D. (2010). Using Mission U.S.: For crown or colony? to develop historical empathy and nurture ethical thinking. In K. Schrier & D. Gibson (Eds.), Ethics and game design: Teaching values through play (239-261). Hershey, PA: IGI.

Schrier, K. and Kinzer, C. (2009). Using digital games to develop ethical teachers. In D. Gibson (Ed.). Digital simulations to improve education. Hershey, PA: IGI.

Schrier, K and Smolney, N. (2009). Encouraging players to socialize: Social game design principles. In D. Sikora (Ed.), Advanced design and content creation. Florence, KY:
Delmar/Cengage Learning.

Schrier, K. (2008). Reliving history with Reliving the Revolution: Using augmented reality games to teach. In R. Ferdig (Ed.), Handbook of research on effective electronic gaming in education. Hershey, PA: IGI.

Schrier, K. (2007). Reliving the Revolution while living a place. In F. von Borries, S. Walz, U. Brinkmann, and M. Bottiger (Eds.). Space/Time/Play. Boston, MA: Birkhauser/Springer.

Dieterle, E., Dede, C., & Schrier, K. (2007). Neomillennial learning styles propagated by wireless handheld devices. In M. Lytras & A. Naeve (Eds.), Ubiquitous and pervasive
knowledge and learning management. Hershey, PA: IGI.

Refereed Conference Proceedings

Schrier, K. & Gibson, D. (2011). Using games to prepare ethical educators and students. Conference proceedings, Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education
(SITE). Nashville, TN.

Schrier, K. (2006). Using augmented reality games to teach 21st century skills. Conference proceedings, ACM Siggraph 2006 Educators Program, Boston, MA.

Games and learning, designing virtual worlds and online environments, usability of technology, games for social change, teaching ethics and values, media literacy,
experience design, social media, cognitive theory

Selected Talks

Invited

Schrier, K. (2011). "Ethics and Games," Invited Featured Keynote. Ethics and Games Symposium. DePauw University, IN.

Schrier, K. (2011). "Ethics and Games." Games for Change. New York, NY

Schrier, K., Gibson, D., Shaenfield, D. & Simkins, D. (2011). Ethics and game design. Invited panel at the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education (SITE). Nashville, TN.

Schrier, K. (2010). Ethics and game design. Invited paper presented at Scratch Day Conference. New York, NY.

Schrier, K., Jenkins, H., Resnick, M, Reilly, E., Lacasa, P. & Shrethova, S. (2010). Participatory culture. Invited panel at MIT conference, Cambridge, MA.

Schrier, K. and Sicart, M. (2010) Ethics and game design. Invited talk at NYU's Game Center, New York, NY.

Schrier, K. The educational rationale for Mission U.S. (2010). Invited talk at the Channel 13 Celebration Conference, New York, NY.


Refereed

Schrier, K. & Shaenfield, D. (2011). Using games to support the practice of argumentative discourse skills on ethical issues. American Educational Research Association (AERA). New Orleans, LA.

Schrier, K., Macklin, C. & Zagal, J. (2010). The good , the bad, and the ugly: The ethics of heavy rain. Panel at Future of Digital Games. Monterey, CA.

Schrier, K., Diamond, J., Langendoen, D. & Potter, L. (2009). The best of both worlds? Design challenges for developing playable historical games for classroom learning. Session at Games, Learning and Society. Madison, WI.

Schrier, K., Bryant, J. A., Gilbert, S., Landendoen, D., Macklin, C. & Nordlinger, J. (2009). Ethics and games panel. Panel at the Games for Change conference, New York, NY.

Schrier, K. & Engelbrecht, C. (2008). Mining YouTube.com: Understanding the possibilities of YouTube content in school-based instruction. Paper presented at the Society for
Information Technology and Teacher Education (SITE), Las Vegas, NV.

Schrier, K. & Engelbrecht, C. (2008). Using YouTube to teach media literacy skills. Roundtable at American Educational Researchers Association (AERA), New York, NY.

Engelbrecht, C. & Schrier, K. (2008). Using YouTube to inform the design and usability of gaming experiences. Roundtable at American Educational Researchers Association (AERA), New York, NY.

Schrier, K. & Engelbrecht, C. (2008). Using YouTube to support games curricula and research. Poster session at Game Developers Conference, San Francisco, CA.

Schrier, K. (2007). Location-based learning with mobile games. Session presented at the Game Developers Conference (Serious Games Summit), San Francisco, CA.

Schrier, K. (2006). Using augmented reality games to teach 21st century skills. Paper presented at AoIR, Brisbane, AU.

Schrier, K. (2006). Using augmented reality games to teach 21st century skills. Paper presented at ACM SIGGRAPH Educator's Program, Boston, MA.

Selected Media Coverage

Library Journal (2010). Short Takes: Ethics and Game Design: Teaching Values through Play, http://www.freetrialzone.com/lj/ljinprintcurrentissue/883940-403/short_takes.html.csp

Confessions of an Aca/Fan Blog (2010), Interview with Henry Jenkins on ethics and games

Time Out New York (2009). Own This City: Signals on the S (coverage of designed game). http://newyork.timeout.com/articles/own-this-city/75327/come-out-and-play-2009

Game Developers Magazine (March 2007). Get Sidetracked with Subconferences http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=12977

Gamasutra.com (March 2007). GDC: Nickelodeon's Schrier Relives the Revolution http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=12994

District Administration (October 2005). Catalyst For Change. http://districtadministration.ccsct.com//page.cfm?p=1267