ASU and Endless Network Partner to Launch Scalable Learning Solutions
At Endless, we’re all about innovative solutions that bring gaming education to new heights. At today’s ASU + GSV Summit, Endless Network founder Matt Dalio and Arizona State University President Michael Crow announced a new collaboration with limitless reach: the Endless Games and Learning Lab at ASU. This partnership signals a groundbreaking approach to education, merging cutting-edge technology with engaging game environments to redefine the future of learning and opportunity.
“The Endless Games and Learning Lab represents a whole new era in education,” President Crow said. “By merging cutting-edge technology and engaging game environments, Endless Lab will redefine the future of games, learning and opportunity, and empower individuals and communities around the world.”
The Endless Lab draws its inspiration from John Dewey’s philosophy that education should be organized around a learner’s everyday experiences, rather than being imposed “from above and from outside.” The Endless Lab will advance ASU's pursuit of what it terms “Realm 5 learning” — massively distributed, universally accessible, high-intensity and personalized learning solutions for all people.
“Endless Network empowers the next generation to succeed in the digital economy. We share ASU’s commitment to harnessing the transformative power of game design to advance learning across multiple disciplines,” Dalio said. “The Endless Lab has the potential to enable millions of students to become creators through scalable game-based learning experiences.”
The Endless Lab, made possible by a $5 million gift from Endless Network, will serve as a nexus for research and collaboration, connecting ASU's resources with partners and platforms that empower youth to engage in gaming and creative activities. By catalyzing a global ecosystem that combines professional development and academic growth, Endless Lab aims to address the needs of learners of all ages, especially those who are not currently served by traditional educational systems.
“Almost half a billion global youth between the ages of 15 and 30 are not in school or are unemployed,” President Crow said. “Existing systems of education don’t meet learners where they are. As educators, we must find ways to build personalized learning and work pathways that are integrated into the interests, habits and lives of young people. This requires new educational technology, new models of mentorship and peer learning, new ways to assess knowledge, skills and competencies, and new curricular designs.”
The Endless Lab will be part of the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts and will physically be within the Media and Immersive eXperience (MIX) Center. The Endless Lab will amplify and benefit from connections across the entire university, including with the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering and the Thunderbird School of Global Management. The Endless Lab will have a Global Advisory Council that includes executives and leaders from the gaming, education and technology sectors, along with key ASU leaders.
Ranked #1 in innovation for nine consecutive years and #2 in the world for global impact, ASU is a fitting home for the Endless Lab, as it brings together researchers and industry experts in the fields of games, learning and work. Among students, game design is one of the most popular and most requested majors, highlighting the growing interest and relevance of this field in today's educational landscape. A world leader in testing, evaluating and launching educational technologies, ASU has a robust research infrastructure at its EdPlus Action Lab. Luminosity, a key partner for the Endless Lab, excels in rapid prototyping and building engineering and design solutions to solve educational challenges.
Most importantly, ASU, driven by the vision of President Crow, is the only university in the world that is trying to figure out Realm 5 learning – infinitely scalable education. The Endless Lab will be a signature component of ASU’s Realm 5 strategy, incorporating the growing demand for game design education and addressing the needs of a new generation of learners.