Learning Log 1: Games in the Classroom
After watching Gabe Zichermann’s speech, and reading the articles by Begona Gros and Lee & Hammer, what do you feel that you are already doing to create a gaming environment for your students? How have these industry professionals supported what you are doing, and what do you think, after learning from them, you need to further explore and/or implement, to make gaming more successful in your classroom?
Although I do not have a classroom of my own quite yet, I have witnessed several of my field experience teachers creating gaming environments in their classrooms. One example I can think of is the use of ClassDojo which incorporated structural gamification into a second grade classroom. This application allowed the students to be given points and rewards for their classroom behavior. The use of this application seemed to address the motivation problems in the classroom as discussed by Lee and Hammer (2011). Although this application was mostly used in the classroom as a management device, it could have also been used more educationally to reward students for completing work or doing well on assessments.
Another way I have seen a gaming environment created in a classroom was through the use of the game Prodigy. This is great example of content gamification as it is a fantasy game in which students create an avatar and proceed through quests. Along the way they engage in "battles" in which they have to complete math problems in order to execute "moves" and move on. The math problems are chosen for each student depending on their skill level so that they are increasingly challenged as their knowledge expands. This game design is very effective in motivating students to constantly learn and improve (Lee & Hammer, 2011). Prodigy is also effective in creating a "community of practice" in which students are able to develop their conceptual knowledge gradually as well as engage with each other socially (Gros, 2007, p. 30).
After reading and watching the weekly materials, I think that it will be important in my future classroom to choose games that support perseverance as discussed by Zichermann. In his TEDxTalk, he discusses the importance of decreasing the pressure and possible humiliation present in the education system currently. Students in a gaming environment are given opportunities to fail in a non-stress way that encourages getting back up and trying again. If I can incorporate into my classroom a gaming environment that utilizes this "failure loop", I will be able to more effectively promote perseverance and grit in my students (2014).
Another way I have seen a gaming environment created in a classroom was through the use of the game Prodigy. This is great example of content gamification as it is a fantasy game in which students create an avatar and proceed through quests. Along the way they engage in "battles" in which they have to complete math problems in order to execute "moves" and move on. The math problems are chosen for each student depending on their skill level so that they are increasingly challenged as their knowledge expands. This game design is very effective in motivating students to constantly learn and improve (Lee & Hammer, 2011). Prodigy is also effective in creating a "community of practice" in which students are able to develop their conceptual knowledge gradually as well as engage with each other socially (Gros, 2007, p. 30).
After reading and watching the weekly materials, I think that it will be important in my future classroom to choose games that support perseverance as discussed by Zichermann. In his TEDxTalk, he discusses the importance of decreasing the pressure and possible humiliation present in the education system currently. Students in a gaming environment are given opportunities to fail in a non-stress way that encourages getting back up and trying again. If I can incorporate into my classroom a gaming environment that utilizes this "failure loop", I will be able to more effectively promote perseverance and grit in my students (2014).
References
Gros, B. (2007). Digital Games in Education: The Design of Games-Based Learning Environments. Journal of
Research on Technology in Education, 40(1), 23-38. Retrieved from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/9403/b205dbc6096748fcdc7e5ae834aa9e2a712.pdf
Lee, J.J., Hammer, J. (2011). Gamification in Education: What, How, Why Bother? Academic Exchange Quarterly, 15(2). Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/570970/Gamification_in_Education_What_How_Why_Bother?auto=download
Zichermann, G. (2014, February 25). The Future of Creativity and Innovation is Gamification: Gabe Zichermann at TEDxVilnius. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZvRw71Slew&t=6s
Research on Technology in Education, 40(1), 23-38. Retrieved from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/9403/b205dbc6096748fcdc7e5ae834aa9e2a712.pdf
Lee, J.J., Hammer, J. (2011). Gamification in Education: What, How, Why Bother? Academic Exchange Quarterly, 15(2). Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/570970/Gamification_in_Education_What_How_Why_Bother?auto=download
Zichermann, G. (2014, February 25). The Future of Creativity and Innovation is Gamification: Gabe Zichermann at TEDxVilnius. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZvRw71Slew&t=6s