Gaming in the Classroom

 https://youtu.be/ECFRcFkymNo


Gaming in the Classroom

Gamification and gaming in the classroom are relatively novel topics in education. Many believe that gaming in the classroom engages and motivates learners, leading to student enjoyment and learning. However, many are cautious about the content, context, and connection to standards and curriculum. With little research and evidence in this area, teachers must be thorough when investigating the use of games in the classroom.

In my opinion, when done right, gaming in the classroom benefits all relevant stakeholders. Students are engaged and motivated, teachers have the opportunity to collect data on student responses and performance, and parents hear and see the excitement that their children have for school. In addition, students may be able to use these games/websites at home for further reinforcement.

Roblyer & Hughes (2019) highlight some of the challenges associated with gaming in the classroom to be: focus on learning versus having fun, correspondence between game goals and learning objectives, transfer of learning, alignment with the curriculum and teaching practices, and classroom barriers. It is important for educators to consider these concerns when planning and implementing gaming in the classroom. Gaming is inappropriate in the instructional setting if it is simply a task that students do when they finish their work, or if it is not connected to state standards and school curriculum.

In my experience, incorporating gaming into review activities can be a fun and effective way to prepare students for an exam, or to celebrate the end of a particular unit. It is important to allow your learning objective to drive the search for the game. If you cannot find anything that matches the standards or topics you covered, create a Jeopardy template, Kahoot, or Quizizz with the material you are reviewing. You can even have students create these games as a presentation of their knowledge and then students can collaborate by interacting with each other’s games and providing classmates with feedback. Daily (2019) suggests four steps to gamifying your classroom, including: setting up a point system, inventing a storyline with avatars, handing out badges, and encouraging teamwork.

 

References

Roblyer, M. D., & Hughes, J. E. (2019). Integrating educational technology into teaching: transforming learning across disciplines (8th ed.). Pearson Education, Inc.

Daily, J. (2019, September 26). The best gamification apps and techniques for in your classroom. BookWidgets Blog. https://www.bookwidgets.com/blog/2019/09/the-best-gamification-apps-and-techniques-for-in-your-classroom.  


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