Serious Gaming

Serious Gaming is...

The mechanics of gaming together with education to create some serious learning!  It can be a review game for a test or a whole scenario structure set-up in which to run the classroom.  So, are we babying our students by entertaining them or are these valid ways to teach and learn?

Why Gaming?

According to an EdSurge article by Stephanie Chen (Feb, 2016) entitled "Classroom Gaming:  What it Isn't, What it Is, and How to Do it Right," there are four great reasons to use gaming in the classroom.

1. When playing games, it's okay to lose. Gaming provides a safe way to explore, try, and fail repeatedly, without the stigma or anxiety

2. Game playing encourages collaboration, peer validation, and a different kind of teamwork than is often found in traditional group projects.

3. Digital classroom games are especially helpful for students who struggle in school.  ...gaming can significantly motivate low-performing students and improve their mastery of both academic content and skills such as critical thinking and communication. 

4. Classroom gaming has never been easier, as teacher-to-teacher sharing of lesson plans has made educational gaming resources easier to come by. 

How do I Start?

Now, with research studies and professional articles able to support classroom gaming, how do I actually get going?   The most logical way would be to start small by adding a technology-assisted game to your regular classroom lesson plan.  Something like Kahoot, or Quizlet can easily be done in any classroom with appropriate devices and internet available.

There are some questions you need to ask yourself before getting started though, or even choosing a new game or system.  Here are some things I consider:

• What devices are available and how many?
• If the app or site is online, then you need availability to the internet.  You also need quality internet.  If your internet runs slow, you may have trouble trying to get 25 students on the site at the same time.
• If the technology fails (for whatever reason), what kind of back-up plan would you need?
• Is the app or site intuitive and user-friendly?  This is a consideration especially with younger students.
• Is this an effective teaching tool or just a toy?   We can all integrate technology but it should be done because it helps you teach better and helps students learn better.
• Finally, or maybe this is your first consideration, what does it cost?  There are a lot of free or low-cost qualities teaching technologies out there.  Rarely is there a reason for an individual teacher to spend a lot of money.

Resources:

Your first stop for resources should be your fellow teachers.  Remember, teachers love to share!  And, isn't 'imitation the sincerest form of flattery'? 

I read a book last summer which showed an scenario type of gamification system where students were immersed in a historical world.  It was fascinating and still adaptable to any classroom or content area.  Check out "Explore Like a Pirate" by Michael Matera.

A great YouTube video to watch is Press Play: Gaming, Simulation, and Achievement in the Classroom with Jonathan Best.  He does a great job of explaining, from personal experience, why gaming works in the classroom.

Finally, find lots of resources and help from Karl Kapp, a professor, author, consultant, and speaker on gamification, both in education and business.