(Games) Changing how we teach

Why games in a classroom <> revolution

Santeri Koivisto

ceo, TeacherGaming LLC

What I’m about to say

My three top things when combining proper

games with the classroom:

Situation / context,

Sandbox &

Purpose.

Where these take us

and not forgetting examples!

IRL me & why I’m the one telling you this

Situation & Context

Demonstrability

Authenticity

Sandbox

Process focus

Work skills

Social skills

Teacher role

- facilitate

- resource

- example

- referee

Why it is a good thing that teachers don’t know how

to play games very well?

Why we don’t offer too much ready made content?

Business & Social impact = the pedagogy we promote

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Game?

Let’s try to wrap

things together

through couple

notes and examples

So what do you need in order to use

your virtual classroom?

Basic understanding of the

game / environment mechanics.

The rest can be covered by students.

Time challenge

Can we compress a more complex

simulation / demonstration into 45

minutes with our virtual classroom?

A block in the game is one

cubic meter. There are one

meter long sticks in the

classroom.

Create our classroom in the

game and report its volume.

An Example

Build a classroom

What we learned?

Math

- volume stays inside

- choosing a tool / algorithm

- mathematical problem solving

Work skills

- planning (group)

- operations and organising

- evaluation and inspection

Social skills

- communication

- negotiation

- ‘teachable moments’

- group dynamics problem solving

(virtual environment)

Scaffolding

- from pairs to small groups

- one goal, set of goals, open goals

- dead ends (more planning)

Another Example

The students know that they are learning

Can games increase interest in science / STEM?

n=12 120 from which 610 have been involved in aerospace industry

Can games solve the skills shortage in tech industry?

@Aalvisto

@Aalvisto

santeri@teachergaming.com