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Gamify learning Learning and Teaching through
having fun
CITERS 2011 @Hong Kong University June 30th 2011
Frankie Tam, FifthWisdom Technology Limited Clara Hui, Hong Kong Digital Game-Based Learning Association
Gamify learning is
the implementation of gaming mechanics into learning and teaching experience to increase learner engagement, motivation and fun. It is a Digital Game-Based Learning solution in which learners acquire targeted subject knowledge as well as essential generic skills.
1. Learn through playing digital games2. Learn through creating digital games
Digital Native 數碼原居民 / NET 世代
better at parallel processing
taking in information more quickly
comfortable collaborating over networks
very adaptive to new technologies
Digital Native
abundance of info visual
connected
random
speed
multitask
game/structure oriented
Types of games
➲ educational + learning
➲ political + public policy
➲ health + wellness
➲ Business
➲ Military
➲ advertising
When you are playing…
➲ player is the center of attention
➲ the game world is very responsive to your every single move
➲ player is the expert
➲ everything is possible, you would be the best NBA player
➲ things are relatively simpler compares to the real world
➲ trial and error is the best plan
What’s so attractive about digital games?
➲ it’s the learning that digital game provides
➲ kids like all humans, love to learn when it isn’t forced
➲ digital game provides learning opportunity every second
Digital game-based learning
What do they learn?
➲ on the surface, they learn how to do things, like driving a car, plane, etc.
➲ on the deeper levels, they take in information from many sources and make decisions quickly
➲ deduce game’s rules from playing rather than being told
➲ create strategies for overcoming obstacles
➲ understand complex systems through experimentation
➲ learn to collaborate with others
Why digital game-based learning?
➲ Digital games and technology can transform the traditional classroom into a constructivist classroom which produced improved skills of question formulating, hypothesis generation and ability to intelligently address new problems” - Salomon 2002
➲ Students are more willing to learn, Moulder (2004) recounts an elementary school student once raises:
‘Why read about ancient Rome when I can build it?
What students learn at school nowadays lack of real-life context, student are not able to apply what they learnt at school in their everyday life and thus they are not interested in the school subjects Siexas , 2000
It has been increasingly difficult to capture the interest and attention of young people especially in a traditional classroom setting. The single feed of information and step by step logics just simply can not satisfy the needs of the new generation. Prensky, Windham, 2005
Student Survey (June 2011)
Very much 37%
A lot 25%
Yes 26%
Not really 5%
Not at all 7%
Do you like playing digital games?
• 110 primary and secondary school students
•from 3 local and international schools
• 88% likes playing digital games, some played for 6-10 years
• Most of them play digital games every day for at least 1 hour
Case Study 1: learning through playing
Students’ difficulties in learning ESL
Students understand the importance of learning English.
BUT they think…
• English lesson is boring• Vocabularies are hard to learn • Can’t keep up with the teacher in the classroom
English lessons
• Teachers find students lack of motivation in learning English vocabularies
• Teachers want to bring in an interactive learning tool
• Teachers have to teach form one students English vocabs according to the unit theme
Design
• Teacher provide us with the curriculum vocabulary list
• Designers and gaming professionals talk to the teachers
• Discuss and understand the goal of the
game and what the teachers want students to achieve:picture + word association
Design• Convenient Store • Customers come in looking for specific items
• Customers' desire bubble:1. Beginner levels: pronunciation + spelling2. Intermediate levels: spelling only3. Advanced levels: pronunciation only
Game play• Players as a the shopkeeper and direct
customers to the appropriate location• More items are added in each level• Different types of customers with different
special characteristics are introduced in each level
Game play• Students have to match the
word/pronunciation with the correct picture
• Reports after each round showing words players matched successfully and words players failed to match.
Applying the game in the classroom• 5 form 1 classes from a CMI school• 104 students , 5 English teachers involved• students are given netbook computers• 15-20 mins game play in class• teachers do recap and debriefing with the
students each time
Approach 1: learn the vocabularies only through the game
(pre-test game post-test)Approach 2: teaching before playing the game(pre-test teaching game post-test)
Pre-test and post-test • Same test paper for both tests• Matching format : to test if the students can
associate the picture with the word• 52 questions in total
Test Results(Changes in percentage)
Class 1: + 5.85%Class 2: + 7.70%Class 3: + 31.78%Class 4: + 24.57%Class 5: + 36.43%
Student feedbacks • Survey:
91 form one students from 5 classes
• Male: 61 + Female: 30• Focus Group Interview
Did you like this game?
verymuch15%
yes37%
okay27%
not sure12%
no9%
Did you learn English vocabularies from this game?
yes50%
no24%
not sure 26%
Do you think you learn better under Game-
based learning?
yes
58%
no
42%
Do you like using games to learn?
yes
68%
no
32%
“it attracts me to play”“it attracts me to play”
“it is nice to learn in a happy way”“it is nice to learn in a happy way”
“my motivation is in the game”“my motivation is in the game”
“I will NOT feel bored!”“I will NOT feel bored!”
“it is easier for me to learn through games”“it is easier for me to learn through games”
“we like games, so education mixing game is good”“we like games, so education mixing game is good”
Teacher feedbacksTotal: 10 teachers • Did the game give your students a better
learning motivation? Yes: 7/ No: 1/ Not sure 2
• Do you think your students are learning English vocabularies from the game? Yes: 6/ No: 1/ Not sure 3
“students were motivated and happy to find out more about the
new learning element”“students are highly motivated” “students were more concentrated”
“games can a be very supportive teaching tool to consolidate knowledge”
Case Study 2: learning through creating
Kodu game lab
• User-friendly • Runs on PC and Xbox 360• 3D simulation environment• visual game creation environment• 20 different characters with different abilities• make video games without any knowledge of
programming• High-level language incorporates real-world
primitives: collision, color, vision
Making games in the classroom
• 2 schools; 4 classes (1 primary + 1 secondary school)
• Computer lessons • Teachers teach game building techniques • Students create their own games in groups
Focus Group Interview • Student: 'I like making my own games! And
I like playing my classmates' games too!'
• Student: 'I came across problems that I have never encountered in other lessons. And I used my own way to solve them!'
• Student: 'We're so happy
having our own digital
games! We feel really
proud and satisfied!'
Teacher: 'Through game creation, students are not only learning programming skills, but also creativity, logical thinking, problem solving and other generic skills.'
Teacher: 'Students are eager to ask each other' opinions during the design process, they are learning together and their communication and co-operative skills are improved!'
Conclusion We seek for advices and improvements while looking for a possible future of digital game-based learning in the Hong Kong classrooms.
Thank you! Question or comments?
www. fifthwisdom.com
www.digitalgameslearning.org
