Level Up! Games & Gamification for Teaching and Learning

Integrating Games and Gamification to Support Teaching & Learning

Michael M. Grant, PhDUniversity of South CarolinaSC Educational Technology Conference | November 3, 2016

Level Up!

Distinguishing between the 2

Gaming

Gamification

Gaming� Games and gaming are

distinguished by their specific original purposes of entertainment

� Serious games are designed to educate first and usually allow the manipulation of variables (Michael & Chen, 2005).

Gamification� Gamification applies game design

elements, particularly those engendering motivation, to non-game processes (Kapp, 2012), like courses and training.

Background Research

Purpose�Background on learning, motivation,

and research for using games and gamification

�Explanation and examples of gaming to support learning

�Strategies, examples, and opportunities for gamification to support coursework

https://docs.google.com/document/d

Background Research� Evidence for supporting &

motivating learners � Students that participate in daily

gaming outperform student that participate in daily social media in math, reading, and science (Posso, 2016)

Background Research� Specific recommendations for best practices

� Using specific content & targeting specific objectives improves learning better

� Games & simulations that allowed debriefing and feedback demonstratedbetter results

� Gamification: There are fewer findings but extrinsic motivations & rewards seem to be least effective. However, extrinsic motivation can supplant low initial intrinsic motivation.

Background Research� Violence in video games

� http://www.apa.org/pi/families/review-video-games.pdf

� There is evidence that violence in video games has an effect on behavior in children.

� Read up!

Gaming Options� Alignment to specific knowledge or skills

(specialty games)� Leverage in-class/online learning games� Commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS)

integration� Social awareness/justice� Augmented reality

Alignment to Specific Knowledge + Skills

Diet Dash

iCivics

Squire’s Quest II

HealthX

In-Class or online

learning games

Games Teachers/Trainers Playhttp://www.thiagi.com/resources/#/games-3/

Drs. Sivasailam “Thiagi” Thiagarajan & Marie Jasinski

For online … just found!

http://depaulwimba.pbworks.com/f/SynchronousGames.pdf

C3POChallenge, Pool, Poll, Predict, Outcome

http://www.ascilite.org/conferences/coffs00/papers/marie_jasinski.pdf

Challenge

What is the biggest issue for teachers using games in class?

Go tohttps://answergarden.ch/376582

AnswerGarden will ‘Pool’ for US



Lock the Pool + Poll Yourself



Lock the Pool + You Predict



ULock the Pool + choose Yours



Display the Outcome. Were U Correct?



Text Message Game in Powerpoint

https://community.articulate.com/download/powerpoint-text-message-scenario-quiz-template

Epic Game Trailer Voiceover

Example @ https://audioboom.com/posts/4781002-epic-game-design-intro

Directions @ https://youtu.be/o9-JcEfsTIg

Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)� ‘Spore’ for biology� ‘Sid Meier's Civilization’ series for

social studies� ‘Civilization 5 for Edu’ is on the

horizon for release� ‘Angry Birds’ for physics

Commercial Off the Shelf Games for Integration

Spore + Biology

Sid Meier’s civilization

Angry Birds + Physics

COTS Example: Craig Cash (Dorman High)

Social Awareness/

Justice Games

Gaming Options� Social Awareness

� ‘Darfur Is Dying,’ ‘Free Rice,’ ‘Re-mission,’ and ‘OpenTB in Eterna’

� Augmented Reality (think Pokemon GO!) � Layar: Scan texts and then add content

on top. Text could be scanned and then a video of the children sharing their opinions could be placed on top. When another pupil scans the text, the video review ‘magically’ appears.

Darfur is Dying

Free Rice

Re-mission

Open TB in Eterna

Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality

Step-by-Step Guide

http://ipad4schools.org/2013/09/28/bring-schools-to-life-with-aurasma-app/

For more sophistication…

Games & Game Design

interest in game design � Learn coding and computational thinking

concepts� Autonomy

� MIT’s Scratch � Microsoft’s Minecraft

� Encourage design� Code.org’s Hour of Code� Maker Movement� Project Lead the Way (PLTW)

Game Design

GameStar Mechanic

GameSalad

Game DesignComputer Science Education Week, December 5-11.

Game Design

Good Game Design� Effective games have good mechanics,

meaningful elements, and should complement the learning goals (Majumdar, 2016)

� Good mechanics� Blend conflict & constraints: obstacles,

puzzles, battles, limits, prior knowledge & skills

� Theme & story: Theme adds interest. Story narrative is carried throughout game

Good Game Design� Visual appeal: Use online resources

to create graphics§ http://opengameart.org (downloadable graphic

bundles)§ http://elearningtemplates.com/elearning-

activities/ (people cut-outs, game templates)

� Rewards: Emphasize proficiency not completion. Scores also motivate. Consider error rates & time if appropriate.

Gamification

Gamification� Points/XP� Levels/leveling up� Challenges & quests� Rewards, � Leaderboards

� Badges� Feedback loops� Progress/status bars

Gamification� Strategies based on extrinsic cues

can spur intrinsic motivations� Methods (Tomita, 2016)

� Create quests & goals� Make it fun; take constructive

criticism to keep it that way� Utilize data to assess outcomes

Mechanics should enhance the game-like activity, not be the Goal of the Activity. (Farber, 2015)

Focus on the learning goals.

Gamification examples� Lee Sheldon (Indiana

University): The Multiplayer Classroom�Gamification

strategies + strategies from MMOGs

�WoW with guilds & cooperative challenges/quests.

My Gamification ExamplesCourse ideas based on …� Kenneth Pierce at The University of Texas at

San Antonio� Craig Shepherd at the University of Wyoming, � David Gibson & Chris Haskell at Boise State

University

� Content modules designated as “core levels”

� Assignments identified as quests & optional modules as “upgrade quests”

� Player timelines � Player discussions � Grades converted to experience

points (XP)� Badges awarded for completion

of specific levels or activities

Brian Sztabnik + Bracketing

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/march-madness-meets-ap-lit-brian-sztabnik

Badge Elements

Examples: Alex Hollis (Dorman High)

Badging Systems

Credly

ClassBadges

Badging Inside Blackboard

Mozilla Backpack

Gamification Platforms (Farber, 2015)

� Don’t reinvent the wheel. Use existing games and professional communities

� Edmodo� Learning management system that features badges,

small groups, and teacher moderator options, extensive professional learning community

� 3D Gamelab� Leaderboard, badges, quest-like structure, leveling-up

challenges� ClassCraft

� Modeled on World of Warcraft� Points, teacher analytics dashboard, small group

teams

Gamification Systems

Class Dojo

Edmodo

Learning management system that features badges, small groups, & teacher moderator options

3D GameLabLeaderboard, badges, quest-like structure, leveling-up challenges

Class CraftModeled on WoW.Points, teacher analytics dashboard, small group teams

Gaming resources for any course� Kahoot! Play: http://Kahoot.it Create:http://getkahoot.com� Students earn points for accuracy and speed as they answer questions created by the

teacher or another student

� Quizlet Live http://live.quizlet.com� Based off quizlet flashcards, students work collaboratively to correctly match cards as they

race against other teams on a live scoreboard; great detailed feedback for response review provided

� Minecraft: Build playable recreations of real objects.� Science application: prototyping tool for experiments and projects (Cornally, 2012)

� Masquarade: http://MSQRD.me (also availble as iOS and Andriod apps)� Students role-lay by adding live filters to their faces and then recording their narratives

� BrainPop: http://brainpop.com� WIde range of topics supported through video, games, articles, and quizzes

Everyday Games

KahootStudents earn points for accuracy & speed as they answer questions created by the teacher or another student.

Quizlet LiveBased off Quizletflashcards.Students work collaboratively to correctly match cards as they race against other teams on a live scoreboard.Great detailed feedback for response review provided

Content-specific Possibilities

ELA/SS: Interactive Fiction (Faber, 2015)

� Interactive fiction allows the reader to make choices throughout the story.

� “Choose-your-own-adventure”

� Reinforces cause/effect & story-arc design�Options include:

http://timesocietygame.com/

�http://www.mission-us.org/

� Have students create interactive fiction�Twine (text-based)� Inklewriter (slicker)

Math� Puzzle based/logic

games (Feeny, 2014)

� Puzzle apps help develop creative mathematical thinkers.

� Promote problem solving skills, reasoning, use of appropriate tools, analysis of structures, and pattern recognition.� Engel's Enigma� Tower of Hanoi� Slice It!� KenKen� Monument Valley

� Sites with math game options� Manga High

http://mangahigh.com (also has assignment and reporting tools)

Social Studies� iCivics

(https://www.icivics.org)� Multiple games to support

civics education; all come with curriculum guides

� Mission US(http://www.mission-us.org/ )� Explore history through

document-based, choice-embedded missions; curriculum guides available

Science� Kids.gov

https://kids.usa.gov/teens/play-games/science/index.shtml

� http://playsciencegames.com/� Stella

http://minerva.union.edu/rices/STELLA/stella_intro.html

� Alien Rescue� Interactive dissections

� Frog dissection (app)� 4D anatomy (app & web)

Special Needs� Special needs students can be supported

in developing life skills (Knorr, 2016)� Conflict resolution: Cool School: Where

Peace Rules (Mac, Windows)� Motor skills: Active Life-Magical Carnival

(Nintendo Wii)� Organization: Engineering.com (Mac,

Windows)� Social: Doki Doki Universe (Playstation);

Herotopia (Mac, Windows)

Other Gaming Resources� Social Studies � iCivics: https://www.smore.com/6xybw

� Multiple games to support civics education; all come with curriculum guides

� Mission US: http://www.mission-us.org/� Explore history through document-based, choice-embedded

missions; curriculum guides available� Science� Anatomy 4D (an app which brings the human body to life)

� Many more resources at: http://www.edutopia.org/game-based-learning-resources

�

http://www.edutopia.org/game-based-learning-resources

Many more resources at Edutopia

1. Games is a 4-letter word2. Assessment

2 Biggest Issues

1. Games is a 4-letter word� Direct alignment with curricular

content� Inform parents ahead of time� Allow students to be experts� Prepare your research-based

argument� Determine just how much of a game

is needed to get the best benefit

2. Assessment� Consider a move to mastery

learning� Consider ‘cheats’� Debriefs & ’God view’� Error reduction & decision-making� Emphasize representations of

knowledge

Thanks so much!Questions?

Michael M. Grant, PhDUniversity of South Carolina

[email protected]

References� Cornally, S. (2012). Video games in the STEM classroom. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/video-games-

in-STEM-classroom-shawn-cornally

� Cunningham, J. (2016). Video game helps combat lazy eye in kids. Retrieved from http://www.healthcanal.com/eyes-vision/74347-video-game-helps-combat-lazy-eye-in-kids.html

� Farber, M. (2015). Gamification: Learning on a quest. http://www.innovatemyschool.com/ideas/gamification-learning-on-a-quest

� Feeny, P. (2014). Games in the mathematics classroom: There’s an app for that!. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/game-apps-in-math-class-patrick-feeney

� Jarrett, N. (2016). Pokemom GO and how it can inspire augmented reality in the classroom. Retrieved from https://edtech4beginners.com/2016/07/18/pokemon-go-and-how-it-can-inspire-augmented-reality-in-the-classroom/

� Knorr, C. (2016). Video games that improve skills for kids with special needs. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/13/health/video-games-special-needs/

� Majumdar, A. (2016). Utilizing gaming elements: 5 popular ways of delivering successful game-based learning. Retrieved from http://www.gc-solutions.net/blog/utilizing-gaming-elements-5-popular-ways-of-delivering-successful-game-based-learning/

� Posso, A. (2016). Internet usage and educational outcomes among 15-year old australian students. International Journal Of Communication, 10, 26. Retrieved from http://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/5586/1742

� Sztabnik, B. (2014). March madness meets AP lit. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/march-madness-meets-ap-lit-brian-sztabnik

� Tomita, T. (2016) Five tips for gamifying your classroom. Retrieved from https://edtech4beginners.com/2016/07/23/guest-blog-post-five-tips-for-gamifying-your-classroom/

References� APA Task Force on Violent Media. (2015). Technical report on the review of the violent video game literature. Washington, DC: American Psychological

Association. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/pi/families/review-video-games.pdf

� Carlson, D. L. (2008). Playing the classroom-as-game: Building a community of learners at the start of a new year. English Journal, 98(1), 57-60.

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� ELI, EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative. (2014). 7 things you should know about games learning. Accessed from: https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7106.pdf.

� ELI, EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative. (2011). 7 things you should know about gamification. Accessed from: https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7075.pdf.

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� NMC, New Media Consortium 2014 Horizon Report (higher education edition) (2014a) . Accessed from: https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7075.pdf.

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