GAMIFICATION TOOLS
Visit each of the popular gaming sites below and answer the following questions:
- What is the purpose of the site?
GameUp is a website that contains a variety of educational games, covering a wide arrays of subjects and grade levels. - What subject would this site be used in?
This site has games for all commonly taught subjects. - What grade level could this site be used in?
This site has games for all K-12 grade levels. - What is the cost?
The games are free. - What is your opinion?
The games on this website seem to very a very useful method for students to review concepts and build upon their own understanding, by making the content more engaging, interesting, and fun. I did try a few of them, and they were enjoyable. My only concern is that some of the games seem fine for building intuitive knowledge of a topic, but not for concrete details. For instance, a game that claimed to involve trigonometric functions could easily be played by deductive guessing.
- What is the purpose of the site?
Play Brighter is a website that uses teacher-created games to encourage student progress. An educator can create questions, and the game developers turn these questions into a game, where the students will get rewarded or progress towards a goal based upon the number of correct answers that they give. After the students complete the games, the educator will get a student specific breakdown regarding their academic performance during the game.
- What subject would this site be used in?
Since the educator provides the questions, this site is useful for any subject. - What grade level could this site be used in?
The graphics of the website look very cartoony, so I would recommend using them for all grades except middle school. Elementary age students will be excited by the characters, and high school age students will find the animations and characters to be charmingly childish. However, I predict that middle school age students will be embarrassed to be seen enjoying the games, as they will want their peers to view them as being closer to adulthood than childhood. - What is the cost?
The games are free. - What is your opinion?
While I believe that these games can be of a higher quality than some of the premade games available on other websites, I do not particularly like the slower turnaround time regarding the creation and distribution of the games. Also, I think that the characters are drawn in a way that can be distracting. Still, I would be willing to try these games in my classroom, and if they produced desirable results then I would continue to use them.
- What is the purpose of the site?
Mangahigh is a website that provide high quality educational games that are designed to help students will comprehension of various topics related to mathematics. - What subject would this site be used in?
These games cover various topics in mathematics, such as algebra, geometry, and statistics.
- What grade level could this site be used in?
This site has games for all grades levels. - What is the cost?
While some of the games can be tried for free, to get full access to all games as well as individual student specific analytics, a license must be purchased. The cost of the licenses depends upon how many students are enrolled. - What is your opinion?
The games on this website looks fantastic, and would be incredibly useful in a math classroom. When compared against the games from GameUp, these are much better, as they require far more actual mathematical knowledge, comprehension, and computation. However, since the full license is very expensive, I would only be able to use these games in my classroom if the school or district was paying for a license, or if I was able to get a grant to cover the cost of the licenses myself.
- What is the purpose of the site?
The Great Behavior Game is a way to encourage students to behave properly in school. It can be used to keep track of student behavior, and to give feedback to students in a form of a scoreboard. Students will receive praise for behaving correctly by having a high score. - What subject would this site be used in?
While this game can be used in any subject and any classroom, it is designed to teach social skills and positive behavior, not academic content. - What grade level could this site be used in?
This game could be used for any grade level, although the appearance is more suited for elementary age students. However, it would be particularly useful in the context of a PBIS or similarly fashioned behavioral intervention and correction program. - What is the cost?
There is a free 30-day trial version, but the full version costs $499 for a one-year license for each individual school. - What is your opinion?
I think that this is a great program, provided that it is used correctly, particularly regarding the feedback to students. If it is primarily used for behavior interventions, and the scores are discretely broadcast to students, then it can have positive results. However, if the scores are shown on the blackboard, with the entire classroom able to view each other’s scores, I predict that two things will happen. First, the students who have the highest scores will be the ones who behave properly anyway, and will not need the additional support. Conversely, the students who need to most support will have scores near the bottom of the list, which can be both discouraging as well as actually, accidentally encourage the students to compete for last place. All it would take is two students trying to outdo each other to see who finished last for this game to make the classroom environment far more contentious than it would be without it.
- What is the purpose of the site?
Kahoot! is a website that allows for the quick and simple creation of games for students to play, such as quizzes and surveys. The teacher presents the question and the choices on the projector, and the students select their responses on their own individual devices. The gamification aspect comes when students play the games simultaneously, and their scores are displayed on the screen. This encourages students to try their best, since they will be competing against each other. Students get points based upon how quickly they can answer correctly. The teacher will get data about the student responses for each question. - What subject would this site be used in?
Since the educator creates the questions, this site can be used for any subject. - What grade level could this site be used in?
While the bright colors and simple design may be intended to appeal to younger students, this would be an effective tool for students in any K-12 grade level, as well as for college students. - What is the cost?
This game is free. - What is your opinion?
Kahoot! is great for certain types of questions and classrooms. If a subject is workable in a Jeopardy-like, fast paced environment, then Kahoot! would be fine. However, for subjects such as calculus that may require more time to discern an answer, Kahoot! would not be the best way to further engage the students. Still, with the right questions, it would be a great resource to try at least once to see if the students like it.
- What is the purpose of the site?
Classcraft is an educational role-playing game where both students and educators can progress through the game as they progress educationally. It makes learning more engaging as well as encourages collaboration between students as they work together to complete more “quests.” - What subject would this site be used in?
This game could be used for any subject, since the educators are responsible for the educational content of the game. - What grade level could this site be used in?
This game is appropriate for all grade levels, although the animation style would be more suited towards middle and high school students. - What is the cost?
There is a free version with a limited set of functions. Premium individual classroom and school district wide licenses are also available. - What is your opinion?
I believe that this game can be very effective, and it accurately mimics the look and feel of current existent, non-educational role-playing games. However, the game poses a risk for being distracting and divisive, since it is so well done. Although the game runs passively during a lesson, it can still have a negative influence if students are trying to focus more on ways to earn points rather than ways to better their learning.
- What is the purpose of the site?
ClassDojo is a classroom management tool that can be used to keep track of student behaviors and achievements in a way that is fun and engaging. - What subject would this site be used in?
Since ClassDojo deals primarily with behavior and not content, it can be used in any classroom. - What grade level could this site be used in?
ClassDojo has a very simplistic, cartoon-based appearance, so it would be best for elementary students, although I have seen it used in other settings, even including a college course. - What is the cost?
ClassDojo is free. - What is your opinion?
I think that ClassDojo is very similar to the other behavior management games covered so far. It is an effective means to monitor and track student behavior, and to reward good behaviors, while offering a way for students to stay up to date with their own behavioral progress.
- What is the purpose of the site?
Rezzly is a website that provides a means to introduce gamification into the classroom, as well as a way to track student progress. Assignments are given to the students as quests, and the students are given badges upon successful completion. - What subject would this site be used in?
Rezzly can be used for any subject. - What grade level could this site be used in?
It is appropriate for use with any grade level. The complexity of the quests increases as the subjects get more advanced. - What is the cost?
A free version does exist, but full access must be bought. - What is your opinion?
I think that Rezzly could be very effective in the classroom, since the quests are aligned with the Common Core Standards. Since it can provide personalization to the learning, it would be very appropriate to use in an online learning setting. My primary concerns are the cost, and that if a state is using a different set of educational standards, then Rezzly may not be the best choice of a learning tool.
- What is the purpose of the site?
Construct 2 is a way to create your own games, without having prior knowledge of computer programming. It is done in a way similar to Scratch or Stencyl, by using premade blocks of code that can be visually moved and manipulated to achieve the desired results. The primary different is that the code is accessed via a menu very similar to a save or load window in a standard computer application. - What subject would this site be used in?
Since the games are custom made by the educator or the students, this site can be effective for all subjects. However, since it is technically a programming language, it would be most effective in courses on computers or computer programming, which are often taught by the mathematics or science departments in a school. - What grade level could this site be used in?
Since the games can become complex very quickly, I would use this site primarily in a high school setting, although it may be beneficial to a subset of a middle school and even an elementary school student population. - What is the cost?
A free version exists, but for full functionality a premium version must be purchased. - What is your opinion?
Personally, I believe that rudimentary computer programming is a skill that all K-12 students should learn, since computer devices are becoming ever more prevalent. While not everyone needs to become a computer programmer, basic concepts such as different types of files, and simple commands such as IF-THEN statements and loops, should be understood. Construct 2 is a way to introduce programming to students in a way that is fun, yet does not overwhelm them with concepts such as registers and memory locations. I would love to be able to teach a course where my students use software such as Construct 2.
- What is the purpose of the site?
GameSalad is a website that promotes education in the field of computer science, by teaching students how to create their own games without having to learn how to code. This will both get students interesting in computer programming as well as introduce some basic programming concepts without bogging students down with issues such as syntax. - What subject would this site be used in?
GameSalad would be best used to teach computer programming or computer science. However, the games can be about any topic, so GameSalad can indirectly be used with any subject. - What grade level could this site be used in?
GameSalad is designed to be useable by all grade levels, although it would probably be most prudent to start with students who are at least in the later elementary grades. - What is the cost?
The cheapest version of GameSalad costs $499 for 10 student accounts and one teacher account. - What is your opinion?
I think that GameSalad is a great idea, but that it is too expensive. There are free or cheaper alternatives, such as Scratch, that accomplish the same goal. While I would like to teach my future students how to create their own games and apps, GameSalad is not my first choice to do so, and I would honestly avoid it if possible.
TUTORIAL ON GAMING
https://www.lynda.com/Higher-Education-tutorials/elements-gamification/173211/197006-4.html
1. Exploring Gamification
Gamification is a way to use the elements of playing a game, such as competition, game thinking, and game mechanics, to optimize the effects of a non-game activity. For example, many stores and credit cards offer a points system, where people are rewarded for shopping at a certain store or using a certain credit card to pay for item. Indeed, rewards points are often a major factor in deciding which credit card to obtain and use. Fitness trackers, such as FitBit, are also a form of gamification, since they use a similar rewards system to encourage the user to reach a goal. In fact, the main reason for gamification is that it helps people achieve what they are setting out to do. Gamification can be used to give someone a fun incentive to accomplish a goal that they already have.
In an educational setting, gamification has many uses and varieties. The competitive nature of gaming means that students will work harder to reach goals faster and better than their peers, so that they receive a reward. Conversely, many games have a cooperative element as well, so students will need to learn how to work effectively and efficiently with other students. However, if the teachers does not carefully create or choose the games being used, then the results may not be as desired. Thus, educators must learn how to think like game developers. For instance, games need to have clearly defined rules and roles, otherwise students may lose interest due to a perceived level of inherent unfairness in a game. Also, games need to have a clearly defined goal, as well as a reasonable amount of challenge in reaching a goal. For instance, “reading more” is not a clear goal, whereas “reading three novels in three weeks” is clearly defined. Also, depending on the age and developmental needs of the students, reading three novels may be a reasonable challenge to accomplish in three weeks.
There are primarily two different types of gamification that can be applied to a classroom. The first is content gamification, which is when game mechanics used to make content more engaging. The content is taught through the game, instead of being taught through traditional teaching methods. The second type of gamification is call structural gamification. This is when instructional occurs normally, but a gaming-style rewards system is used. For instance, in the example form before, as each student finishes reading a novel they may get a certain amount of points, or a token of some sort. Once the students have reached the desired amount of points of token, they can be traded in for some sort of tangible reward. Structural gamification does not change the content, whereas content gamification does. Also, an important distinction must be made between gamification and simulation. While a simulator can be a game, they are not always, since simulators also have very important roles to play in fields such as pilot training and weather prediction. I doubt that many students would have fun playing with weather variables to make it rain on their virtual neighbor’s house.
2. Gamification in Action: Three Case Studies – Case 3: Gamification in the Classroom
The cast study provided is an excellent example of the use of content gamification. The teacher presents a lesson about traits of effective leadership, in the context of an investigation. By choosing this method, the teacher was able to utilize constructivist and discovery learning techniques. The teacher would ask the students questions, then discuss their responses. This ensured that the students thought about their own answers to the questions, as opposed to trying to remember what the teacher had previously said was the correct answer.
The procedure for the lesson was fairly straightforward. The teacher asked the students to send a code through either their phones or an Internet device to connect to a server that would tally their responses. Next, the students divided themselves into teams. The actual lesson was conducted by having the teacher explain the story a bit, then ask the students what they thought was the correct thing to do. The students would answer as a team by using their devices, and the teacher would observe their response and comment on the correctness. A short discussion about the correct response would follow, before continuing on with the story. In the end, the students were able to ascertain, mostly for and by themselves, that an effective leader sets examples by their actions and accepts that some failure is necessary in order to find the most success.
3. Conclusion
Gamification is an excellent teaching tool, but it should not be used for every lesson, for every student, or even in every classroom. The classroom environment has to be conducive for gamification to achieve the desired results. This includes ensuring that the students are prepared, both academically and developmentally, for the educational game being played. Unfortunately, there will be students who cannot function outside of a highly structured, lecture and recitation based lesson. Thus, it is crucial to use gamification only when it is the best way to teach a particular lesson to a certain group of students.
The first step in effective gamification is determining what success looks like. Is success defined as all students participating, all students earning a minimum grade, or some other factor. If success is not precisely defined it is nearly impossible to reach, or even to recognize when it has been reached. Next, it must be determined if gamification is the best way to teach a lesson. It must make sense within the context of the lesson, and it must be something that students will connect to. If the game does not meet some specific learning need, then it is not the right teaching method to employ. For instance, it would not make any sense to have calculus students search a classroom for clues about how to find the second derivative of a trigonometric function. That game would be a waste of time. However, a game involving flight paths and targeting using these functions would work. The last step before using a game in the classroom is to test the game with a small group. Make sure that everything works correctly, and that it actually does help the student find the previously defined success.
Once the game is being conducted, it is imperative that the teacher monitor student progress. Are some students progressing faster or slower than anticipated? The teacher needs to find out why, and make corrections to the game. Are students being distracted by the game mechanics from the education objectives? The teacher needs to modify the game to keep students on task. Are the students becoming bored with the game? The teacher needs to be aware of this, and either make the game more engaging or increase the pacing so that students can finish more quickly. Gamification, if used properly, can greatly enhance education. The key point is that it must be used correctly, when the educational purpose is clearly defined, and the game is a logical way to serve that purpose.
GAMIFICATION EXAMPLE
I believe that today’s students in the K-12 world need to be much better prepared with how to use computers. In fact, too many students today have an almost comical lack of understanding of the devices that they use everyday. From my own experiences, I have met countless students who graduate from high school, use a computer everyday, and all they know how to do is use Facebook and Snapchat. As computers become more and more ubiquitous, it is crucial that students are given at least a rudimentary understanding of how computers work, and how computers are programmed.
I would integrate software such as Construct 2 into a secondary math class, in order to both teach basic computer programming skills as well as reinforce the mathematical concepts being discussed. For instance, suppose the topic of the day is prime numbers. Part of the assignment would be to create a program that can identify whether or not a number is prime, up to a certain value, such as 100. There are numerous ways to accomplish this, which would be left up to the students. For instance, the simplest way might be to create an array of all prime numbers up to 100. If the number in question is on that list it is prime, and if not it is composite. Another way would be to computationally determine if a number has any integer factors besides itself and 1. Once the students create the program, they will be evaluated for both their mathematical correctness and their programming abilities.
The next step would be to incorporate their logic into a game. For example, maybe they can create a game where the user has to catch prime numbers, and miss composite numbers. There are many ways to make a game out of identifying prime numbers, and I would let the students decide how they wish to accomplish this, and every how they would like to program. Ideally, my students would have access to Construct 2, as well as Scratch, Stencyl, and even a C++ compiler to help with the pure logic of prime number identification. Once the games are completed, I will have my students evaluate each other’s games, and identify strengths and weaknesses when compared against their own.
I believe that this type of gamification is crucial to helping online students find success. Asides from the more enjoyable aspects of the experience, the students will have to become far more familiar with how computers work. This will help them with other aspects of any online class that they may be taking, as the technological aspect of the course will not seem as daunting. How hard can it be to embed an image, after they created a game? I want my future students to not only understand the math that they are learning about, but the systems on which they are learning.
VIDEO INTRODUCTIONS FROM CLASS 8
View the videos from Class 8 AFTER Monday, July 25. Without giving any descriptors that would identify anyone, write a 5 to 10 sentence paragraph describing what you liked and if you thought of any ideas to do anything different if you were doing this project again.
I found almost all of the videos submitted by my classmates to be very well done. My personal favorites had several traits in common that I would include if I were to make a new introductory video. Several of the videos discussed where the narrator had been born, and some of their local and less recent history than my own video did. I focused primarily on skills I could bring to the classroom with a minimal amount of personal details, while some of the other videos included a much larger amount of personal information without crossing over into providing too much information. I think that including this information would help my students get a better sense of who I am and where I come from, instead of just what I can do. Another detail that I thought was great was using the video to promote a virtual classroom. The graphics perfectly matched what was being discussed in the video, and would have been incredibly useful in an actual online class. Lastly, I should have included background music in my video. It provided an incredible amount of energy, and since it was an instrumental it did not distract from the narration or the point of the video. Overall, I think that everyone’s videos were well done, and I would definitely incorporate some of the elements of my classmate’s videos were I to make another one.
