Gamification, Explained
Many of us have played the “Oregon Trail” computer game growing up, and that is of course, a fun game, that also teaches you things about America’s most famous trail. However, playing games like that in class that are both fun and educational are not necessarily what gamification is all about. Instead, gamification is about turning something that is not currently set up like a game, into one. In the spring of 2016 I took an ISU class on “Curriculum,” where I did quite a bit of research on this idea, including its benefits and weaknesses, and how it can best be implemented in classes. I even came up with a year long “game-plan” of how I would “gamify” my class. This is meant to be a starting point for any students, parents, or fellow educators to know the basics of what this will look like in my class. So what is my plan for my 8th grade classes in using gamification? There will be a year-long game, called “Become the President.” The ultimate goal all students are trying to achieve in this year-long game, is to complete all of the objectives, pass all of the levels, and have the most “followers” (points) on Election Day (which will be set towards the end of the year). There will only be one President in the entire 8th grade, but there are other ways to win, as well. All students will be members of a “Party,” or a small group of 3-4 students, and the Party with the winning Presidential Candidate will be the winning Party. The entire class section, or “Region” that has the winning Candidate will also be awarded. Students will learn more details of how this game will work as class begins, and just like a game, they will continue to learn more and more about what they need to do to progress in the game throughout the year. Overall, students will progress in the game by completing extra projects and tasks, completing work in class, as well as many other ways. My class will be almost the same as it has been, just with a layer of competition, collaboration and outside projects added to enrich what students learn. Why am I doing this? Games are fun for everybody, whether you play video games, card games, sports, or any others. Therefore, I am trying to use the things that make games fun, in my classroom, to encourage higher levels of engagement for all students, from the “high achievers” to the “barely-passers.” Besides creating a class that is more engaging, I also am hoping to encourage more collaboration by implementing friendly competition between individual students, but also small groups, and full-classes. Working well with others is an important skill that every student will need in the future. Lastly, I am hoping to inspire outside learning, by including optional “side missions” & "challenges" which aren’t required for a grade in class, but can further a student’s progression in the game, or their rankings on the leader board. I am a life-long learner, that has all kinds of interests, from music, to politics, to sports and travel. It is my hope that this will encourage students to explore more on their own both now and in the future, and not just do what is required to pass the class, or to get an “A.” Hopefully this has helped clarify things a bit for you, and if you have any questions or thoughts on this throughout the year please let me know!
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