#games4ed discussions cover ways in which gaming can be used in education. Games mirror the way the human mind was designed to learn. They motivate players to take risks and actions, persevere through failures, set and achieve increasingly difficult goals, and devote attention, time, and effort to acquiring knowledge and skills. All this while the game is tracking the player’s actions and assessing the player’s achievements and skills. Isn’t this what we want from education?
Hey there, Mariana!! So sad about what's happening out there! I was talking to some one from SanFran yesterday--can't believe it's horrible even up there!
#games4ed
DianaLyn, Digital Learning Coach from Texas. I will be heading to Boston on Saturdayti visit my daughter and meet a new grandson. Definitely celebrating this. #games4ed
Hi June from Singapore here! Will be in and out of the chat as attending my daughter's Grade 1 orientation now! Grateful for my 3 kids :) here is my daughter immersed in her books! #games4ed
Hey all! Matt from Ohio, Social Studies student teacher from The Ohio State University. 10th grade US History. I'm celebrating the first snow of the year here in Columbus! #games4ed#ssvpln
Q1: Describe how you currently use groups in your classroom. What different roles do students perform? Are they assigned? Random? Student-chosen?
#games4ed
I'll be in Columbus for Thanksgiving! We have snow here in NJ but not so sure about celebrating it. Crazy 2 hour drive home. But my daughter @leilaboo215 and I helped quite a few cars out with our awesome car pushing super powers #games4ed
A1: My groups are all student chosen. We go through group selection processes where we work on "what skills are needed for this, who has them and who needs to develop them" #games4ed
A1: My groups tend to be pretty loosey-goosey. And I can see in a few of my classes that a bit more structure--at least for a while--could help. Mainly I use them for discussions or projects #games4ed
Q1: Describe how you currently use groups in your classroom. What different roles do students perform? Are they assigned? Random? Student-chosen?
#games4ed
A1: My students are always involved in design teams as they are creating games. I have learned that it is best to not assign roles and let students take on roles organically, so you could say via choice but it has become pretty organic #games4ed
Q1: Describe how you currently use groups in your classroom. What different roles do students perform? Are they assigned? Random? Student-chosen?
#games4ed
No. All schools are open - the thinking is that there is better air inside schools than at home. Though we are all mandated to stay indoors at all times. #games4ed
Not in the classroom anymore, but groups were my nemesis. Mostly I did modified SS choice. They filled out a Gform of who they wanted then I made final cuts. #games4ed
A1: I've moved away from assigning roles as I've begun to realize that it seems quite contrived and pretty forced. Not a fan of the "you are the researcher. You are the scribe, etc approach. #games4ed
A1: I am only a student in college, but from what I have observed in different classrooms is that groups are generally random assignment and random roles, generally left up to the students to decide. #games4ed
A1: I do not have my own classroom, but my mentor teacher this semester uses groups in every class. Students have a chart that tells them which group station to go to each day. Each station has a different activity aligned with the TEKS they are covering! #games4ed
A1: For most group work, I use Scrum. Depending on the project, groups are either chosen by me or self selected. In Scrum, all students are developers, choosing which task to tackle each day to contribute to the group. Wouldn’t do it any other way! #games4ed
A1: I do not have my own classroom, but my mentor teacher this semester uses groups in every class. Students have a chart that tells them which group station to go to each day. Each station has a different activity aligned with the TEKS they are covering! #games4ed#EDFB4338
Glad you are here! Love when preservice teachers join the chats. Really wish this whole global network thingy was around when I was starting #games4ed#meandmy300baudmodem
Exactly. Students take on tasks as needed. No need for me to assign them and end up with inevitable "well he was the scribe, so I did not write anything down". #games4ed
A1: Groups are mostly about sharing perspectives on content and peer-to-peer support. Our group work so far has been all student-chosen groups, and has all been optional. Though I'd like to start using roles soon! #games4ed#ssvpln
A1 I hate assigning groups BTW. I generally let Ss choose who to work with unless Ss get left out. I suggest roles but only tell Ss roles if they are struggling to work things out. I work with 8th graders. #games4ed
definitely a fan of the idea of Scrum and think that it plays out a bit in my class, though not formally. I would like to start sharing more about the process and practicing it with students #games4ed
A1. My current unit has students working in groups to represent each of four major US cities as we study literature of the American Revolution. Original groups were split up thanks to a call to arms letter from Washington using tear-away strips to form four new teams. #games4ed
A1: I use a blended learning type of grouping in my room. Students take notes then pretest independently and are grouped based on their pretest results.#games4ed#EDUC502@harryhanna
Ss develop them based on their product backlog. They decide what they will accomplish in short bursts of time, called sprints, and then take on tasks through the sprint. It’s a strategy used in software, but slowly making its way to education. Kids really flourish! #games4ed
A2: One of the biggest struggles when students work in groups is getting them to all collaborate with each. Although when they do collaborate great things happen! #games4ed#EDFB4338
I agree on assigning groups. If I feel the need, I use a randomizer to do it. But then sometimes I wonder if there's a benefit into having students work with those they normally wouldn't work with. Pros and cons both ways #games4ed
A2: In group work my mentor and I typically have to ensure students are on task more than if they worked individually (they're also more engaged too though). I also worry about cheating and students using group work as an excuse to simply copy from a friend. #games4ed#ssvpln
I love seeing your stuff. And love the idea of the original teams being split. My students have been asking if their teams might change up at semester. Never done that before, but seriously considering it this year #games4ed
I agree with this and I did the same, but was challenged to feel that even those grades were fair. I started using their reflections to determine if they truly learned the material. #games4ed
My presentation/resources are here- take a look and if you want to chat about it, we can set up a time! I love the real world aspect of it, and it gets the kids to do GREAT work: https://t.co/eCCdSx7zZb#games4ed
The golden rule "do unto others as you would have done unto you." If I wouldn't want to be stuck in a group I didn't like for a project neither to the students I teach. #games4ed
I will often put a limit on how many times a group can work together. However, it is still choice as in "you cannot work on this together, but out of the other 28 you go ahead and form a group #games4ed
I will often put a limit on how many times a group can work together. However, it is still choice as in "you cannot work on this together, but out of the other 28 you go ahead and form a group #games4ed
A3: When assigning roles for groups I think teachers usually know their students and can put them in the groups they will work best in. #games4ed#EDFB4338
A2. Runaway point tallies when one team is just totally out of the competition can be a challenge. So I try to make regular note of daily “wins” to create the feeling that you’re never really out of it. But if all else fails, use a NPC mechanic for a team reset! #games4ed
I have literally had students tell me there is a restraining order of their family against another. Or the admin/guidance office "never have so-and-so work with so-and-so" Easier to let them choose. #games4ed
A3: I truly think that Ss MUST have some form of ownership over their role. Without ownership, it’s hard to create organic buy in. So whether that’s Scrum where there are no roles, or the teacher giving roles and letting Ss choose w/in their group, choice is powerful. #games4ed
A3: Don't do this often, but when set groups have been together for long, I'll sit eight students at random, call the next 8 who have to choose among those already seated, and so on #games4ed
A3: I love instilling responsibility in my middle school students. For that reason, my Highly Abled Learners choose their own roles, reflecting student agency as well as problem solving skills. #games4ed#EDUC502@harryhanna
Q4: What is an upcoming activity where you could use ideas from tonight's chat? How could you take it a step further and turn it into a Role Player Game environment?
#games4ed
And I would say that the majority of time that teachers use group work with assigned roles, we’re essentially creating four individual project that combine. #games4ed
A3. So many options! Blind draws using plastic Easter eggs (or Pokeballs). Sticky notes on the board. Free choice. Teacher assigned based on performance or surveys according to gamer type. Etc. I love keeping things fresh by mixing teams up every new unit. #games4ed
I'm building an analysis of the changes in the Reformation. Really want to find a way to make it character-driven - just haven't found the right in yet. #games4ed
I've certainly felt that way about literature circles. When I've tried them with roles, it doesn't feel authentic...it feels like each student just shares what they did or wrote #games4ed
In reply to
@Jennifer_Manly, @MarianaGSerrato, @MrRoughton
The teams for my gamified class are different than my groups for labs and projects. Occasionally the two overlap to help foster teamwork within the game environment. #games4ed
A3: I'd like to see students from different backgrounds with shared interests working together to build greater classroom community. This could be based of "getting to know you" surveys. Group by favorite foods and have a pizza group and a hamburger group. #games4ed#ssvpln
Of course, I can't wait to see it! I'm planning a Macbeth game this weekend, having four families--MacBeth, MacDuff, BAnquos, and Duncans--and having groups work together, like your Scarlet Letter #games4ed
A3: I'd like to see students from different backgrounds with shared interests working together to build greater classroom community. This could be based of "getting to know you" surveys. Group by favorite foods and have a pizza group and a hamburger group. #games4ed#ssvpln
A4: I wd try out a #breakout maths activity in @decktoys and assign teams in the platform. They can they compete and challenge each other. Gonna be tons of fun! #games4ed
Do you ever have problems with students choosing their own groups? Like constantly having to get them back on track if they are in a group of their “friends” and cannot stay focused? #games4ed#EDFB4338
Agree, much like you see in some game shows (Face off comes to mind). You are working together, but each one is evaluated individually on their contributions Doc history to the rescue ;) #games4ed
In reply to
@mpilakow, @pentaclethra, @PerkyScience
I offer the choice to work alone often as well, but science labs, in particular, require you to be in a group due to limited resources. Some projects/labs I have communication/collaboration as part of the rubric. If you work alone you do not score well on that. #games4ed
A4: Great chat today! I plan on doing a RISK game variation to teach imperialism next week and I will definitely be using some ideas from this chat to assign roles randomly and get students having fun with a new group of people. #games4ed#ssvpln
A4. There’s so much power to be had in using in-game narrative to justify team shakeups!
Original Puritan Houses with family crests ➡️ George Washington summons House reps to different cities ➡️ Romanticism unit starting next week, and it’s all about “going solo.”
#games4ed
In my PBL choices I sometimes have group, partner, solo choices. If you are working alone you may still do the group PBL, knowing that you will be expected to complete it all, but not the other way around. #games4ed
I have had each SS use a different color to retrace contribution. I do believe I finally decided their reflections at the end gave me the best glimpse into there content knowledge and if they could transfer their learning. #games4ed
In reply to
@MarianaGSerrato, @mpilakow, @pentaclethra
Occasionally, but if it's a real problem they get moved, work alone, or I assign roles. They often are goofing off because they don't have a defined task/role to participate with. #games4ed
