#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?
Welcome to #games4ed! Tonight's topic: Learning from the #gbl greats! Tonight's questions are based on Matt Farber's GBL in Action and his observations of Peggy Sheehy, Steve Isaacs, and Paul Darvasi
Please introduce yourself! Let's get started!
Welcome to #games4ed! Tonight's topic: Learning from the #gbl greats! Tonight's questions are based on Matt Farber's GBL in Action and his observations of Peggy Sheehy, Steve Isaacs, and Paul Darvasi
Please introduce yourself! Let's get started!
N from 🇨🇦, #edtech creator, cofounder and enthusiast. Last game I played was my own - implementing my new art (so exciting - it now looks like a real game). #games4ed
James here, coming from #EsportsEDU chat. Out in Santa Monica building sanctioned leagues for high school students to compete in esports. Been playing tons of Clash Royale and was a semipro in @StarCraft. :) #games4ed
Welcome! Mark G from Southern NJ, former ELementary Teacher, currently a tech director and educational consultant/trainer. Last game I played was Assassin's Creed II, as part of the Ezio Trilogy. Working through some of my old PS3 games. #games4ed
Welcome to #games4ed! Tonight's topic: Learning from the #gbl greats! Tonight's questions are based on Matt Farber's GBL in Action and his observations of Peggy Sheehy, Steve Isaacs, and Paul Darvasi
Please introduce yourself! Let's get started!
Of course they're playing it at home. Also Fortnite. But many parents already vent about the amount it is played at home--it's a hard sell to them to say kids now play more of it at school #games4ed
Q1: In Game-Based Learning in Action, Peggy Sheehy starts her class with independent reading of NYT articles. What routines do you find successful in starting class? #games4ed
Hello! I am Karen Schrier - working with @MatthewFarber on some #SEL and empathy and games research. I have edited a number of #games4ed books (https://t.co/UgVU5I3WYB). I am also working with ADL on using games for anti-bias work.
A1 I like any activity that serves as a primer for the skill we'll practice that day. If we're thinking critically about a text, have them "read" a short "webgame." If they are writing persuasively, have them read persuasive writing. #games4ed
I teach college, but we usually start by playing a quick game that someone has "brought in" for "show and tell" and it gets the students in a playful mood. Of course, trying to get them to stop playing sometimes is interesting.... #games4ed
A1 Routines are the key word. Specifics don't matter much as long as they are specific and consistent. I used an LMS so we always had an initial hook activity posted there, which meant we could launch into class even on days I wasn't physically there! #games4ed
A1 In our Video Games & Learning course, we always started by asking about what games the students are playing and any highlights from the week. #games4ed
A1: I think the key word here is routines. It does not matter necessarily what it is, as long as it is consistent so that children can develop a routine. This will help create a stable, predictable, and therefore comfortable environment. #games4ed
Q1: In Game-Based Learning in Action, Peggy Sheehy starts her class with independent reading of NYT articles. What routines do you find successful in starting class? #games4ed
You've hit it on the head. It's all about the routine. In my room it's ten minutes of choice reading, but it's always the same and (almost always) non-negotiable. #games4ed
A1 Sometimes just playing some music, get the energy going and then use stations in my room with diff activ, sometimes it is by playing a game #games4ed
Yes! I explain to parents that we are "playing" the story instead of reading what an author chooses for the hero. They still choose to opt their kids out. Luckily, it's only a few each year! #games4ed
Q2: Classroom layout hugely impacts class culture. Paul Darvasi shapes his seating as a horseshoe to promote learning.
Describe your current, or your dream, seating in your classroom.
#games4ed
A2 I cannot remember a time when our room was not arranged in groupings of students. It immediately encourages them to connect with each other and form bonds (teams, in the #Games4Ed vernacular).
Harry Wong's The First Days of School is a great resource for learning how to do this well... would be interesting to apply it to a #gamified classroom's procedures! #edtech#games4ed
A2 I got rid of the rows, and now have small groups of 3 desks, or 2 and it gives Ss a place to work together and for me to move around, dream would be have flexible desks/chairs, little more space #games4ed
Q2 the center of my last class was the information area, resource books, scales, specimens, tools, supplies. Around that different configurations of tables for free seating and a horseshoe table to small group chats #games4ed
A2: We work collaboratively so we are always in table groups (4, 6, 8, whatever). The students are facing one another and I am in moving around the periphery #games4ed
A2: What a great Q! I think flexible seating is a great way to learn. The teaching of course has to change! Not like putting Ss in groups and having them all look at the board and get neck pains. #games4ed
We set up the tables in this way, but they choose seats. They seem to return to the same places because of the comfort level with those students. #games4ed
Interesting. It's been a long while since I've read his book. I've got some time to kill at school tomorrow before I check out...I might need to take a look and compare #games4ed
That is so beautiful, Mark! I'm going to add it to my requisitions, so when I get my French doors to the outside, instead of a Starbucks cart, I'll have this instead! #games4ed
A2 - I had an English class where we sat in a circle. It was probably one of the best setups I had, as there was no front or back, and everyone could see who was talking. It also forced the T to move away from the board and become more of a moderator. #games4ed
Q2: Classroom layout hugely impacts class culture. Paul Darvasi shapes his seating as a horseshoe to promote learning.
Describe your current, or your dream, seating in your classroom.
#games4ed
A2 #flexibleseating is a huge thing - The @Google headquarters in NYC has all kinds of nooks, crannies, and other places to settle down and get work done. Our Ss should be provided options to learn how they can most effectively learn (not just lounge)! #games4ed
Q3: Steve Isaacs and Peggy Sheehy use technology that allow students to follow quests, so all students work on different activities and assignments.
How does this affect teaching? What challenges do you/would you face? #games4ed
I especially like the point about the teacher stepping away from the "lead position" and becoming more enmeshed with the students. A lead learner, perhaps, like the moniker some principals are taking on #games4ed
A3) technology is crucial to have a personalized learning environment. Our school isn’t 1:1 so sometimes it’s tough when each student can’t have their own device. #games4ed
A3 - there's always going to be the keeners (I was one) who will zoom ahead. So I think making sure there's enough planned well in advance, to keep up with those Ss, while also making sure others don't fall too far behind. #games4ed
Q3: Steve Isaacs and Peggy Sheehy use technology that allow students to follow quests, so all students work on different activities and assignments.
How does this affect teaching? What challenges do you/would you face? #games4ed
I had a couple of Ts attempt the more self driven (if not quite personalized) by giving us all the assignments for a unit up front. Worked better for some Ss than others. Being independently motivated is a skill that we don't develop well in school. #games4ed
A3 I am moving toward a personalized/Quest-based system for my course next Fall. Challenges = students being used to all working on same assessment. This one challenges them to take ownership of learning. #games4ed
A3: Biggest challenge is making sure that all quests are tied to standards and teaching parents that the quests and side quests are integral to the content. Also, you have to be flexible yourself, whether u are creating them or are allowing Ss to create them themselves. #games4ed
That's where the side quests come in for me. The teaching stops being linear but you have to be prepared. It has been much more planning for me. #games4ed
I can see how it can be overwhelming for many students. And you're right about independently motivated. It's a muscle, and for some students, we need to work it, especially if they're jaded by traditional education #games4ed
My goal with the quests is to have students actually select the standards they will meet and design the assessment themselves. Granted, these are college students, so it might not be for everyone. #games4ed
Q4: In the book Game-Based Learning in Action, Sheehy and Isaacs often ignore questions or tell students to figure it out.
How often do you do this? How do you decide whether to intervene with student struggles? #games4ed
Good point about knowing the standards. It can't just be a variety of different, fun activities. They have to be purposeful, and Ts need to be super-organized to make sure all Ss are meeting the objectives through their method of choice #games4ed
A3: I teach in a boarding school where most of the Ss are from Rural area and 60% of them didnt have access to the ICT at their home. This is the challenge but I really love this because using tech helps them to develop real life skills. #games4ed
A2. Students in small clusters (@KaganOnline style), themed as “Wagon Trains” to fit our yearlong narrative of working in small teams to chase the American Dream. Winning power-ups (like #MarioKart items) to use against rival wagons & boost team / individual scoring. #games4ed
Q2: Classroom layout hugely impacts class culture. Paul Darvasi shapes his seating as a horseshoe to promote learning.
Describe your current, or your dream, seating in your classroom.
#games4ed
A4 I need to get better at this. I usually tell folks how to do something the first time and make a note that I learned that knowledge from Googling or YouTube. I hope they pick up on the lesson, but refusing to answer questions is better, I think? #games4ed
I find we don't talk enough about this skill and how to develop it in Ss. It's one of the reasons that most online classes don't have great success rates. We're not use to taking control of our own learning without a T staring us down daily. #games4ed
In MS, the selection of the standards would not really be an option (though they do not have to work on them at the same time), but I think that the design of assment is doable. I have a lot of Ss choice and because of that they have to plan how to show what they know. #games4ed
Good point. I do feel like, as a technology integration teacher, it looks bad if I don't know how to utilize a tool. However, it is unrealistic to know how every tech tool functions, heh. #games4ed
Or to answer a question with a question. I've gotten better at stopping myself from answering, but after doing that, I need to then ask them "How could we find that out"--I'll get better at that next year!! #games4ed
A4 - I love doing this. Although, instead of outright ignoring, I try to ask them questions, to help lead them to the answer (if it's debugging code) or coming up with their own ideas as to where to look next. #games4ed
Q4: In the book Game-Based Learning in Action, Sheehy and Isaacs often ignore questions or tell students to figure it out.
How often do you do this? How do you decide whether to intervene with student struggles? #games4ed
A3 Student driven, mastery based learning can be very powerful but requires some paradigm shifts to be understood. Hardest part for teachers will be learning how to support students learning to pace themselves - lots of intrinsic motivation in play! #games4ed
A4: Very often! They come dependent on Ts to give all the answers so they dont need to worry about figuring things out. It is hard at first, but awesome to see what they can do at the end! #games4ed
A3. I LOVE creating “REVERSE”
Escape Rooms where Ss work w/ teammates to race against the clock to solve a series of asynchronous puzzles in old-school centers. Different stations with different deliverables - like a @Flipgrid, a @quizizz, an @edpuzzle, a @sporcle, etc. #games4ed
Q3: Steve Isaacs and Peggy Sheehy use technology that allow students to follow quests, so all students work on different activities and assignments.
How does this affect teaching? What challenges do you/would you face? #games4ed
Or to answer a question with a question. I've gotten better at stopping myself from answering, but after doing that, I need to then ask them "How could we find that out"--I'll get better at that next year!! #games4ed
A4: what? Ignore students or tell them to figure it out? Two totally different skills. In all honesty, this is a great time to increase dialogue, throw the question back out to the class/group. #Games4Ed
Sometimes I feel this way, too. But often there is choice embedded within a learning activity, so I think that's okay. Maybe it's not always the choice of activity but the choice of the topic or other elements #games4ed
A4 sometimes the ask 3 before me, but usually first I will ask what steps they tried, or to clarify what they are struggling with, or have peers help one another, #games4ed
A4: Good teachers KNOW where their students are and how much/if any assistance they need when they ask for help. It's experience (but experience alone doesn't mean you can do it), but mostly it's an art. #games4ed
Yes! I do offer that and then I find the students feeling helpless and not taking the risks in learning a new tool without ME helping them! (Back to Q3!) #games4ed
A4. Big fan of @breakoutEDU’s limited quantity of “Hint” cards. Super smart to employ that mechanic much like an @NFL coach’s challenge flag in group work: each team only has (x) turns to ask for a lifeline, so they learn how to problem-solve together and fail forwards. #games4ed
Q4: In the book Game-Based Learning in Action, Sheehy and Isaacs often ignore questions or tell students to figure it out.
How often do you do this? How do you decide whether to intervene with student struggles? #games4ed
A4: this is a good question. When I see a student turn red and cry those big tears. Yes, they need to struggle a little,but not when it upsets them. #games4ed
And I think it goes back to relationships. When you know your students, you known which ones frustrate easily and which ones could use a little more push. You're totally right about experience--I can't imagine that I had any idea how to do this my first few years #games4ed
Q5: Peggy Sheehy uses World of Warcraft and Paul Darvasi uses Gone Home as core texts in their classrooms.
What game(s) could you use as a core text in one of your units?
#games4ed
I'm with you. I have a few students who have so little confidence that I do feel the need to intervene sooner or else they give up--and then it's even harder to re-motivate them #games4ed
Hello #games4ed - Michele, 8th grade ELA teacher in NY.
A4. Most of the time I might say, "That is a great question to research. Tell me what you find out."
A5: Pandemic, of course ;), and I also have started playing Photosynthesis. Though these are obvious. I need t find some more, or be a lot more creative. #games4ed
Yes! Thanks for this! I love this idea with groups, too--The group gets the hint card, so then that way it encourages more cooperation and collaboration #games4ed
A4. Big fan of @breakoutEDU’s limited quantity of “Hint” cards. Super smart to employ that mechanic much like an @NFL coach’s challenge flag in group work: each team only has (x) turns to ask for a lifeline, so they learn how to problem-solve together and fail forwards. #games4ed
Q4: In the book Game-Based Learning in Action, Sheehy and Isaacs often ignore questions or tell students to figure it out.
How often do you do this? How do you decide whether to intervene with student struggles? #games4ed
A4: I find myself doing this more often now. I ask Ss the "why?" and "how?" qns. It's rewarding to see them figure out answers on their own by thinking about it, asking others, and doing research. I have a "Got Questions?" area for them to post qns, too :) #games4ed
A2 Six large round desks that seat 4 each (guild at each table to promote teamwork). Plus carpet area to lie, sit, sprawl out for flexible seating. Clipboards and floors are used a lot in my class! #games4ed
A5 I think @Overcookedgame should be a team building activity early on. Also if you are a history teacher and you haven’t played @ValiantHeartsGW Stop and do so, nowish. #games4ed
A5 @debschi and I had some young ladies compete in the Girls Go CyberStart competition. The resources and simulations provided there would be great for anyone looking to teach coding, hacking, etc. https://t.co/dIt9N6K759#games4ed
A4: I find myself doing this more often now. I ask Ss the "why?" and "how?" qns. It's rewarding to see them figure out answers on their own by thinking about it, asking others, and doing research. I have a "Got Questions?" area for them to post qns, too :) #games4ed
Q6: Paul Darvasi's students work with Scandinavian students. Steve Isaacs often connects his students with designers via Skype.
What is one lesson/unit where you could globally connect your students with other students or experts?
#games4ed
A5: #Games4Ed Why not have the students develop their own core texts through game development and narration? Study other texts and include elements from them, create settings, etc
I need more games for physical and earth science. I am thinking I am going to have to be creative for this. Perhaps this is my project for the summer. #games4ed
It's one of those books that is worth going back to just to refresh your foundation. And, of course, highly recommended for new service teachers! #games4ed
Ditto! I'm going to study What Remains of Edith Finch this summer and hopefully find a place for it next year. I think @johnCfallon is currently designing lessons to go with it #games4ed
A5. We do a full month-long March Madness style tournament of literary characters. Single elimination. 64 teams. We call it “March Sadness” - and table talk / student vote (like Apples to Apples) determines which character had it the worst. Building empathy & engagement #games4ed
Q5: Peggy Sheehy uses World of Warcraft and Paul Darvasi uses Gone Home as core texts in their classrooms.
What game(s) could you use as a core text in one of your units?
#games4ed
A6 One of the aspects of our Digital Tools course is building a PLN for support. This lends itself nicely to connecting with others from afar! #games4ed
A6. Students create class-specific Twitter accounts during our Huck Finn unit and keep track of unit themes as hashtags. At-home annotation turns HW into trending topics with TONS of peer-to-peer dialogue. #HuckFree#HuckRace#HuckLearns#HuckFaith#HuckNature#HuckLies#games4ed
Q6: Paul Darvasi's students work with Scandinavian students. Steve Isaacs often connects his students with designers via Skype.
What is one lesson/unit where you could globally connect your students with other students or experts?
#games4ed
Global Collaborative Partnerships are wonderful and connecting with other classes is awesome when the opportunity arrives. Teachers need to make those connections to organized collaboration #games4ed
Very cool, especially that they tweet back to each other using it! I've never tried integrating Twitter into my classes--any parent struggles with it? That's one thing that tends to hold me back #games4ed
That is awesome. What grade are your students? I have twitter book clubs but have. hard time getting 100% participation in twitter. My students using @instagram & @Snapchat more #games4ed
A6 Talk to your local colleges and universities. There is almost always someone there who is (or connected to) an expert in a unit you might be doing. Google Hangouts for all! #edtech#games4ed
A6 I connected our CR with classes in Spain and Argentina by posting in the @edmodo community, and we set up a class together, doing #pbl and learning about the #sdgs#games4ed
Q7: Steve Isaacs' students use 20% of their time to work on passion projects.
In what ways or formats have, or could, your students to follow their passions or create inquiry projects?
#games4ed
Ditto! I'm going to study What Remains of Edith Finch this summer and hopefully find a place for it next year. I think @johnCfallon is currently designing lessons to go with it #games4ed
A6: We've done some sonnet judging and feedback work with students from another state, but I hope to do more peer feedback relationships, not just a one-and-done. #games4ed
I really wanted to connect with others when we were studying landforms. I made a @Flipgrid and shared it out hoping for images beyond our area. I need to figure out how to make it actually happen next year. #games4ed
Ditto! I'm going to study What Remains of Edith Finch this summer and hopefully find a place for it next year. I think @johnCfallon is currently designing lessons to go with it #games4ed
A6) any time you are learning about diverse communities, the door is wide open. Always important not to “other” diversity,and the best way to combat that is with a face-to-face Hangout! #games4ed
I took the dive this year as an after-school club. I would love to have a class for it as it does have lots to do. I don't' think you are ever ready, like most things in life, you just go for it. #games4ed
A5 I use a lot of D&D for Grade 8 Eng. Use mechanics to tell interactive stories that last weeks at a time. S's have characters that grow/change. Have them write journal entries from diff. perspectives (enemies they defeated, shopkeeps, etc). Plus they shape story. #games4ed
A7: Every Friday is #GeniusHour in my classroom. Students planning out their "Show & Tell" #passionprojects for our Genius Expo the middle of June. I love that they have this time to make, create, research, & follow their own interest #games4ed
That is such a cool idea!! You could even just promote it on twitter chats like this one. I'd love to take images of our Sandhills here in Nebraska for you! #games4ed
A7 have been doing #pbl two years, Ss choose their focus, create essential question, so much more authentic and brings a greater potential for learning and connecting globally #games4ed
A7 Passion projects are great, but remember to start with the end in mind! https://t.co/CmmieVKSNN Has great resources that were meant for teachers for PBL - they work great with older students designing passion projects! #games4ed
After speaking at EdmodoCon last year, I wanted to connect my Ss, so in the World Lang Community, I posted a message about connecting, had responses and set up a class.. Our Ss wrote, and we also have been using @Flipgrid to share videos, and also a @padlet#games4ed
In reply to
@mpilakow, @edmodo, @Flipgrid, @padlet
They are! I did see some of them make dogs, food, Lego people and famous people. We are off to a good start. I am not sure if I should stay with Bloxel or have them design a video game. Thoughts? I know of a few game designing websites. #games4ed
A7. End of yr project = “Select ANY character we’ve encountered & build a Google Site where you commit them to a period-appropriate insane asylum.” Creative writing in character. Persuasive writing explaining why. 21st century research into empathy, asylum alternatives. #games4ed
Q7: Steve Isaacs' students use 20% of their time to work on passion projects.
In what ways or formats have, or could, your students to follow their passions or create inquiry projects?
#games4ed
Love this idea of having characters grow and change. You might want to check out @StoriumEdu -- we've had a lot of fun with that platform this spring! #games4ed
A7 I have a 1-credit course that serves to support independent projects and game design work that students want to create and show at our annual festivals. Here are photos of students showing off their passion projects at our annual Hudson Valley Games Conference. #games4ed
A8 I need to play more games. Had to reach a bit on the what game sums up your content question! As important as it is, I should have an easier answer! #games4ed
Excellent chat tonight everyone! Thanks @mpilakow for moderating! Remember to follow those with ideas you find interesting or challenging. So glad I could be here tonight! #games4ed
Yes, and it worked really well! I also love that you can design your own "decks" to fit your content/genre. A couple students also created their own decks, which was really cool to see! #games4ed
In reply to
@TeachingFactor, @McMahon78, @StoriumEdu
Wouldn't it be cool to have something like "game hour" where they work to create and refine games to teach other students (either same grade or younger) through play. I think I may explore this for next year. MS kids going to the elementary to play science with them. #games4ed
In reply to
@TeachingFactor, @drgamermom, @Rdene915, @mpilakow
