#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?
Thanks everyone for joining us tonight. Maybe we should go with this simple what’s on your mind topic at least once a month. Now time for everyone to head to #games4ed and please join our online panel for #CEduAD Saturday at 1pm on #gamification#EsportsEdu
Hello! My name is Paige Wilson, and I am an English and Secondary Ed major at Grove City College. My favorite Halloween costume was one my sister made. She dressed up as Xion from Kingdom Hearts and had a keyblade. It was cool, even though no one knew who she was. #games4ed
Hey! Steve from NJ. I teach game design and development to middle school students and #Ilovemyjob trying to think of fav kid Halloween costume. Perhaps the typical go to hobo #games4ed
Hi all! Melissa from Nebraska, 11-12 ELA. I made a pop machine costume out of poster board in 4th grade. I was extremely proud of it at the time! #games4ed
N from 🇨🇦 , #edtech creator and enthusiast. I'm split between two - I went as a BBQ one year and a 🍍 another year. Homemade costumes are the best. #games4ed
A1: My big mechanic go to is narrative. I guess that’s a hazard of being an ELA teacher/author but I love a good story. I tend to build from that. #games4ed
Haloween memory, though - The year my grandma made me a harlequin costume. Was so excited I ended up throwing up before I even got to school and was in fact kept home :( #games4ed
I’m using @classcraftgame and my definite go to is #questbased learning. I love providing multiple paths and choice in learning #stuchoice. Also grades are completely a function of leveling up by earning #xP#games4ed
A1: I love @classcraft and using XP & GP especially. Lately, I've had lots of fun with narrative and hiding codewords--my students this year have loved finding these Easter Eggs #games4ed
Q2: Some critique gamification as a form of external motivation rather than internal.
How do you use gamification to inspire students and encourage their internal motivation?
#games4ed
Hi everybody! Noa, working for the Innovative Tech Unit in the Israeli Ministry of Education. Favorite costume was chef thrown into a table - 6th grade.. what do you think @tishrich? #games4ed
Last week a student had to roll a 20-sided die to determine HP lost. She came up to me...and pulled her own D&D dice out and used her own! It made my day! #games4ed
A1) I am a pre-service teacher, so I haven't used gamification in the classroom yet. However, I have looked at Classcraft recently, and I am excited to learn more from teachers who have incorporated games into the classroom! Competition is one mechanic I have used. #games4ed
Over time I’ve moved almost entirely to a choice based learning environment in my 8th grade electives. It really makes the classroom a very exciting place and feels like a true game design studio. #games4ed
I'm a huge fan of quests too. Gamification can be generally easy to do but it only provides an initial boost of motivation. Giving Ss choice and allow for them to figure out what works best for *their* learning? That's got a lot more long term power behind it. #games4ed
A2) Offering XP for chosen activities in great. Also, I don't have a problem with extrinsic motivation. I'm currently grinding out 2 million skill pts on Forza - that's definitely not intrinsic! #games4ed
Q2: Some critique gamification as a form of external motivation rather than internal.
How do you use gamification to inspire students and encourage their internal motivation?
#games4ed
A2: Most, if not all of the time, I allow Ss to go back and play again to improve their chances of success. I try to emphasize the journey, not the score. #games4ed
Awesome! I want to play more D&D as I’d love to see kids create their own campaigns as a game design option. Really lends well to narrative @PaulDarvasi has been writing a lot about D&D in the classroom #games4ed
Yup, Started super strong this year, though I had it all mapped out, and not so much same narrative in 5 preps makes it hard to see/remember where each is at. #games4ed
A2 - Almost no one works solely off of just internal motivation. There's nothing wrong with using external motivation to get through tough spots. How many of us would do our jobs for $0 pay? The trick is to try, over time, to push more onto internal. #games4ed
Q2: Some critique gamification as a form of external motivation rather than internal.
How do you use gamification to inspire students and encourage their internal motivation?
#games4ed
I'm a huge fan of quests too. Gamification can be generally easy to do but it only provides an initial boost of motivation. Giving Ss choice and allow for them to figure out what works best for *their* learning? That's got a lot more long term power behind it. #games4ed
This is my first year doing it. I’m hoping to make it as exciting for them as possible but right now it’s a lot of vocab. My Ss just picked their races though and they seem excited. #games4ed
Totally agree. Keep meaning to make a quest for students to write the narrative to thread though quest lines. I’ll do that now that I keep talking about it. #games4ed
A2: Choice is huge, but sometimes gamification gives that jump to get going. I did a little external mot. today for students who got the first 100 words down for their papers...once they have momentum, it's much easier for them to get the internal motivation to finish #games4ed
Q2: Some critique gamification as a form of external motivation rather than internal.
How do you use gamification to inspire students and encourage their internal motivation?
#games4ed
A3 - Burn out. Not everyone cares about points. And the 10th time you do the same game, it doesn't have the same effect as the first. Also, there's a lot of life that just sucks and we have to get through - learning how to persevere in those situations is key #games4ed
A2) Kids naturally learn by play. With games, kids are motivated to collaborate with teammates and to improve their abilities each time they complete activities. Games motivate kids who aren't motivated by grades alone, and can lead to internal motivation. #games4ed
A3: The biggest concern I hear is that the game detracts from the rigor/learning. Have to explain that in fact it is most often the opposite. #games4ed
Late to the #games4ed party tonight. Joining in and looking for a peer editing game board or game that I can use with my Ss next week. Thinking of a Connect 4 like revision/editing game - thoughts and ideas?
A3: challenge - when we just think in points we get into what I call pointification which is otherwise lost known as school. It has to incorporate meaningful game mechanics. I am not a fan of gamification as behavior management #games4ed
So true that we have different players and gamers and cannot rely on one mechanic or experience for all our Ss - need to mix up the game all the time to tap the interests and intrigue of our players/students #games4ed
A1: I own Game Morim (Gamer Ts in Hebrew). My partner and I are developing an online #gamification platform (similar to @classcraftgame) and offer schools #GBL RPG Alternate Reality narrated lessons plans. Couldn't have done it without this tribe! #games4ed#xplap
In their game, one of the obstacles was a dice roll that could switch the end and start. They figured that their original game could be won fairly easily and adding this would create more of a strategy of where they should be before making a "run for it" #games4ed
In reply to
@JaredRLopatin, @mr_isaacs, @classcraftgame
A3) One concern that I have is that the focus may be taken off of learning. Also, I wonder how much time it takes to get students used to this kind of teaching. I think if gamification is moderated effectively, that won't be an issue though. #games4ed
A3: I find getting content into a game format is not straightforward and requires a lot of effort from the educator. Once the kids get hooked they want more and poor educator (aka Me at home!) has to quickly churn out more! #games4ed
Steven, need to talk with you more about @classcraftgame quests and linking them with Google Drive - ran into some challenges with my latest quest that makes me not want to link the 2 again for our next adventure #games4ed
In reply to
@mr_isaacs, @mpilakow, @ClassCraft, @classcraftgame
A3: challenge - when we just think in points we get into what I call pointification which is otherwise known as school. It has to incorporate meaningful game mechanics. I am not a fan of gamification as behavior management #games4ed
Q4: Let's end with a
coin toss (or you can just choose)!
Heads: Present your top reasons for using gamification.
Tails: What's an inspiring game mechanic you're using/would like to try?
#games4ed
So true, Jon. Need to level the games for your different players and cannot connect games with grades or else becomes less authentic with learning #games4ed
A3 I think gamification implies just surface level techniques. I think inbterms of game inspired designs. Elements of games that can engage different types of students in different types of ways. Then play test and adjust. #Games4Ed
A5 - I'd love to think of how to create a quest based generation tool that doesn't have to be pre-planned in advanced. Instead, based on choices the player makes, the game comes up with next quest. #games4ed
Q4: Let's end with a
coin toss (or you can just choose)!
Heads: Present your top reasons for using gamification.
Tails: What's an inspiring game mechanic you're using/would like to try?
#games4ed
A4: Top reasons for gamification: 1. Engagement, 2. Adventure based learning, 3. Team Work, 4. Choice & CYOA to showcase learning & Understanding 5. Fun #games4ed
A2: I think #gamification is a very rich, complex and fun token economy. Nothing wrong with that.. This allows Ts to continue teaching like they're used to, adding a reward system. #games4ed
A4: Top reasons for gamification: 1. Engagement, 2. Adventure based learning, 3. Team Work, 4. Choice & CYOA to showcase learning & Understanding 5. Fun #games4ed
A5 - I'd love to think of how to create a quest based generation tool that doesn't have to be pre-planned in advanced. Instead, based on choices the player makes, the game comes up with next quest. #games4ed
Q4: Let's end with a
coin toss (or you can just choose)!
Heads: Present your top reasons for using gamification.
Tails: What's an inspiring game mechanic you're using/would like to try?
#games4ed
Which is kind of funny, because we *know* not all kids enjoy normal lecture style teaching, and yet we've always accepted it as the way things should work. 🤔 We're so much harder on ourselves then we should be. #games4ed
Just a reminder...
Check out this webinar this Saturday! Both @mr_isaacs and I will be there, along with some other epic teachers who gamify!
#games4ed#CEduAD
A2: I think #gamification is a very rich, complex and fun token economy. Nothing wrong with that.. This allows Ts to continue teaching like they're used to, adding a reward system. #games4ed
I have heard many of my Ss say the beginning of this year that they wish they had powerpoint because the adventure quest is confusing with all the different missions - some are just overwhelmed by the missions plotted out #games4ed - working through this now as I revise &reflect
Clarification: IMO #gamifcation is using game elements (like rewards) in a non-game action (like a worksheet). #GBL is designing an actual game to teach S content. Thoughts? #games4ed
It the idea that the adventure questions or missions are differentiated for different learners in my classroom and they can choose which path that will support their learning input and output #games4ed
A4) My top reasons would be student engagement, episodic lessons, and connecting with students. I want to look at games that students are interested in (Minecraft, Fortnite, etc) for inspiration and use mechanics that are familiar to them. #games4ed
Imagine how you'd blow their minds 🤯 if they saw the entire years worth of content you had planned at the start. Navigation is key and it's very easy to be overwhelmed when too much detail is given. #games4ed
I've been having these SAME thoughts lately. I've been using more slidedeck lately and embedding them into a quest. It's been easier for them to access or review previous assignments and lessons. Trying to find a balance--planning to ask my Ss about it, too #games4ed
I was having this talk w students today. Its like building a go cart that you push down the hill. Can steer a but, vut all the work was done ahead of the race. (From Moneyball) #Games4Ed
In reply to
@MusingsOnEdTech, @TeachingFactor, @mpilakow
Yes. In our panel on Saturday, we'll touch more on #gbl vs. #gamification, but our questions are going to lean toward gamification and mechanics such as narrative and choice #games4ed
I've been having these SAME thoughts lately. I've been using more slidedeck lately and embedding them into a quest. It's been easier for them to access or review previous assignments and lessons. Trying to find a balance--planning to ask my Ss about it, too #games4ed
Which is kind of funny, because we *know* not all kids enjoy normal lecture style teaching, and yet we've always accepted it as the way things should work. 🤔 We're so much harder on ourselves then we should be. #games4ed
