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"Edudemic has covered game-based learning and gamification in the classroom on numerous occasions in the past. When learning becomes a game, it’s an enjoyable, effective experience for students and teachers alike. We’ve curated 23 of the best game-based education resources for 2014. If your class hasn’t gotten its game on yet, then now is the time." 
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We have an early look at some of the interesting data coming out of a larger report on teacher attitudes around the use of games in the classroom. The numbers hint at wider use of games in the classroom and indicate teachers see the real benefit of games in helping low-performing students.
Beth Dichter's insight:
Do you think games have a place in your classroom? This newly released data is from a survey of 694 K-8 teachers in the U.S. that the Joan Ganz Cooney Center conducted in 2013 to see how teachers are using digital games in their classrooms. * 74% of teachers are using games in their classroom * 55% of students play games at least once a week * 72% of students access games on a PC or a Mac, and 41% of teachers use a white board to share games * The two greatest barriers are the time it takes to implement games (45%) and the cost of the games (44%) This post from Games and Learning provides the current data in both a visual and written form. There is much more to be found on the website. You may also want to check out the Joan Ganz Cooney Center. They have also published an article on this which may be found at http://www.joanganzcooneycenter.org/2014/06/09/digital-games-in-the-classroom-a-national-surevy/
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Online games from the Getty Museum - explore works of art with educational games.
Beth Dichter's insight:
Allow students to play games and explore images from the Getty Museum. Four games are available at this website. They are: * Detail Detective - There are four images on the left side, but which one comes from the picture on the right. The clock ticks as the seconds count down for you to find the correct image. Four games to play. * Match Madness - A memory game where you have to match two items, perhaps a word and an image, or the top half and bottom half. Four ways to play. * Switch - Compare two images and find the difference...but be aware the clock is ticking and you may find yourself out of time! Four subjects to choose from. * Jigsaw Puzzle - Solve the jigsaw puzzle. Twelve works of art. You choose the number of pieces: 16, 25, 49, 81, or 144 * Plus 3 activities that you can do at home You may also visit the Getty at Whyville from the site. Based on playing games these games are probably best for students in upper elementary through middle school. The site also links to the Getty Museum at Whyville, also designed for middle school students.
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For educators who are interested in using games for learning -- specifically towards developing skills as they relate to the Common Core State Standards -- here are five games students can enjoy and that we’ve found sync with standards.
Beth Dichter's insight:
Five games are discussed in this post. However only two of them are free to use. Each is discussed in the post and you can go directly from the post to the game. The first two listed below are free. * The Sports Network 2 - This game was developed through a grant from the Gates and Hewlett Foundations to meet Next Generation Learning Standards and focuses on Common Core State Stanards in ELA and Literacy. Students become a cable sports show producer and must "make sure the show’s content is written well and on point.." * Prodigy is geared to elementary school and focuses on math. "Kids use math to wield magic and combat monsters as they venture through a fantasy-based world and level up their characters." It is designed to differentiate instruction, is aligned to the Common Core for grades 1 - 5 and is "free forever." * Dragon Box Algebra 5+ - DragonBox is a program that consistently receives high praise and helps to introduce students to core concepts of algebra, and may be used with children as young as 4. There is also an advanced version of the program for older students. * Word Raider focuses on vocabulary. Using academic terms and visuals it provides students with practice while having fun. * DreamBox is "a comprehensive, game-based math curriculum oozing with style and full of well-designed, self-paced games that adapt to students’ abilities.
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Web-based games can prove to be a treasure trove of learning opportunities, and there are a variety of content-areas, age ranges, and skill levels to choose from. The true pay dirt for browser-based learning games can be found on large online digital game hubs. Here are 10 game hubs players that teachers can use to as one tool in their arsenal.
Beth Dichter's insight:
Finding games that you can use in the classroom is not always as easy as one would like it to be. This post shares 10 websites that are "game hubs" and the games range from one for students as young as preK to students in high school. The list of the sites is below and additional information is in the post (as are links to each). Have fun exploring them and sharing them with your students, and if you know a site that is not listed leave in the Comment section. * Shepperd Software * PBS Kids Games * Mr. Nussbaum * National Geographic Kids * Poptropica * Funbrain * BBC Schools: Games * Primary Games * ABCya.com * Arcademic Skill Builders
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"Whether our students fear the dark, monsters, heights, some other imagined horror, or something more real such as family troubles or bullying, everyone is afraid of something. For students in our schools those fears probably include something that is an inherent part of our society and our educational system – failure."
Beth Dichter's insight:
What would happen if you used game-based learning in your classroom and took advantage of the of the fact that students do fail when they play games, providing opportunities for them to understand how they may also fail in class and more on. Three strategies are explored in this post. * Encourage cooperative play * Implement structures for active engagement * Embrace failure as a learning opportunity In addition to providing detailed explanations of these strategies the post also provides a look at 21 smart games for game-based learning and some as well as links to locations where you may find educationally relevant games.
MLC Junior School Hub's curator insight,
December 2, 2014 3:28 AM
Everyone is afraid of something. However, we need to encourage our students not to fear failure, but embrace it as a natural part of the learning process. One area where failure is naturally integrated is games-based learning where progress is built on the concept of experimentation - failure and adaptation.
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Empower your classroom with the best games, apps, and maker kits, including engaging lesson plans aligned to core standards. Explore, connect, & create. Join today!
Beth Dichter's insight:
Educade, a free website, provides lesson plans "standards aligned lesson plans with 21st century teaching tools like games, apps, and maker kits. These are ready to use and effective resources that have been thoroughly vetted by the GameDesk curriculum team comprised of teachers, content specialist, researchers, artists, and developers." The site is designed for K-12 students, and you may sign up for an account if you would like to create and share your own content. It is easy to search (dropdown menus allow you to search by subject area, grade level, type of tool and platform). As they say on the site "Start browsing for hundreds of lesson plans and teaching tools right now. It is totally FREE!"
davidconover's curator insight,
September 7, 2013 10:29 AM
This is a great resource for teachers to find lesson plans that you can apply immediately in your classroom.
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Playing an action video game “can virtually eliminate” the gender difference in a basic capacity researchers call spatial attention, while at the same time reducing the gender difference in the ability to mentally rotate objects, a higher-level...
Beth Dichter's insight:
If you have wondered why spatial skills matter this post states "The ability to mentally manipulate shapes and otherwise understand how the three-dimensional world works turns out to be an important predictor of creative and scholarly achievements, according to research published this month in the journal Psychological Science." Why is this important? It turns out that spatial skills at the age of 13 turn out to predict "the likelihood that the individual would develop new knowledge and produce innovation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, the domains collectively known as STEM." For more information on this as well as links to additional resources check out this post.
mtmeme's curator insight,
July 28, 2013 11:17 AM
Spatial skill practice in a game environment - wonder if it would also be beneficial in rehab for stroke or neurological disorders.
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"When St. Louis fifth-grade teacher Jenny Kavanaugh teaches history, she uses her laptop to look at a map, or to give kids a virtual our of the historical landmarks they’re studying. “Students can interact with history in very cool ways online,” she said." But when it’s time for math, she puts the computer away. Even though Kavanaugh thinks technology is a great tool to enhance and deepen certain lessons, for drill and practice of key concepts in class, she finds one-on-one practice to be much more effective than its technological equivalent – digital practice games.
Beth Dichter's insight:
When is the right time to use computer games and when is practice with paper and pencial a better way to learn concepts in teaching? Below are two quotes that appear in this post. "...Gary Stager, founder of theConstructing Modern Knowledge Summer Institute, recommend that computers be used to add “deep and meaningful experiences” to teachers’ lessons, much of what the 91percent of teachers with access to computers are doing may be just the opposite." and "43 percent of classroom computing goes to playing educational digital games, while a Joan Ganz Cooney study showed that nearly 50 percent of teachers use digital games in class. But with nearly half of all classroom computer time dedicated to games — many of which are played to reinforce basic skills like phonics, spelling or multiplication tables — some teachers are wondering if games really are innovative techniques used to enhance student learning. Or are they just flashy, colorful ways of dishing out more of the same?" The post also discusses the best use of iPads as well as SimCityEDU. Two questions are also raised in this post, are games being used to enhance instruction, and do we lose something when students use technology rather than paper and pencil to learn?
Katie S.'s curator insight,
April 9, 2015 4:29 PM
This blog post discusses the use of technology and games in the classroom. While teacher Jenny Kavanaugh uses games and technology for teaching history, she criticizes the drill like nature of math games and the post sees that developments need to be made in educational games to make them more useful and engaging. It seems that history is at the forefront though, as online content is able to give a more direct experience of past, place, and events. 
benjamin costello's curator insight,
May 20, 2015 5:36 PM
Kids like many people learn in a variety of ways so whether you teach the "old fashion" way or through technology I think you must be aware of this. Digital games are just one way to achieve this but I think you have to fully immerse yourself and your students in the technology to be able to fully grab the good intention of it. Trial and error still work. 
Gabrielle's curator insight,
May 21, 2017 8:53 PM
Helps students engage in historical periods they're studying.
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"...the best of public media’s interactive resources and educational projects for use with middle school and high school students, multimedia productions created by youth, and professional development videos for educators. The 800+ resources featured here are designed to bring educational content to life in engaging and innovative ways, and include games, activities, quizzes, quests, and other interactive experiences."
Beth Dichter's insight:
Great resources brought to you by the Public Broadcasting Corporation! Sections include the arts, careers, ELL, health and sport, language arts, math, media production, science and engineering and social studies.
Pegi Flynt, Ed.D.'s curator insight,
October 12, 2014 6:25 PM
Review for inservice Language Arts Methods 
Rebecca Wilkins's curator insight,
July 31, 2015 9:33 AM
When educators think PBS, they think early childhood education. There are tons of resources, however, geared toward secondary students.
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Refraction is "an online puzzle game for teaching fractions." To be successful you will need a knowledge of fractions. Spaceships with a variety of animals are stuck in space. To rescue them you work with lasers, bending them and using fraction concepts: "equal partitioning, addition, multiplication, mixed numbers, improper fractions, and common denominators."
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When reading about education these days the term gamification comes up often. What is gamification and why are we discussing this in education? This post explores the concepts behind gamification, games, and simulations, discussing what they are, how they may be used and some pros and cons.
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"Kate Fanelli, a math teacher, had an moment of inspiration while listening to a keynote speaking talk about gamification. “(W)hen I heard the keynote speaker explain leveling, I immediately turned to my colleague and told him, ‘we can do that’. By the end of the keynote, I had drawn up an outline for MathLand.” The article by Peter Ross talks through the decision to gamify her math classroom, how she did it, and the benefits she’s seen firsthand."
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The MindShift Guide to Digital Games and Learning explains key ideas in game-based learning, pedagogy, implementation, and assessment. This guide makes sense of the available research and provides suggestions for practical use.
Beth Dichter's insight:
Mind/Shift has run a series on digital games and learning and has not put together a guide that provides the highlights of this series. Why? To quote from the post... "to create a dynamic, in-depth guide that answers many of the most pressing questions that educators, parents, and life-long learners have raised around using digital games for learning." A few of the topics covered are: * What Research Says About Gaming and Screen Time * How to Start Using Games for Digital Learning * Overcoming Obstacles for Using Digital Games in the Classroom The post provides a more in-depth overview.
Becky Roehrs's curator insight,
November 19, 2014 8:08 AM
Over 30 pages of ideas of how to pick and use games with your students.
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Games give players agency and teach the core 21st century skills of critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity better than any tradition...
Beth Dichter's insight:
Students love to play games, and games have the potential of teaching 21st century skills. This video discusses why games work and provides a look at a number of games and skills that they teach students. Key to this is the need for the teacher to help the students transfer the knowledge they are learning in the games to other areas. The video is short (under 5 minutes) and may provide you with some new information.
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In the classroom, fiero -- excitement that gamers experience when they overcome challenges -- makes students see that they're empowered players in their own education. They're released into the exciting adventure that learning can be. Without the intrinsic motivating power of fiero, however, gamification becomes nothing more than semantic spin: a language game in which a letter-based grade system is replaced by a points-based reward system. In these cases, gamification does little to address the shortcomings of a system that relies on high-stakes testing.
Beth Dichter's insight:
This post is the first of a series that will by published by Mind/Shift. It explores the various ways that games promote learning, such as how they scaffold skills and if you are not successful you replay at a lower level. Isn't this something we would like to see in our classrooms? After the introduction the article explores two areas: * Tapping into the Natural Instinct to Learn (which is what many of these games do) * Game-Based Learning vs Gamifcation (and yes, there is a difference) This post is full of pithy quotes such as: When learning is structured as a game, students intuitively understand the cumulative nature of learning. They’re motivated to master a compounding sequence of skills. Any teacher can implement a “gamified” approach fairly easily — you don’t need tablets or laptop computers. It’s a matter of reframing traditional assignments as inquiry-based individual or group projects. It’s also a matter of employing a more mastery-based assessment strategy that’s grounded in project-based learning and understanding the motivational benefits of a more game-like structure. The author, Jordan Shapiro, shares that this series of posts (over a period of months) will: * Explain key ideas in game-based learning * Discuss pedagogy, implementation and assessment * Summarize research * Discuss pros and cons of game-based learning * And provide a guide for game-based learning in the classroom There is much to learn about bringing games into our rooms and this series is a great way to learn.
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"Without a doubt my most popular posts have consistently been science websites. Below, I have combined all the science websites that I have shared so far and have added nine new ones. Whether you have been following my blog, or if this is your first time, I promise you will find many great resources for your students."
Beth Dichter's insight:
There are so many great science resources online that it can be hard to keep track of them. This post provides a list of 50 websites, and each one includes an overview of the site. The websites are geared across the sciences and across many age groups. You will find resources for: * Astronomy * Cell Biology * Subatomic Particles * Earth Science * Geology * Physics * Chemistry * Biology and many more. Some may be new to you and quickly become a favorite resource, and others may be old friends. If you teach science or just love science have fun exploring this robust list of resources.
Sally Tilley's curator insight,
April 7, 2014 9:52 PM
What an incredibly well-sourced collation of resources...follow this immediately! Thanks so much for sharing!
Sally Tilley's curator insight,
April 7, 2014 9:52 PM
What an incredibly well-sourced collation of resources...follow this immediately! Thanks so much for sharing!
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"Mission US is a multimedia project that immerses players in U.S. history content through free interactive games. In Mission 3: “A Cheyenne Odyssey,” players become Little Fox, a Northern Cheyenne boy whose life is changed by the encroachment of white settlers, railroads, and U.S. military expeditions. As buffalo diminish and the U.S. expands westward, players experience the Cheyenne's persistence through conflict and national transformation."
Beth Dichter's insight:
"A Cheyenne Odyssey" is the third mission from Mission U.S. This interactive game will teach students about the Cheyenne's experience. There is a teacher guide available for this game (as well as the first two: Mission 1 - For Crown or Colony? and Mission 2 - Flight to Freedom). Each guide provides an overview, background information, standards alignments, activites, primary sources and there are videos to help provide guidance for teachers.Two additional games are set to be released in 2014 and 2015. The games are geared to students in Grades 5 - 8.
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"The success and popularity of Minecraft in and out of classrooms is no surprise. It’s one of the best examples of the potential of learning with games because it embraces exploration, discovery, creation, collaboration, and problem-solving while allowing teachers to shepherd play toward any subject area."
Beth Dichter's insight:
Check out a selection of games that will help students explore, create, collaborate and more. The six games discussed are: * Garry's Mod - learn physics as you play * Kerbal Space Program - another physics game * Sound Shapes - designed for PlayStation this is a "puzzle game set to a rich musical soundscape" * DIY - Find instructions to build a wide variety of items and a community that will support you * STENCYL - learn to program using "blocks of code" that you may snap together and create games that may be played on a variety of platforms * CodeAcademy - learn a variety of programming language for free Do you think students should learn to code? If you do then some of these games will provide them with this skill as well as others that we know are part of gaming. You may want to try some of these with your students.
Jo Blannin - The Know Tech Teacher's curator insight,
November 21, 2013 12:48 AM
Great ways to use game-making in education - I love using MineCraft with the senior primary students. It really brings maths into engineering and science! 
Kristina Cook's curator insight,
November 21, 2013 10:56 AM
I chose this article because my partner likes minecraft. It relates because it entertains my partner.
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The Knowledge Guru team knows how effective serious games and game based learning are, that's why we've developed an entire learning game engine focused on making game based learning easier to impleme...
Beth Dichter's insight:
This infographic shares why games should become a part of your classroom. Sections include: * It Really Works - providing data from a number of studies that show significant increases in grades after using game based learning. * 3 Great Reasons to Use Games (check out the reasons on the post!) * But Why Do Games Work which looks at essential elements required for learning and shares how each of these elements may be matched in game based learning * The Role of Game Playing Unlike many infographics this one provides links to sources which are easy to read. Are you interested in learning more about game based learning? If so, check out this post.
Florence HENCKE's comment,
August 9, 2013 3:10 AM
Thank you for this infographic and the sources you used, the importance of having fun while learning seems to increase in education. Good news !
Ines Evaristo's curator insight,
August 21, 2013 6:53 PM
Una buena infografía que resume estudios con resultados del efecto de los videojuegos en el aprendizaje de la educacion superior, cosa que no habia visto mucho. Además, el inicio es bastante claro, hacer un videojuego "serio" o educativo es doble reto: lograr los objetivos de aprendizaje propuestos y diseñar un gameplay igualmente divertido, motivador, estimulante... es la diferencia entre un videojuego educativo de un juego didactico. 
Taryn Coxall's curator insight,
October 8, 2013 10:24 PM
This article gives great insight into the upcoming phenominon of "Game Based Learning".Although i have never seen it in my practises, after reading abit about it, i believe game based learning is something i would incoperate into my own classroom. Game Based learning provides a stimulating and engaging way of learning for children on a wide range of educational areas and topics. It is proven through this approach to learning students aremore likely to become motivated to learn, become increasingly engage and excel in their learning. great resource which has iven me great insight.
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"There are no limits to what a great educator can achieve when they have the right tools. Graphite, a free service from Common Sense Media, helps teachers find, understand, and share the best digital learning products available."
Beth Dichter's insight:
Graphite has just been launched by Common Sense Media. If you have not used resources from Common Sense Media it is worth your time to check the site out. They are an ad free site with a focus on education. This new website will help you find digital learning products that have been rated by "professional educators – early childhood development experts, doctorates in education, and teachers with hands-on classroom chops." What will you find at this site? Information about websites, games and apps, with ratings "based on our detailed rubric that scores each product on 15 dimensions. Plus, we tag each product for subjects, skills, and grade band and map them to Common Core and other state standards." You can become a member for free and have access not only to Graphite, but also to many other great resources!
Elena Keating's curator insight,
August 15, 2013 4:41 PM
Here is a site for those few sleepless night I may experience. I can trawl through and see what I could adopt
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Beth Dichter's insight:
If you are looking for some interactive games check out this post from media specialist Julie Greller. She provides links to 136 interactive games. The following categories are represented: * Civics * Geography/History * Language Arts * Library Skills * Math * Mind Games * Science * Various Educational Games * Virtual Labs The games range from those in elementary schools through high school.
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So often we hear of iPad games for kids...but have you wondered about games for the adult in your life? Here are thirty games that will let you have fun. And if you would like a list of 30 games for kids check out http://www.onlinecollegecourses.com/2012/11/11/the-30-best-educational-games-for-the-ipad-kids-edition/.
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"The online educational video game site iCivics, created in 2009 by former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor that features civics curriculum, has partnered with EverFi, an ed-tech company focused on K-12 and higher ed. And through the partnership comes a new initiative Commons – Digital Town Square, offered free to all K-12 schools." According to this post this game will provide an adaptive feature, have "a variety of media including simulations and animations as well as pre and post-assessments and behavioral surveys." It also includes social components, badges and avatars, and they will be meeting some of the Common Core standards. To go directly to this new iniative - Commons - Digital Town Square:
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An updates list of 40 sites that provide educational games. Listed alphabetically, the list has games for many subjects and grade levels.
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Game-based learning...has it come to your classroom yet? This post provides 23 great resources on game-based learning. The material is divided into the following sections:
* Understanding game-based learning: Is game-based learning effective, or is it frivolous? Learn more about it with the links provided in this section.
* Resources for getting started: Some great introductory resources to help you get started.
* Tools you can use: Find hands-on games and gaming ideas in this section.
* For teachers who design their own games: Well, you may not be in this place yet, but perhaps down the road. Find hints to help you plan out your games.
* Game-based education in the news: Learn more about what is going on from the resources provided here.
* Other resources: Additional resources on games and gamification.
Students like to play games, and when the "fail" in a game they tend to go back and try it again because they want to win. There are some amazing games available that are free. This post provides a range of resources that may help you make the leap to trying an online game with your students, or designing a game. You may be quite pleased with the outcome.