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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.
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.