Gamification in the classroom

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What is gamification?

It incorporates game elements, game design principles, and game-like experiences to engage and motivate students while participating in educational activities to make learning more interactive, enjoyable, and effective.

What are the different types of game styles involved with gamification?

Gamification can develop abstract imaginative thinking and realize goals that they could not achieve in real life –Vygotsky

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What are some limitations?

  • Isn’t a huge amount available for high school learners
  • Costs
  • Limited time to incorporate
  • Lack of technology needed
  • Unsure of where to find quality content
  • The school system puts an emphasis on standardized test scores

What are some resources?

https://beinternetawesome.withgoogle.com/en_us/interland

  • Made by Google to gently teach kids life skills

Sci champ.ca

  • Science games for kids that can be difficult but fun!

https://www.coolmathgames.com/

  • Math and other problem-solving games

https://education.minecraft.net/en-us

  • Teach kids using Minecraft
  • Can be any project that you want. Can be science-based or even creativity-based
  • FUN! Kids love Minecraft

Do you agree or disagree with this practice?

I think that everything has a time and place in moderation. I don’t think this should be the main form of how you teach content to your students, but if you can find a way to incorporate games into your curriculum you absolutely should! This is a very personal way to connect to students and may get them excited about school in ways you may never have seen before. We are seeing more and more children involved with video games outside of school, so the more ways that we can connect with them at a personal level the better! When I was in school I would have loved if my teachers used gamification in their lessons because I think it would have tricked me into thinking I was playing a game when I was actually just learning the subject in a different context.

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