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Negatives of GamificationMany teachers are really hesitant about incorporating video games within their daily instruction. I can see how this can be concerning to some teachers. Many teachers who have this concern are hesitant because they're worried that they won't be able to figure it out and do it themselves. Which is completely understandable because some teachers really didn't grow up with video games like others did. Teachers are also hesitant because they feel that the students already spend too much time on their devices at home, therefore they don't want to use it within their classrooms. In addition to teacher hesitation, many districts run into the issue of not having the appropriate technology to incorporate this within their classrooms.
Positives of Gamification
However, in my opinion, I feel that students would benefit from gamification and badging being used within the classroom. Children who are growing up in today's society are being exposed to the different types of technology at a very early age. Within the article The Science And The Benefits of Gamification In eLearning by Christopher Pappas, Christopher provides the reader with infographics showing the positives of using gamification in the classroom. He provides five major benefits of gamification: 1. Increases Learner Engagement; 2. Makes eLearning fun and interactive; 3. Improves knowledge absorption and retention; 4. Gives learners the opportunity to see real world applications; 5. Enhances the overall learning experience for all age groups.
MobyMax
Bringing online games within the classroom is something that we need to do as teachers to help our students continue to be excited about learning. so, for the past 2 years, I've been trying to change the mindset of those teachers who are hesitant within my school, by introducing them to a program platform called MobyMax. MobyMax is an online K-8 program that helps teachers find the learning gaps of each individual student. It allows teachers to give their students benchmark assessments; identifies skills/standards that the student is missing; provides customized online lessons for each student (pretty much in any subject area); it progress monitors and keeps track of their learning through pie charts and graphs that can then be used at parent teacher conferences; it also has a wonderful gaming section where the students can earn game time for the amount of correct answers or lessons they've successfully completed. Teachers can also reward the students with extra game time and badges of achievement. When I presented this program to my administrators, they were all for it, especially since it does so much for the teachers and students.
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ClasscraftAnother educational gaming platform that I stumbled upon while doing this assignment is called Classcraft. Classcraft was created by a team of people who's mission statement states "We believe that the classroom can be reimagined using technology, games, and storytelling to create a learning environment that is culturally relevant to today's youth. Their future is likely to be very different from what we know today. It’s our conviction that fostering cognitive skills like collaboration, empathy, leadership, and self-expression will be critical to preparing students for the changes they will face as adults. We are committed to creating enjoyable experiences that nurture these core areas." ("Using Gamification in Elementary School", 2017). Classcraft also has a Twitter account which is used by both Classcraft staff and teachers to show how they are using this program with their students. I really would like to explore Classcraft further because this is what children who are going up in Today's society are going to respond to the most. The animation is advanced to the point where the students really do feel like they are playing and learning from a video game.
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Thoughts....
Are there any program platforms that you use in your school? If so, what are your likes and dislikes? Or
Is there a program or online gaming forum that you use almost on the daily with your students? If so, what are your likes and dislikes?
Resources:
Fix learning gaps. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2018, from http://www.mobymax.com/
Pappas, C. (2018, March 14). The Science And The Benefits of Gamification In eLearning. Retrieved April 12, 2018, from https://elearningindustry.com/science-benefits-gamification-elearning
Using Gamification in Elementary School. (2017, September 18). Retrieved April 12, 2018, from https://www.slideshare.net/Classcraft/using-gamification-in-elementary-school-79894742
Thank you for covering both the positives and negatives of gamification in the classroom. I have also heard teachers voice the concern for student learning, but in a little different view. From the concerns that I have heard, many are worried that students will not learn enough or that they games will not be educational enough to cover their standards. While this may be true, it is only true if teachers do not evaluate their games thoroughly before implementing them.
ReplyDeleteI have heard many rave reviews for Class Craft and was given the opportunity to play it. I believe it is a fantastic game that offers both educational values as well as whole class behavior management. Students will be intrinsically motivated which would in turn increase their learning possibilities.
In my school, we currently use MobyMax. While I believe it does offer edcuational benefits for my students and valuable data for teachers, we are limited on technology therefore students access is limited and they often forget what they are working on when they return to the site. With that said, students LOVE when they get to cash in their game time.
In my classroom, I have found great success with BREAKOUT EDU. Students are engaged and I have the freedom to create the questions and make them as challenging as I would like as well as align it to any subject.
Check it out here: https://www.breakoutedu.com/
It's really hard for teachers to meet the demands of the state and the administration when there aren't any tools provided to the teacher. This is something that is very common in schools especially when it comes to technology. My school is trying to have each classroom become a one-to-one learning environment which is wonderful, however, this is my first year having a one-to-one classroom and the Chromebooks that they gave us are old and refurbished. A lot of instructional time is wasted due to something not working right with my students computers. But, I am grateful for having something rather than nothing.
DeleteI love using MobyMax with my students. It is so helpful for teachers to get a better idea of what students know and what they don't know. However, I do wish it had gaming component that involved questions on the topic rather than just providing them game time. But, it's one of the best programming platforms for teachers and administrators to use.
Thanks for commenting!
Hi! I agree that many teachers or schools may be hesitant to incorporate games into the classroom because they may think they may not be able to learn and keep up with that kind of platform. However, with lessons like this, we are able to help teachers who may consider this to be a problem. I am not a teacher yet so I am learning through everyone here on how they incorporate this into their classrooms! Looking forward to reading everyone's comments.
ReplyDeleteHi Jessica,
DeleteHonestly, I don't think teachers would be as hesitant to try out new things if they just had the proper training. At my school, teachers who are into technology, like myself, will hold morning tech. meetings on something that we've learned and present it to the other teachers. This has helped, however, if teachers are shown the relevance on how that technology tool could be used in their classroom, it's automatically dismissed.
Thanks for commenting!