Game On!

Differentiating with Games and Simulations

MTI 563

As I explored different games and the topic of gamification in the classroom this week I have discovered incorporating games (gamification or game-based learning) provides many opportunities for differentiated learning.

Most games allow students to work at their own pace and require the application of critical thinking and problem solving skills.  Students can work to their strengths and develop new skills all while “playing” a game.  Many of the games allow for individual or team play.  There isn't always be a correct answer or there may be several different ways to "move" successfully through the game or complete tasks. These types of "choices" can provide different learning experiences for students.

The first two games I played were Coffee Shop and Lemonade Stand (simulations).  Both of these games are similar in that students apply math skills, decision making, problem solving and critical thinking skills while running the shop or stand.  The students must make decisions based on several factors in order to make a “profit” each day.  Weather, inventory, recipe, customer satisfaction, and pricing must all be considered before the player opens up shop each day.  Students also learn that some things may be beyond their control when running a business (such as  ants invading the sugar or the milk spoiling).  Both games were fun but could be challenging or frustrating for students who may have difficulty “making a profit”.  (Creating opportunities for collaboration may help in this situation.) Both of these games are free and do not require registration. In my classroom I would use this game as an extra activity or part of a career/finance unit. I think creating groups and incorporating challenges amongst the groups (who can make the most profit in a week or get the highest coffee/lemonade sales) might increase the level of student engagement. Groups could reflect after on their successes or failures.

Another game I played was Mission US: For Crown or Colony (more of an adventure type game).  I like how this game lets the player make choices which determines how the game progresses and differentiates the game for each player.  The game is set in 1770 Boston and provides a window into pre-revolutionary events.  There is a focus on vocabulary related to key concepts of the time period. The student plays as Nat Wheeler and receives a few tasks at the beginning of each mission.  There are at least three ways to complete each task (allowing differentiation) and the player must complete all four missions in order. This site also has a teacher's guide complete with a “cheat sheet” section and a Mission US: Crown or Colony? at a Glance sheet. This game allows students to learn about 18th Century Boston at their own pace and students can easily replay for review.  While this game does require registration - it does not require an email address and it is free. Once registered the game can be saved and students can pick up where they left off when they sign in. As a technology teacher I think I would try to connect with a history teacher for a cross curricular activity.

The last game I explored was a Scratch Adventure Game which I found on the "Choose Your Own Adventure" Stories site by Larry Ferlazzo. I chose this because I teach Scratch as part of an Intro. to Computer Programming class and was interested to see what adventure games were created. I love Scratch - it is free and there are many resources available. Teachers can create a Scratch Studio and have students post there games in the studio as an easy way to locate their work. Students do have to have an email account to create their own account (this may be a concern for younger students. This program allows student to create and play games and view the code as they are learning how to program. What's appealing about Scratch is kid can create their own "educational" games, share them and get feedback from their peers (or others). This is a great way to learn basic programming and incorporate some gaming.

One of the features I like about the games is the instant feedback students receive. This can provide a different level of engagement and incentive to continue with the activity - Instant feedback is not always something teachers can provide. Additionally, many games incorporate challenges, progression, chance, etc. 

I have discovered this week that using and Games and Gamification in education are really two different things.

The characteristics listed above are discussed in the the article "A Practical Way To Apply Gamification In The Classroom"  However, this article suggests transforming the classroom into a game like environment.  Using competition, point systems and rewards to engage and motivate students within the context of the curriculum not necessarily playing games.

Another article by Edudemic "The Ultimate Guide to Gamifying Your Classroom" also discusses using game-like features in the classroom to to get students to "think critically, problem-solve, consider alternative solutions, and analyze information from multiple sources"   by using game features such as "leveling up," "establishing a marketplace" - where students can "buy, sell, swap, trade" things such as badges or points to earn a night without homework.   

The following two infographics  do a nice job of comparing and contrasting games, game-based learning and gamification:

E-Learning Infographics   

http://elearninginfographics.com/games-vs-game-based-learning-vs-gamification-infographic/

Game-Based Learning vs Gamification  

While I have used games created with the websites Quia, Kahoot  and others, I have not used the adventure type games I had the opportunity to explore in week three.  I will explore these types of games for use in my classes. I also plan to  explore "gamifying" my classroom using some of the strategies such as badges, points, and other rewards for inspiration and engagement.