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Schools and video games should have some things in common.

Both should be fun.

Both should view failure as acceptable.

Both should allow one to level up.

Mr. Anderson designed his class as a video game. It is a highly effective learning environment.

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Pros

Students learn... a lot! Test scores and engagement may rise.

Student behavior may increase.

Students increase in creativity and innovation.

Naturally, gamification facilitates real-world application.

As students complete activities, they increase in digital literacy.

It can help increase introverted student engagement.

Learning transitions naturally outside of the classroom.

Cognitive demand increases.

Learning is more tangible.

Students get immediate feedback.

Students learn teamwork and problem solving.

Students have clear goals for improvement.

Cons

It is time consuming to develop an effective model.

It may be challenging to integrate in your classroom.

Students may focus on the "game" rather than the content.

Extroverted students do not thrive as much as introverted students.

Students may be discouraged if they feel like they are at the "bottom of the leaderboard."

Work may prioritize speed over accuracy.

Students might work for extrinsic reward instead of internal goal of understanding.

Equity issues can arise around technology.

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Some kids will feel glued to learning as it feels... fun!

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School loses its spark when it loses its fun. Kids are bored and thus unengaged. We should ask students what they need... and give it to them! Empowered students take their learning seriously. (Herbert talks about his unconventional classroom where it works as a game! Students build desks and play trivia to learn.)

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This was my favorite quote from the Engage Section.

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Tim discusses the importance of gamification in a classroom. He talks about how teachers can use resources and assignments they already have to "level up" their classroom. I was most interested in gamification in assessments!

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Teachers are already overworked... this seems overwhelming!

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Realistically, I do not see myself implementing a wide-scale project as seen in the TedTalks. While I love that the teacher can implement it effectively in his class, I do not see myself being able to plan or maintain to that caliber. I think this is a great tool when used effectively, but it's really hard to do it well.

I think gamification is a wonderful tool that can meet the diverse needs of students, make learning fun, memorable, and provide students with tangible evidence of meeting learning goals. I think schools are losing their appeal as they lose their fun, a problem especially faced in the secondary realm of education.

I also hold this in tension that standards need to be met. Fitting standards into gamification is challenging to do well. It seems impractical in a math class, where much of the learning takes place from direct instruction and student practice. I would love to use gamification in these practice problems.

I will say, I had a professor last semester use a gamification model! I learned so much in that class and felt more engaged than ever. In his class, we played a game modeling Survival of the Fittest. That is, he dumped out screws, nuts, bolts, pennies, gummy worms, and metal balls on the ground. We were each given a tool to pick up. Some students received a spatula, some a spoon, and some a pair of tongs. Whoever had the most points, won! After the game, we discussed how some tools allowed for learning to take place better.

This professor also had us play a game where we discussed the importance of protecting land. We played a simulation game where we were each given a canoe and land. We were told to maximize our resources. After the game, we talked about how Hunter-Gatherers used tools.

I think something like this, using games to model topics and ideas, is a more effective method than using a "leveling up" system, where students compete with each other to "win." I value academic safety in my classroom, where each student feels brilliant and capable. Having a leaderboard of the top students may disqualify and discourage students who feel "dumb." It may value correctness over perseverence.

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Gamification can increase cognitive requirements, student motivation, and behavior. It is effective becuase it balances competition and collaboration. On the other hand, it can also lead to students learning for extrinsic motivation, which may undermine intrinsic learning.

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Gamification has pros and cons! Some great features is that students are engaged, get immediate feedback, and develop skills like problem-solving and teamwork. On the other hand, students may have an overemphasis on the rewards. Students may become distracted, and equity could be a concern regarding technology.

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This article explores how adding gamification affects students differently depending on their personalities. In a study with 40 students, those who were introverted most benefited from the gamified system, becoming more engaged and accurate. On the other hand, extroverts interacted less with features like rankings. Gamification works for introverts better than extroverts.

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Education can be utilized with "leveling up" systems, like points and badges.

A teacher uses a castle game where students work together to destroy another team's castle. They may attack if they get the problem correct.

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Students will possess ownership of their learning. There is a clear finish line of when a goal has been met.

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Some students may be discouraged if they feel they are "losing" the game of school.