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Brief Summary: This podcast essentially provided an overview of why gamification would be a beneficial approach in the classroom. Additionally, educators do not need to hit the ground running when it comes to the implementation of gamification; it could simply involve badges when students complete a lesson.

Key Takeaway 1: Games can be used as a form of assessment to evaluate student understanding.

Key Takeaway 2: Encourages peer collaboration, engages students in their learning, and adheres to student interests.

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Brief Summary: Paul Anderson essentially introduced a game-based LMS system in which students started the school year with zero experience points and worked their way up. This approach not only gave students autonomy in the classroom, but it also created a classroom environment in which failure was destigmatized, and friendly competition in the form of an anonymous "leaderboard" was created.

Key Takeaway 1: Good teachers stop talking, meaning students have more autonomy and freedom of exploration. Additionally, reading was essential to student growth in the classroom.

Key Takeaway 2: Failure is part of the learning process, so we should not place so much pressure on failure (ex., tests and quizzes).

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Brief Summary: The concept of fun needs to be introduced back into the classroom, even at the higher levels of education. We are running into issues where students are bored, they don't care about school, and there is an engagement crisis. Throughout history, those who have been successful have shared their disapproval of the traditional classroom setup, yet schools continue to implement it.

Key Takeaway 1: When students don't have a choice in their learning, they will not be engaged.

Key Takeaway 2: Change in the classroom is something that will continuously face backlash.

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Gamification: Pros and Some Cons According to Research

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Gamification: Pros and Some Cons According to Research

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Brief Summary: Studies found that the implementation of gamification in the classroom had small but significant positive impacts on students. The most significant impacts occurred when the classroom had a collaborative and competitive environment. However, there are instances where gamification can have the opposite effect on students and negatively impact learning.

Key Takeaway 1: If badges are framed as an award, students may continue to work on a skill they have already mastered to receive that positive reinforcement in the form of a badge.

Key Takeaway 2: The best application of gamification can be found through trial and error. Include student reflection and opinions, and what they liked or didn't like about a certain activity.

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Gamification in the Classroom: Pros and Cons

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Gamification in the Classroom: Pros and Cons

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Brief Summary: Gamification provides an opportunity to cater to a diverse population of learners. Humans love challenges and rewards, so gamification plays into this. With that said, the implementation of gamification comes with both pros and cons. Gamification is applicable in all settings; it is important to make sure gamification is applied intentionally, not overused in the classroom.

Key Takeaway 1: Gamification encourages continuous learning. Students will desire to learn more and dive into continuous activities.

Key Takeaway 2: Gamification requires immense preparation; the educator must be well-versed in the integrated games they are using as well as the content in order to make learning effective.

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Presentations for Students - Get the Facts Out

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Presentations for Students - Get the Facts Out

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Brief Summary: This article explores the relationship between student personality and the impact of gamification. Further, there are some controversial results in the studies done on the impact of gamification in the classroom.

Key Takeaway 1: Some of the information found on gamification is influenced by the researcher's opinion or may not be supported by evidence due to approaches to the study (questionnaires).

Key Takeaway 2: People with different personality traits interact with gamification differently, therefore the impact of gamification cannot be assumed the be the same across the board.

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Reflection/Critical Thinking on Gamification in the Classroom

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Reflection/Critical Thinking on Gamification in the Classroom

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As someone who is generally standoffish when it comes to implementing technology in the classroom, gamification is something I would be interested in implementing. I am most interested in the collaboration aspect of its application, especially the competitive collaboration. My integration of gamification would definitely be slow and gradual, as I worry about implementing it at the wrong times or with the wrong lesson. Further, if I were to involve gamification in my classroom, I would rely heavily on student feedback, especially because the point of the integration would be to adhere to student interest and benefit their learning. They would be the best resource for bettering the application of gamification.

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Pros:

Engagement

Collaboration

Instant Feedback

Autonomy

Friendly Competition

Cons:

The Award System is ineffective

Does not have the same effect on every student

It does not apply to EVERY lesson/Overapplication