Crafting a Gamified Classroom by Emily Huff

Classcraft.com

ehuff — 2015-11-29 21:31:43 UTC

I've used a website called Classcraft to gamify my Spanish 3 class. I began using it for free but in August 2015 many of the options I used became for subscription only. Currently I'm paying for the Premium service.

ehuff — 2015-11-29 21:37:15 UTC

I have more information about how I implemented Classcraft on my Blog. Also read this amazing student testimonial

Today's Presentation #267learntech

ehuff — 2015-11-29 21:38:50 UTC

Welcome to my presentation Padlet. Feel free to add content, questions, thoughts and notes on this wall.

Elements of a Gamified Classroom

ehuff — 2015-11-29 21:40:49 UTC

Anyone (teacher or admin) can use elements of gamification. It doesn't matter if you are using a gamification platform or if you are customizing your own elements, here are some keys to effective gamification:

Collaborative Teams Individual Roles Incentives Defined Consequences Regularity Enrichment Quests

Collaborative Teams

ehuff — 2015-11-29 21:45:53 UTC

Most sports have teams so why not a gamified classroom? Set your students up in small learning communities that they will have for the duration of the course. Promote working together and give your students a built in support system. I have found 5 students to be ideal.

Individual Roles

ehuff — 2015-11-29 21:48:18 UTC

Even though students might have a team, it's good for students to have an individual identity and role in the game. Let them "be" a character. Create different roles or character types, each with its own pro's and con's. Having clear individual characters also promotes individual responsibility.

Incentives

ehuff — 2015-11-29 21:50:32 UTC

It's 2015 and students always needs a reason for doing something besides just being asked to do it. Post a Leaderboard and keep track of statistics, like total points and character Levels. Students strive for recognition and a leaderboard with good statistical data is key.

Also include some rewards or powers that students can "purchase" or earn as they progress through the game. These should be a mixture of rewards in the game and rewards in the course. It's also a great idea to include collaborative rewards that encourage students to help their teammates.

Defined Consequences

ehuff — 2015-11-29 21:54:41 UTC

Let students know exactly how they will and can earn points and be successful in the game. Explain your purpose: students will be rewarded for positive behaviors.

Also explain to your students that certain behaviors will be punished throughout the game. This could be through Health Points (completely separate from the positive points) or by deducting positive points. Think about the behaviors you do now want to continue and address them.

Regularity

ehuff — 2015-11-29 21:58:19 UTC

Effective gamification needs to be embedded in the course. If the implementation or gamified elements are too sporadic, students will not buy in. Try adding an element of the game process to each class.

Enrichment Quests

ehuff — 2015-11-29 22:00:09 UTC

This is a perfect time to offer course enrichment opportunities to your students. It's optional and separate from daily course work but it's a way to offer those experiences and activities you always wish you had time for. The gamification process is designed for students to seek out opportunities to earn points, so captilize on that desire with course related materials.

2015 Classcraft Rules

ehuff — 2015-11-29 22:02:58 UTC

This is the informational packet my 2015-2016 students received for our Classcraft set-up. This document includes all the Incentives and Consequences I'm currently using.

Available Quests from last year

ehuff — 2015-11-29 22:05:36 UTC

Last year I created a list of quests that students could complete at any time. This year I'm just releasing a few course relevant quests as we go through the related material in class.

Reasons for Gamification

ehuff — 2015-12-01 02:07:50 UTC

Student Engagement Student Collaboration Accountability Increase Productivity Enrichment Opportunities Fun!