Episode 11 On Using Games for Learning
On Using Games for Learning
Hi and welcome to Experience Points by University XP.
On Experience Points we explore different ways we can learn from games.
I’m your host Dave Eng from games-based learning by University XP.
Find out more at www.universityxp.com
On today’s episode we’ll cover using games for learning.
Games are currently being used for learning and education.
Some of the most common applications are gamification, serious games, and games-based learning.
But, that is not what many people see in practice.
There are some really popular interpretations of learning games.
Those focus on a few areas like the following:
Scoreboards keeping track of players’ progress.
Playful feedback in activities, and
Tracking of students’ goals and achievements.
On their face, these all contribute to the field of games-based learning.
But there are definitely some other things you should consider when using games for learning.
Motivation is one of the most critical areas for games-based learning.
Specifically, we aim to use intrinsic motivation.
That’s because intrinsic motivation is a powerful way to engage players while they play our games.
We want them to play our games for their inherent value instead of for an external reward.
We can see that in the creation of engaging dynamics.
All great games have a core-loop.
These are the activities that players complete until the end of the game.
But in games-based learning we use that core loop differently.
We apply that core loop in engaging dynamics.
Those dynamics inspire students to continue playing and learning.
In turn, students develop competencies as they focus on playing the game.
Those competencies then help them reach masteries.
Those masteries are hopefully tied to the learning outcomes that we’ve designed as educators.
One of my most memorable memories in games-based learning came from playing Typing of the Dead as a kid.
Typing of the Dead was a keyboard based version of House of the Dead.
In the game, the player was tasked with stopping hordes of zombies by… typing.
Run of the mill zombies were stopped by typing small phrases on screen before they attacked you.
Bigger, boss zombies, required longer strings of words punctuated with less used characters like ‘q’ and ‘z’
Ah those were the days…
The days when I became a better typist by killing zombies.
Typing of the Dead for was merely one way that I learned from games as a kid.
But, the field has progressed much since then.
Instructors shouldn’t feel forced into using digital implementations of games in their practice.
Rather, they can take smaller steps by first structuring their syllabus.
This can be done by making small changes such as reviewing how points are utilized in your course.
Most of us are familiar with the use of points in a class.
They are often used to judge the merit of an activity or assignment.
But someone using games-based learning could issue points for student interaction in addition to other things.
I’ve taken this step by issuing students’ points for completing assignments.
I’ve indicated that the culmination of 2,000 “experience points” in my class will earn you an ‘A.
BUT, if a student were to complete EVERY assignment in the class?
They could earn up to 5,000 points.
This put the decision on the student.
Now THEY could decide how to earn enough points to earn an ‘A’ in the class.
This structuring and scaffolding was my way of providing agency to my students.
That agency also incorporated the learning outcomes for the course.
The rest of my assignments served as scaffolding, structures, challenges, and options for students to choose their own path to success.
One of the most familiar characteristics of games is the ability to “try.”
There is an option to keep trying in every game.
Multiple paths, multiple options, and multiple paths to victory.
These options provide new opportunities for us to try different things.
We are free to experiment with actions that we think will succeed.
Student performance can take a similar path.
Feedback can be provided to students in multiple ways.
They can re-trace their path.
Students can identify where changes can be made.
Then students can act on those changes.
This structure honors the connection to “trial” systems in games.
You can start using this in your courses right now with “exit tickets.”
Use an exit ticket whenever a student completes a major assessment.
This includes tests, quizzes, papers etc…
Then, have that student answer the following short answer responses:
How did you do?
What did you do to do it?
What can you do differently next time?
So why ask these questions?
It’ because these questions go a long way towards helping students achieve metacognition.
Metacognition is about learning how to learn.
Learning how to learn is a great way to help them structure their own study habits.
We can discuss how games can be used for learning all day.
But one of the most important questions to ask yourself as an educator is this:
How does THIS game align with the structure of…
My Class
My Course
My Students’ Learning Outcomes
Is your class is focused on helping students become better presenters?
Then your game mechanics must align with those outcomes.
I asked myself this question in the past and then implemented my own system.
I did this in my public speaking class.
I made sure that students used their pre-prepared speeches in our class for some applicable outcome.
That outcome could be anything.
A presentation in another class.
A difficult conversation with a roommate…
Or a larger discussion with a parent about changing a major.
The venue of the conversation didn’t matter.
So what did matter?
How the students learned from the mistakes they experienced practicing their speeches…
We took their practice from class and applied it to their actual conversations.
Games can be a very useful application for education and learning.
But there is a pitfall to using games for learning.
That includes failing to ask ourselves “Why” we are using games for learning?
Many people see points used as a mechanic.
Then they immediately want to include it in their course.
They see others using badges and leader boards with their students.
Then they want to copy that activity as well.
These are not bad things to include in your course.
However, you always want to think about what you are applying.
You always want to think about HOW they meet your students’ learning outcomes.
You don’t want to devolve into a mess of “points-ificaiton” in your class.
That’s where points are earned everywhere and for everything.
Points shouldn’t be included without a greater consideration for the “why” as well as the “how.”
Games are powerful tools for teaching and learning.
They can be used as a way to structure a course.
Games can be used to engage learners.
Games can also provide fun examples of how knowledge can be put into practice.
Games can also be used for teaching and evaluating learning.
You can do this through projects, simulations, and other experienced based activities.
A key takeaway of games-based learning is the recognition of the learner.
Learners are traditionally recognized by grades.
But, games-based learning can also be used to help students recognize their competencies.
What didn’t they know before they class that they know now?
What couldn’t they do before that they can do now?
What are they better at now?
What have they become?
I hope you found this episode useful.
If you’d like to learn more, then a great place to start is with my free course on gamification.
You can sign up for it at www.universityxp.com/gamification
You can also get a full transcript of this episode including links to references in the description or show notes.
Thanks for joining me!
Again, I’m your host Dave Eng from games-based learning by University XP.
On Experience Points we explore different ways we can learn from games.
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Game on!
References
7 Things You Should Know About Games and Learning. (2014, March 11). Retrieved May 10, 2019, from https://library.educause.edu/resources/2014/3/7-things-you-should-know-about-games-and-learning
Davidson, C. (2018, January 11). Why You Should Ask Students to Help Design Courses. Retrieved May 21, 2019, from https://www.chronicle.com/article/Why-You-Should-Ask-Students-to/242208
Eng, D. (2019, April 30). Gamified Learning Outcomes. Retrieved May 21, 2019, from https://www.universityxp.com/blog/2019/4/30/gamified-learning-outcomes
Eng, D. (2019, April 16). Why Use Games-Based Learning?
Retrieved May 21, 2019, from https://www.universityxp.com/blog/2019/4/16/why-use-games-based-learning
Eng, D. (2019, May 07). What are serious games?
Retrieved May 21, 2019, from https://www.universityxp.com/blog/2019/5/7/what-are-serious-games
Lang, J. M. (2012, January 18). Metacognition and Student Learning. Retrieved May 21, 2019, from https://www.chronicle.com/article/MetacognitionStudent/130327
Momoda, J. (2017, December 22). The Importance of Core Game Loops – Part 1 of 2. Retrieved May 21, 2019, from http://jerrymomoda.com/the-core-loop-key-to-an-engaging-game/