Episode 12 Structure Gamified Learning

Structure Gamified 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 structuring your gamified learning. Structuring learning is one of the hardest things for an instructor to do. Sometimes that means reusing a syllabus. Other times you have to fit 16 weeks’ worth of content into 10 weeks.

In either case, making sure that your students meet all course learning outcomes in your course’s time frame can be difficult. That’s when structuring your class can be gamified. Many instructors rely on a schedule in order to break up their content. You can use that schedule to gamify your course structure.

One thing that many gamers will recognize is the progression system. Usually you have to complete this task, finish this level, or beat that boss. Then you’ll earn coins, an item, or experience points. You’ll always end up getting something.

That something can also be used to codify what the learner has done. It rewards an achievement. What most educators don’t know is that a class be structured the same way.

It doesn’t even have to be a progression of one topic area to the other. Rather, you can take the time to scaffold your learners’ experiences in a meaningful way. An example of this is structuring your students’ learning like a journey.

Perhaps this could be a journey that you go on with other students as players.  The learning outcome could be the development of individual understanding. A fantastic example of this is in the course “Fantastic Places, Unhuman Humans: Exploring Humanity Through Literature” offered at Brown University.

In this class, students must serve as liaisons for humanity. They do so by communicating with an alien. Students are tasked with interpreting some of history’s greatest literature. They do so in order to relate to another being what it is like to be human through our writing.

There are also instances where learners test their knowledge through different means. This includes an assessment of their knowledge, skills, and abilities. Those assessments can be the tests and quizzes that you’ve designed. But, you can make these part of the story rather than just part of the schedule of your class.

One of the challenging issues with education is the application of high stakes testing. This is where tests are used to assess student progress. High stakes testing differs by having fewer, but more critical, tests.

But what’s not emphasized in this model? It’s the ability for students to test and make mistakes on their own. Learning through mistakes is important. It provides students with the agency to demonstrate their own competence.

An example of this involves chunking. It’s where you break up large end of term assignments (like a final paper). Then having students complete sections of it through the term. This is usually done as the instructor covers content for that section.

In this way, a high stakes assessment – like a final paper is broken down. There are now more steps that allow students to review their mistakes and correct them. This gives students the ability to learn from their mistakes before submitting their final paper.

Pair this strategy within the framework of your students embarking on a journey. This journey involves learning through experience. Structuring your class in this narrative “journey” framework can more easily engage your learners.

But sometimes that means that players may become stuck on their journey. They will need guidance on how to proceed.  That information can be provided in several ways. Either by the instructor in a class or through a companion or NPC in a game.

But there is another way that games-based learning can be implemented. Especially in a reference to where information was presented before. Anyone who has seen any hint screen in a game can see that there is an opportunity here. An opportunity to provide small reinforcing behaviors.

Those behaviors allow students to re-engage with content that was previously discussed. This provides the student agency in discovering for themselves. They can discover where the answer is and how to re-access it. They can see how their learning has been informed for the future.

I’ve used platforms like Kahoot and EdPuzzle in order to reemphasize content for my students. Sure, I could have used standardized testing and quizzes. But for a low stakes model of student engagement, these two tools fit the bill nicely.

What is important is to make these types of low stakes testing: small, iterative, and cumulative. That means beginning the process early with some easy steps. Then scaffolding the knowledge that students have gained throughout the process. I try to do this in a way that mirrors the class’s own progression.

These short, formative assessments between learning sessions, mean a lot to students. They help make sure that students are tested and re-engage with the content before the next class.

Perhaps one of the best learning scenarios for students is the ability to apply their knowledge.

For a writing intensive course that could be writing an essay. For other programs that could be applying learning in an experiential environment like an internship or lab work.

The important thing to emphasize is that the application should indicate progress as well as mastery. Specifically, answering what the student can do now compared to what they have done before is a big indicator of progress and self-efficacy.

Other options educators can include is a social connection where learners demonstrate to others what they have learned and what they are capable of now. This can be combined with the application of their knowledge to a problem set.

This is where they demonstrate their mastery of more challenging applications throughout the class. This can be through traditional applications like case studies and projects. Both examples allow students to apply what they have learned in class in a practical way.

For a gamified learning environment, you can theme these as “quests” that move the story down the narrative path.

Gamifing your class doesn’t have to be a chore. Rather, we can work to scaffold students’ engagement in a narrative format. Then, you can provide them opportunities to demonstrate their mastery.

Socializing students to show their own mastery can go a long way towards developing their own confidence and self-efficacy in their work.

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. If you liked this episode please consider commenting, sharing, and subscribing.

Subscribing is absolutely free and ensures that you’ll get the next episode of Experience Points delivered directly to you. I’d also love it if you took some time to rate the show! I live to lift others with learning.  So, if you found this episode useful, consider sharing it with someone who could benefit.

Also make sure to visit University XP online at www.universityxp.com University XP is also on Twitter @University_XP and on Facebook as University XP Also, feel free to email me anytime at dave@universityxp.com

Game on!

References

Ackerman, C. (2019, April 06). What is Self-Efficacy Theory in Psychology?

Definition & Examples (PDF). Retrieved May 29, 2019, from https://positivepsychologyprogram.com/self-efficacy/

Barnes, P. (2019, February 28). A Game-Based Approach to Test Prep. Retrieved May 22, 2019, from https://www.edutopia.org/article/game-based-approach-test-prep

Egan, J. (2018, January 29). Fantastic Places, Unhuman Humans: Exploring Humanity Through Literature. Retrieved May 29, 2019, from https://www.edx.org/course/fantastic-places-unhuman-umans-exploring-humanity-through-literature

Partnership, G. S. (2014, August 18). High-Stakes Test Definition. Retrieved May 29, 2019, from https://www.edglossary.org/high-stakes-testing/