How to incorporate the principles of video games in the classroom

Key points:

Student participation is vital for any educator throughout the duration of the course. The unfortunate reality is that a great teacher only has control of a student's environment for a short period of time. When a student returns home, he is inundated with many other, potentially more interesting activities. In recent decades, the main attraction for many students has been video games. Video games have become so common over the years that kids are just as interested in watching them on streaming services like Twitch as they are in playing them. The challenge for educators is how to gamify coursework so that students can play, enjoy, and learn.

The most successful video games have a tiered reward system that rewards players at spaced intervals as the player works toward a goal. The best way to explain this is by looking at a successful game; Let's use World of Warcraft as an example. Players progress through levels toward the final goal while, along the way, completing objectives and earning in-game equipment. At the same time, the player can work and collaborate with other players to overcome more difficult challenges. This is analogous to the education system on a much more condensed time scale. There is an end goal in mind, reaching the maximum level or graduating. This is completed by working through objectives which, in education, are several courses: algebra, history, English, etc. Students earn grades as they complete objectives and even collaborate with their peers on projects. Understanding how the education system is similar to games is vital to redesigning an education-based learning system that is more engaging for students.

People enjoy video games primarily because they offer a sense of accomplishment that often cannot be achieved in the real world. The game gives them strong dopamine rushes that are not so easily achieved in real life. That's not to say that players don't learn skills like students. For example, some of the best surgeons have impeccable hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity; This same ability is usually present in video game enthusiasts. If a developer were to design an educational video game that students would want to play, one of the most important factors would be a constant dose of dopamine for the students, that is, a constant and tangible reward system. Students would want to see that the time invested in the game pays off in terms of achievements. The frustration in the classroom over learning a difficult topic is the same in a video game when a player tries to complete a difficult level. The difference is that the player knows that after completing it, there is a reward, but the same does not happen when he tries to master the limit definition of a derivative. One of the best examples is the Reading Counts system. Students read books, pass exams, and earn a certain number of points attributed to their profile. The number of reading points serves as bragging rights among students. This is a tangible reward seen after completing a challenge, reading and understanding a novel.

Another difficulty in designing educational games is the need for students to complete cognitive processes such as reading and answering questions rather than virtual activities such as killing an orc. Reading and answering a question is usually not as interesting as learning how to defeat an enemy. Plan which objective you want the student to master and create the objective in terms of video game mechanics. let's continue the limiting definition of a derivative as an example. To understand this concept, students need to know what a limit is, the notation of a derivative f'(x) = dy/dx, that is, the change of y over the change of x, and the meaning of the notation inside the limit. . . It takes more to fully master the topic, but not much more to apply this concept to practice problems.

In video games, there are several objectives that tend to generate broader competition. Typically, there will be about five gathering/scavenging missions before a player can attempt a final challenge. These are simple quests that require the player to talk to a non-player character (NPC) who explains some situation; The player then helps the NPC by collecting in-game items and returning them to the NPC for a reward. This serves as a means to improve the player's status before attempting a final challenge. In terms of an educational game, it would be structured so that the NPC provides the necessary piece of information (e.g. what a limit is), and the student would run around the virtual environment applying this concept. Rinse and repeat until all of the background information is mastered and the student can attempt the final challenge: an objective that requires the completion of multiple practice problems to complete. At the end of the challenge, the student would receive some type of reward for achieving it. Ideally, this goal can be achieved faster this way than in a traditional environment or be more attractive. One possible reward is a badge or other type of microcredential that the student can use to show her progress toward mastery.

Integrating game mechanics into educational content offers a promising avenue to improve student engagement and learning. The key is to understand the compelling elements of video games, such as a layered reward system, collaborative challenges, and a sense of achievement, and integrate them effectively into educational frameworks. By creating an educational environment that emulates these aspects, educators can provide students with a learning experience that is educational, enjoyable, and rewarding. This approach can help bridge the gap between the engaging world of video games and the educational goals of the classroom.

The goal is not only to compete with the appeal of video games, but to harness their power to foster a deeper and more meaningful educational experience. By carefully designing these educational games to reward cognitive achievement and promote collaborative learning, educators can create a more dynamic and effective learning environment that resonates with the digital generation and ultimately leads to greater success and development of students. students.

Limit definition of a derivative:
https://tutorial.math.lamar.edu/classes/calci/defnofderivative.aspx