Playing a video game is, for most people, a form of escapism. But as we play these games, we also learn: we learn what the game wants from us to succeed, how to avoid potential obstacles, and even how to manipulate the system within the game to give us what we want. Throughout the entire process, we are learning.
This approach is the essence of gamification of the learning process.
Dan Ryder, director of Design and Innovation at Community Regional Charter School in Maine, believes that making learning more like a game can have a profound effect on students and the way they interact with their work. Ryder was recently honored by tech & Learning during a recent Regional Leadership Summit with a Innovative Leader Award for the Innovative Director of Design and Innovation.
Using game-based learning to reach students
Students, unlike working adults, may or may not find pleasure in their work.
“What I tried to do with students is use their love of games in any way (card games, video games, role-playing games) to find the angle and then have them become creators of games that demonstrate deeper knowledge ( of a topic). ),” says Ryder. “Instead of writing a book report or preparing a boring project, I'll ask you to design a game. I will give you the parameters for the design. And what we're asking kids is to connect the dots between all of these things.”
In the gamification process, having a deeper understanding of the topic is reflected in how well a student can translate it into game form. Adapting characters as historical figures, portraying historical events as environments in a game, and implementing certain rules to provide certain outcomes can be part of the learning process. The student creating the game can also demonstrate expert knowledge of the topic being used as the basis of the game, making the gamification process powerful as a teaching and learning model.
Raising the stakes
One of the distinguishing features of the games is the addition of betting, as having a reason to play is extremely important in becoming the driving force behind your progression. Understanding what is at stake in game-based learning is important, but it is not the only factor necessary to bridge the gap between education and games. Knowing your margin of error is equally important, while allowing yourself to make those mistakes can influence growth.
Ryder explains that students should be given a wide berth when it comes to the learning process as it helps them in their educational and professional lives.
“Every match has trials and errors. You try things, you make mistakes. The only way to learn from it is to screw up, right? Games that don't have it aren't really games,” Ryder says. “(And) if the stakes are so high that you can't afford to lose, then it's not really a game. It is a game of chance, and I would say that the game of chance is not a game at all. It is more of an exercise in risk taking. “You can’t really play because you don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Systems, rules and mechanics
Knowing what's at stake is important, but overcoming an obstacle is the main reason you play. Students know how to overcome obstacles throughout their time at school. To overcome them, understanding what the world asks of you plays an important role. Ryder compares this to the mechanics and systems found in any game we play.
“Every game has mechanics and systems. Like Mario, right? There is a reward system. You get 100 coins, you get a free game. There is a system for it,” he says. “Then we have rules and guidelines, but the rules are different from the mechanics. Not being able to do something is different from how something works. “All education is a gigantic game system.”
Choice and a narrative (or lesson) are necessary in game-based learning.
“You have options and consequences in every game. You have the choice you make and then you have the outcome of that choice,” Ryder says. “And finally, you have stories and missions. When I see things being gamified, (people) don't create stories. They create the most basic reward system. Maybe there's a rule involved, but it's basically a mechanic of performing an action, earning a point, and turning in points to get a reward.”
The process of integrating education with games is a novel idea that can help students open up to a new facet of learning, becoming more accessible and inclusive while adding an element of fun.
Related:
