needing the game itself. For example, rewards and achievements are a core component of gamification – badges, certificates and stickers are not new and are all tried and tested methods for engaging students. “Traditionally these are largely generic for ‘good work’ or ‘Headteachers' award’ and so are uncertain in when a student can achieve them or sometimes even what the criteria was.” Holt explains that an easy enhancement
would be to expand this to create specific ‘challenges’ for the student to ‘unlock’ new badges and to have a journey of many different achievements to aim for. “Many commercial games, particularly apps and ‘mini games’ use challenges and achievements as the principle engagement method. Games may use things like logging in daily, spending X amount of time, doing something 10 times – all short-term goals that are easy steps for the student to clearly understand, define and achieve. Rewards used in this way are a really easy way to encourage the behaviours we want to replicate – perseverance, effort and problem solving – which don’t create work or fundamentally change teaching. They are an easy first step into gamification.”
“Evidence from trials in the US suggests that gamification can raise educational performance by over 10%”
PART OF YOUR TEACHING ARMOURY The flexible nature of gaming means that gamification can be introduced both as a school-wide initiative and by individual teachers as part of their teaching armoury. “Games designed to teach children subject- specific knowledge, such as Duolingo for languages, should be embedded into those lessons, potentially as a starter or plenary, making it clear that gaming is a valued learning tool,” says MyCognition’s Sarah Marks. “Our games, however, are non-subject
specific, and have a broader intention of improving children’s cognitive health meaning that they do not have to adhere to a specific part of the curriculum. “Our experience tells us that the best
results are evident in students playing just aſter lunch when attention and concentration are hard to maintain – providing a focus which puts them in an optimal state for learning.”
FREEMIUM OPTIONS Schools wishing to trial games-based
learning can also tap into the number of free trials many suppliers are now offering. Events such as the World Education Games or the recent Chemical Reaction Challenge also offer schools a free way of introducing the concept. “This time of year can be a great time
for schools to explore gamification,” says 3P’s Jayne Warbuton. “Once the dreaded SATs are over, the summer term can oſten feel like a slow rundown to the summer break, so why not take the opportunity to try out various digital resources? It can be particularly beneficial when suppliers sometimes offer extended subscriptions over the holidays to help offset summer ‘learning loss’.” With the UK schoolchildren of today
being the first generation of ‘digital natives’ and with many classrooms equipping pupils 1:1 with tablet devices or running BYOD schemes, it is inevitable that gamification will increasingly feature in e-learning too. While some teachers will understandably remain uncomfortable with technology and the techniques now necessary to engage young people, fundamentally gamification can improve both attainment and the teaching and learning experience, and is here to stay. ET
@Educ_Technology |
www.edtechnology.co.uk | 15
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