How Gamification Helps Teachers Remain Relevant

By Jerelle Hendon

Why video games may be the best instructional resource in 2016!

Growing up as a kid (just a few years ago lol), my favorite video game was “Mike Tyson Punch-Out!” I remember spending my entire summer in my room trying to beat the various players so that I could advance to the next level and win the game. I remember the excitement I felt after I made it to the next challenger.

I recently had a chance to read an article titled, “How gamification is driving learning space design” by Laura Devaney. I wanted to share a response to her article at which I am supporting her views. Reflecting on my life experience, at the time I didn’t realize that many classrooms concepts could be taught using gamification. In addition, gamification can help address the classroom management concerns that teachers emphasize disrupt the learning environment.

As we think of plans for our upcoming school year, I think that educators should consider using gamification to make the classroom setting less intimidating. Many students are used to playing games. Many have lost a video game in the past, but it didn’t make them feel dumb or stupid, their natural human ability pushed them to continue playing the game. They kept pushing until they moved to the next level. Imagine your students learn content playing a video game in a classroom and as the game is being played you have to reflect on instances in the game to teach specific concepts?

As a fellow educator, I hope to inspire you this summer to have a little bit of fun and play a video game. Think of that game that you played as a kid that you couldn’t let go. Better yet, think of a few years ago when the world went on a “Candy Crush” faze lol.

If you decide to play the video game this year, when you complete it, ask yourself what academic skills were needed in order for you to be successful in the game. Think of what academic content could be taught while playing the game. For example, in my example about Mike Tyson Punchout, in order to be successful, I had to at least analyze my opponents and work within a specific time frame. If we can help students understand that timed assessments are really no different than a time clock on a video game, it may ease the tension. As we push for career readiness, employers want workers who can meet deadlines, think quickly and respond to stimuli fast. These are skills that can be taught while teaching content in a gamification framework.

In my original analogy, if we were to pause the game, an educator could use the actual ring, the height of the cartoon characters, length of arms, legs, etc, to teach students how to measure things using rulers, tape measures or even teach analysis or proportions.

I could easily use Mike Tyson’s boxing game to have students to determine if a hypothesis for Newton’s second law would hold true. Newton’s 2nd Law (a = F/m) implies that heavier objects move at a slower pace than lighter objects, but with more force. The video game clearly has players who violate this rule. This characteristic of the game gives an opportunity for teachers to incorporate lessons on analytical thinking. “Why is it that a smaller player could win a boxing match over a heavier player?” This process actually leads to revising their hypothesis (or their way of thinking).

One challenge I notice with science students is that when results differ from their initial expectations, they sometimes refuse to change their way of thinking and assume the results are wrong. Ultimately, continuing their misconception about the concept. Pausing the students and helping them to reflect on this during the game process can be a way of giving “immediate feedback!”

So what do you think about gamification in the classroom? Do you think it could work? Do you want to know more about how you could incorporate “Game-Based Learning” and “Gamification” in your classroom? Are you an administrator who wants your teachers to have a Gamification PD to help them understand how to utilize the video game structure to teach those challenging concepts?”

The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Strategies for Success Series (SSS) is truly the perfect fit. Check out SSS — The Game Factor three-hour module. AFT is a teacher union that serves thousands of teachers, paraprofessional, and classified employees across the country. SSS offers a game of professional development courses FREE of charge to educators and school support personnel. Set up a free workshop for your school by contacting Dr. Rosalind LaRocque via rlarocqu@aft.org.

Let’s Get Ready to Learn By Playing!!!!