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Adding game elements to your course can help with student engagement, motivation, and just make your course more fun for your learners. There are many ways you can add gamification to your course. On this page, we recommend a few of our favorite free gamification options.
Gamification with Brightspace
Gamification with Brightspace
Awards Tool & Leaderboard Widget
Awards Tool & Leaderboard Widget
With the Brightspace Awards Tool, you can create custom Badges or Certificates that can be issued to, or earned by, your learners. These awards can be manually issued by you, or you can set up Release Conditions that allow your students to earn them once they have met the specified criteria. You can use awards to:
Reward learner behaviors
Show accomplished goals
You can also use the Awards Leaderboard Widget to allow learners to show their current awards, compete for the highest number of awards, and more.
Storytelling
Storytelling
Use your module and/or content descriptions to tell a story in your course. Have students follow along with a character and answer questions or choose paths for the character to take at various points in the course. Use Release Conditions to create scenarios or obstacles for your students to work through based on their progress. Create achievements for students using the Awards Tool for completing significant parts of the story.
Digital Rewards Module
Digital Rewards Module
Get creative with a rewards module in Brightspace! Modules can unlock when students complete activites in your course, or use in conjunction with the awards tool to unlock digital rewards when students earn badges. Digital rewards can include videos to watch, virtual games, music... the possibilities are endless!
Check out the images below for some examples:
Students earn a Brightspace award for viewing all content in the first module. This unlocks digital bubble wrap for unlimited popping.
Students earn the "Homework Hero" Brightspace award for submitting all assignments in the first half of the course. This unlocks a homework pass.
Students earn an award for earning an A or B on the Module 2 assessment. This unlocks a live animal cams reward.
Free External Gamification Tools
Free External Gamification Tools
These are some of our favorite apps and tools that allow you to add free game elements to your courses. These tools all integrate well with Brightspace.
Synchronous (in-class) Games
Synchronous (in-class) Games
Kahoot: Create quiz-style games to play in your face-to-face or virtual classroom. Paid subscriptions offer more features, but the free version allows you to create quiz games for up to 50 players per game.
Jeopardy Template: You can download this free PowerPoint template to create your own class Jeopardy game.
Mentimeter: Create interactive presentations where learners can join and answer questions, do polls, participate in a Word Cloud, and even ask questions. The paid plans can offer some more interactions and content, but the free version allows you to have unlimited presentations, audience members, up to 2 question slides, and up to 5 quiz slides.
Asynchronous Games
Asynchronous Games
H5P: All NICC instructors have access to the full features of H5P, a platform that allows you to create interactive lessons and activities. Build game activities like crossword puzzles, virtual escape rooms, drag and drops, and more! Visit our H5P page for more information and to see sample activities.
Quizlet: Teachers and students can create quizzes and study tools using Quizlet. Browse thousands of pre-loaded questions from commonly used textbooks, or create your own.
Wordle: Create your own custom Wordle puzzle that matches your weekly topic or other activities from your course. You can even have students share their results in a Discussion to add a bit of friendly competition.
Additional Resources
Additional Resources
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