TRACK 1: WEEK 3

Metagame Book Club (Fall 2014). Nov. 18, 2014. "Game-Based Learning & Gamified Learning" by Sherry Jones.

GAME STUDIES WEEK 3:

"GAME-BASED LEARNING & GAMIFIED LEARNING"

WELCOME TO WEEK 3 OF TRACK 1: GAME STUDIES!

Welcome to the third and final week of Reading Track 1: Game Studies for the Fall 2014 edition of the Metagame Book Club! In the first two weeks of this track, we discussed the ideological messages that are consciously, and more often than not, unconsciously, expressed through games. I assigned a variety of academic articles that critique the ways games frame gender roles, cultural attitudes, political policies, war events, ethical or moral dilemmas, and historical realities. The articles demonstrate that games, whether analog or digital, serve as framing devices for ideologies. I hope that through our G+ Community discussions, I have made the case that games are complex texts that should be studied through critical theories and approaches.

For this week, I would like to direct our focus to gaming in education, by exploring current, scholarly research on game-based learning (GBL) and gamified learning approaches in K-12 and college settings. Below I have provided a wide range of texts for your selection. You will find that some articles lay out methods for implementing GBL in math, science, medicine, drama, artificial intelligence, ethics, media education, and more disciplines, while other articles explore the positive and negative effects of the GBL approach. Indeed, there will be separate articles on the applications and problems with gamification in education, otherwise known as gamified learning.

While reading, please keep in mind that game-based learning (GBL) and gamified learning are two different approaches to applying gaming to education. The term, gamification, has a complex and extensive history in the business world, often applied for the purpose of consumer behavior modification. In the context of education, it is rebranded as "gamified learning," which does not refer to the integration of analog or digital games in teaching practices (as practiced in the GBL approach). Many websites continue to conflate the two approaches, and thus causing confusion to educators who wish to invigorate their teaching with gaming. I myself have written extensively about this problem, and published this 2013 presentation titled: "Gamification vs. Game-Based Learning: Theories, Methods, and Controversies." I look forward to hearing your comments regarding GBL or gamified learning during this week's discussions. If you already have implemented either approaches, please do share with us your methods and experience with using either approaches in the classroom.

Below are several articles that I have organized under specific sections/themes. Please feel free to choose which texts you would like to read from each section/theme to learn about the issues at hand (please know that you are not expected to read all of the texts!). We will have a live discussion on some of the issues and theories mentioned in the reading materials at the #Metagame Book Club G+ Community website on November 23th, 5pm MT (use this nifty time zone converter to figure out when the live discussion will occur in your time zone). Join our G+ Community to receive the latest notifications of upcoming webinars and discussions.

Enjoy the intriguing readings! Onward~

-- Sherry Jones (Track 1: Game Studies Facilitator)

GAME-BASED LEARNING WITH COMMERCIAL GAMES

- [ARTICLE] "Minecraft in Education" by Minecraft Wiki (2014)

GAME-BASED LEARNING WITH SERIOUS/EDUCATIONAL/EPISTEMIC GAMES

GAMIFIED LEARNING WITH GAMEFUL SYSTEMS AND PERVASIVE GAMES

NOVEMBER 23, 2014 LIVE BROADCAST OF THIS WEEK'S READING!

Missed the broadcast? Don't worry. Here's the recorded live broadcast on this week's readings. Enjoy~