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Welcome to our website!
Welcome to our website!
On this site, you will be exploring the exciting world of gamification and game-based learning. Our focus is on the use of this method in Kindergarten to Grade 12 classrooms.
On this site, you will be exploring the exciting world of gamification and game-based learning. Our focus is on the use of this method in Kindergarten to Grade 12 classrooms.
Why K to 12? We are a group comprised of elementary and high school teachers, so it makes sense to you, no doubt, that this is where our interests and experience reside.
Why K to 12? We are a group comprised of elementary and high school teachers, so it makes sense to you, no doubt, that this is where our interests and experience reside.
We hope that you will engage with each aspect of our site and discover why game-based learning and gamification are such exciting additions to classrooms of the 21st century.
We hope that you will engage with each aspect of our site and discover why game-based learning and gamification are such exciting additions to classrooms of the 21st century.
Game on!
Game on!
Meet the Team
Meet the Team
Player 1: Simon Worley
Player 1: Simon Worley
Welcome everyone. I am a senior high school teacher in beautiful North Vancouver. I have been using GBL for 11 years and I love the enthusiasm and energy it brings out in my students. I have been fortunate enough to have taught all over the world but I'm happy to have found my "home" in Vancouver. I hope you are able to take a few ideas with you from our OER this week!
Player 2: Kelby Bacon
Player 2: Kelby Bacon
Hello! I am an elementary school teacher from Calgary, Alberta. I have taught K-5, with grade 4 being my favourite age group. I love GBL because it makes learning fun! I think our primarily goal as educators is to inspire students to want to learn and what better way through games.
Player 3: Carina Losito
Player 3: Carina Losito
Hi everyone! I am an elementary school teacher in Langley, B.C. (currently teaching grade four). I love integrating game-based learning and gamification into my classroom and seeing the amazing effect it has on my students' engagement and motivation.
Game-Based Learning
Game-Based Learning
Game-based learning is a method involving using games that were not necessarily designed for education in educational contexts to engage students' attention and motivate them to participate (Figueroa-Flores, 2016).
Game-based learning is a method involving using games that were not necessarily designed for education in educational contexts to engage students' attention and motivate them to participate (Figueroa-Flores, 2016).
Games used in game-based learning must fit the following principles (Perrotta et al., 2013):
Games used in game-based learning must fit the following principles (Perrotta et al., 2013):
They must:
They must:
- Be intrinsically motivating
- Provide learning through enjoyment & fun
- Be authentic in reflecting the true learning process (unlike in traditional classrooms)
- Allow self-reliance & autonomy
- Provide experiential learning
Serious Games
Serious Games
Serious games can be used within the realm of the game-based learning method. They are games that have been designed with a main purpose other than just entertainment, such as achieving some kind of educational goal (Anastasiadis et al., 2018).
Serious games can be used within the realm of the game-based learning method. They are games that have been designed with a main purpose other than just entertainment, such as achieving some kind of educational goal (Anastasiadis et al., 2018).
Benefits of serious games:
Benefits of serious games:
- Allow freedom to fail and learn from failure
- Allow freedom to fail and learn from failure
- Promote logic & skills development
- Promote logic & skills development
- Provide interesting, interactive learning environment
- Provide interesting, interactive learning environment
- Promote innovative thinking
- Promote innovative thinking
Some examples of serious games with educational purposes you might know of:
Some examples of serious games with educational purposes you might know of:
Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? (1985)
Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? (1985)
- Players took on the role of a rookie ACME detective and used geographic knowledge to answer questions and track down VILE criminals who had stolen famous historical works.
The Oregon Trail (1985)
The Oregon Trail (1985)
- Players took on the role of wagon leader and guided a group of settlers along the Oregon Trail in 1848. Along the way the player made decisions about supplies, routes, and how to deal with dangers (disease, storms).
Minecraft: Education Edition (2016)
Minecraft: Education Edition (2016)
- This edition of Minecraft was designed specifically for use in educational settings. It allows teachers to provide students with engaging STEM lessons as they play the game.
IBM City One (2010)
IBM City One (2010)
- This online game helped students learn how to make cities work better as they engaged with and worked to solve transportation, environmental, logistical, and business problems.
Watch the video below to learn more about serious games.
Watch the video below to learn more about serious games.
Key points from the video:
A serious game is a game that allows people to learn
The earliest instance of serious games was actually a board game used in Germany in the 1700s to teach soldiers strategies of warfare.
1980s - Breakthrough of two very popular serious games:
Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?
The Oregon Trail
Our educational system is still stuck in the linear industrial model, but games allow for non-linear learning & creativity.
Gamification involves integrating elements of games into the classroom experience. The goal here is to motivate students through the addition of "fun" game elements to learn concepts and strategies that might otherwise be considered boring and repetitive.
Gamification involves integrating elements of games into the classroom experience. The goal here is to motivate students through the addition of "fun" game elements to learn concepts and strategies that might otherwise be considered boring and repetitive.
Elements of games that might be applied in a classroom include (Figueroa-Flores, 2016):
Elements of games that might be applied in a classroom include (Figueroa-Flores, 2016):
-point systems/reward systems -levels
-point systems/reward systems -levels
-badges -avatars
-badges -avatars
-leaderboards -social elements
-leaderboards -social elements
-quests
-quests
Watch the videos below for more information on gamification in education.
Watch the videos below for more information on gamification in education.
What are the differences between gamification & game-based learning?
What are the differences between gamification & game-based learning?
Gamification vs GBL (Source: EDGE Education (Pty) Ltd, 2022; and Flaticon)
Your Turn!
Your Turn!
Since the focus of this site is game-based learning, we have an educational game below for you to interact with. The Stop Disasters game was designed by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. While you play, reflect on how the game fits (or doesn't fit) the principles we shared above from Perrotta et al. (2013). Now, navigate to the next page to learn more about proponents of play, gamification, and game-based learning and discover why you should consider using this method in your own classroom or office.
Since the focus of this site is game-based learning, we have an educational game below for you to interact with. The Stop Disasters game was designed by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. While you play, reflect on how the game fits (or doesn't fit) the principles we shared above from Perrotta et al. (2013). Now, navigate to the next page to learn more about proponents of play, gamification, and game-based learning and discover why you should consider using this method in your own classroom or office.
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