EDCT 5694 - Gamification: Next Level Teaching
Course Description
What makes kids and adults repeatedly return to their favorite video and board games? Gamers keep trying the same level to master the necessary skills and level up. Wish your students applied that same level of commitment to the classroom curriculum? The answer is gamification! Learn how to take the mechanics of games that keep learners trying despite repeated failures and apply those same mechanics to your classroom and curriculum. Bring your teaching to the next level! This course is designed to help you create a classroom environment where students are engaged, motivated and excited by the gamification of lessons, activities, and curriculum. As you read and reflect on the text "Level Up Your Classroom: The Quest to Gamify Your Lessons and Engage Your Students," by Jonathan Cassie you will examine your own classroom practice and apply new ideas to your own practice. At the end of this course you will have practical strategies and ideas for guiding your students to build knowledge through experimentation and play. No technology required. Grade levels: K - 12.
Learner Outcomes
This course will support teachers in:
- Evaluating their current practice
- Understanding game theory
- Understanding the benefits of a gamified classroom
- Understanding and analyzing educational theory, gamification, and how they relate to one another
- Understanding how to gamify your classroom
- Using lesson planning rubrics
- Understanding game mechanics
- Exploring and analyzing examples of classroom gamifications and example lesson plans
- Building complexity
- Creating a gamified lesson
- Creating an action plan for Gamification
Testimonials
“I really enjoyed this class. I have actually been hearing about and thinking about gamified classrooms for a few years. To be honest, the impetus to take this class when I did was that I am 2 credits away from moving over a column on the salary schedule, but I am not only glad that I took it, I am also glad that I took it this summer. When I started this class I hoped that we would be back teaching in person in the Fall. Obviously that is now not the case, and it may be an entire school year of distance learning. Given that weird reality, I think any extra tool to increase engagement and the joy of learning in my students is very much worth trying this year. I am excited to try and gamify my class to encourage kids to stick with what they are learning and put their best effort in. I would definitely recommend this class to colleagues who are open to a different way of looking at teaching and learning, and I may even be able to convince some of my colleagues to take your class this year!” —TINT Student“It was interesting looking back at my first assignment, when I didn’t know anything about gamification, and then reading some of my last assignments where I planned out gamified lessons and units, it is amazing how much I have learned!”—TINT Student
“I really liked all of the resources you gave us! I feel like I know where to look when I am working on gamifying my own class more. I really liked the book, it was an easy read and it had a lot of good examples.” —TINT Student