Depend on Ryan Schaaf and Jack Quinn
Everyone loves the game.
Albert Einstein himself said they were the highest form of investigation. He knows that games are deeper and more meaningful than childish waste of time. Games facilitate learning that happens in practice during an immersive experience, or in other words. Generally, playing games is the first method children use to explore advanced thinking skills related to creating, evaluating, analyzing, and applying new knowledge.
See 50 questions to help students think about their own ideas
This article is written in two parts. Ryan Schaaf, an assistant professor of technology at the University of Maryland, introduces gamification in an educational environment, its many elements, and some products that mimic gamification practices. The second part shared by classroom teacher and coach Jack Quinn provides a first-hand account to learn the perspectives of practitioners in person. Here are our comprehensive insights.
Gamification in an educational environment
Games have many elements that make them a powerful tool for human learning. They are usually constructs to solve problems. Basic skills needed today and tomorrow. Many games promote communication, cooperation and even competition among players. Some of the most immersive games have rich narratives that generate creativity and imagination among their players. Finally, the game can teach and test their players according to how they are designed. They are incredible packaging for teaching, learning and evaluation.
The structural elements of the game are also particularly suitable for current learners. Often referred to as gamification (or according to Jane McGonigal’s game design), this approach is to add game elements such as storytelling, problem solving, aesthetics, rules, collaboration, competition, competition, reward systems, feedback and errors, which have been learned in non-game situations, and are widely implemented in training such as training, training and consumer training (please train in detail) for more details (please see higher details) for more details (please find more details) for more details (please find more details) for more details (please find more success (please find more).
In the field of education, gamification has begun to flourish. With success stories like Class Craft, Class Dojo and Rezzly leading the charges, the potential of gamification of more and more classrooms is a forgotten conclusion. There are still many educators in the teaching field that are designing their own “game design” learning environment. The next section explores this environment by sharing Jack’s experience with your own class.
See 10 specific ideas to entertain your classroom
Gamification: From theory to practice
I’ve been involved for quite some time. In my 9 years of experience, I found that the game is very good at solving several common classroom problems such as: student participation/talk time, student participation, differentiation, data tracking, and improvement in student achievement.
As an auxiliary language teacher on Jeju Island, South Korea, gamification helped me increase the conversation time of my students by 300%. My 250 students completed over 27,000 “tasks”, also known as other homework assignments them Choose to do. My top 10% of participants spent an hour outside of the classroom speaking their target language every day. I was even startled more than once and arrived at work early and found my students beat me up there, waiting eagerly for my arrival so they could start their daily tasks.
As a classroom teacher in Houston Independent School District, which serves schools that 95% of the school and reduces the lunch population, I have taught 3rd-Grade Reading and 5thGrade science. These are all state-tested topics (I taught for two years).
In my first year of teaching, my students performed an average of 1.39 times the regional norm, while in the second year it was 1.82 times the subject. Or in other words, the traditional approach would take 14 to 18 months to achieve that I can use the game in 10.
My success largely follows Gabe Zicherman’s advice in Google’s tech talk, Fun is the future: Mastering gamificationhe advises game designers to “inspire everything you want to do.” (Zicherman, ND)
So I worked hard to identify the key movements that students need to practice, and then build the game around them and reward the system.
Gamification in education uses the game’s mechanics (points, levels, competition, challenges, and rewards) to motivate students and make learning more attractive. Here are 20 practical, classroom test gamified examples that teachers can use to promote motivation and engagement.
1. Given points for achieving academic goals
Do students need it? Quote Details of text support Is there any evidence for the conclusion? There is no evidence answer, 2 points for one evidence, 1 point reward, and 3 points for multiple evidence. This makes evidence-based thinking measureable and motivating.
2. Give points to a procedural or non-academic goal
Want to reduce the time it takes to check your homework? Give each student who has exercise 2 points before prompting. This kind of game can be programmed and encourages self-management.
3. Create playful or challenge
introduce Interesting obstacles– Puzzles, riddles or time-based challenges – Students must overcome to unlock the next step of the course. These barriers increase engagement and reflect the challenges in the game – the reward loop.
4. Create healthy competition in the classroom
try Teacher and class: Students earn points together when they abide by the rules; teachers earn points when they do not. If students win, reward them with a 1 minute dance, extra rest or reduced assignments.
5. Comparison and reflect on performance
After the project, provide students with Performance failure– The scope of creativity, teamwork or perseverance, and statistics like “most issues” or “highest draft.” Reflection is the core element of gamification.
6. Create a series of unique rewards
supply Layered rewards This attracts different characters. For example: sunglasses 5 points, shoes privileges 10 points, 15 points positive parent text, or “steal” teacher chairs with the highest scorer’s right.
7. Levels of use, checkpoints and progress
Tracking points within a few days or weeks, let students upgrade At milestones. Higher levels unlock privileges, mentor roles or reward challenges – Training video game progress system.
8. Backward grading
Instead of starting from 100, let students Win mastery points. Every correct answer, skill demonstration or positive behavior brings them closer to 100. This approach rebuilds learning into growth rather than avoiding losses.
9. Create more challenges to solve
Design tasks with multiple effective solutions and encourage students Compare Strategy. Reward creative or unique solutions to encourage different thinking.
10. Use the learning badge
Instead of (or with) the level, provide Digital or paper badge For achievements like “critical thinkers,” “collaborative professionals,” or “score masters.” Badges make learning goals tangible and collectible.
11. Let students set their own goals
Allow students to set personalized goals, and then track They make visual progress on class rankings, sticker charts or digital trackers. The goal setting of self-guided is inspiring and teaches ownership.
12. Help students play roles or roles
use role play Let students serve as judges, designers or historians during assignments. Character-based learning abilities are integrated into the immersive nature of the game.
13. Classroom tasks and storylines
Packaging unit or course Narrative arc (For example, “Surviving in Ancient Civilization”) Students unlock new “chains” by completing tasks.
14. Boss battles with limited time
End a unit Collaborative review challenge Before the timer runs out, students must “beat the boss” (answer a series of challenging questions).
15. Random rewards
use Mysterious reward system: When students get enough points, let them pull out of the reward jar. Unpredictable performance keeps power high.
16. Number ranking
Create a ranking list for accumulated points, badges, or completed challenges. Public approval Motivate competitive students, but should be actively structured to avoid humiliating those who perform lower.
17. The Power of Positive Behavior
introduce power ups For example, “Extra Tip”, “Skip an Assistant Question” or “Sit anywhere”. Students can spend points to activate them.
18. Cooperation class goals
set up Common goals– If the entire class reaches one point in total, they will receive group rewards such as reading day, project celebrations, or reward breaks.
19. Daily stripes
Track daily participation or completion of assignments Stripe mechanics Just like what a language learning application is used. Break the stripe and reset the progress and encourage consistency.
20. Unlockable bonus content
supply Rewards Activities or secret level (puzzle, video, rich questions), students can unlock after reaching the point threshold. This presents other challenges for senior students.
Why gamification works
Gamification transforms routine tasks into engaging challenges, encouraging intrinsic and outward motivations, and providing ongoing feedback. When thought through, it promotes a sense of mastery, collaboration and progress.
Learn more about learning gamification, explore game-based learning strategies, and get tips for increasing student engagement.
Bonus: Use scoreboard seat map
Draw or project the seat map onto a whiteboard/screen and then grant the student points to inspire all activities for all activities by using sustainable rewards/identifications at different points.
in conclusion
Ensure creativity and respond to student interests. In my class, students do not take practice exams; they fight against the evil emperor Kamico (maker of popular test preparation workbooks used by my school). We not only test the subjects for conductivity; we search for secret objects that will turn on the alien spacecraft’s “ready to launch” light.
As students collect points, upgrade and compete with each other, I am collecting data, tracking progress, and quantifying rules, rewards, and tasks to build a positive class culture while driving student achievement. Students are eager to participate in the improvement activities they need to do, and when students buy, they make the school a worthy game.
References and further reading
McGonigal, J. (2011). Games can make a better world. | Ted Talk | ted.com [Video file]. from: ted.com/
Schaaf, R. and Mohan, N. (2014). Make the school a game worth playing: a digital game in the classroom. Sage Publication.
Schell, J. (ND) Games invade real life. | Ted Talk | ted.com [Video file]. from
Zicherman. (nd). Fun is the future: Mastering gamification [Video file]. from youtube.com
12 gamification examples in the classroom
