The Pedagogy of Games Although hardly a new teaching strategy, games are increasingly being used in college classrooms. Why? Some have noted that game characteris;cs such as goals, rules, challenge, and interac;on can be used to engage students and increase learning (Barkley, 2010). Others have posited that games help students build an emo;onal connec;on to subject maFer, as well as provide opportuni;es for feedback and prac;ce (Yaman & Covington, 2006). Video games, in par;cular, have been cited as an effec;ve tool for customizing teaching to individual student needs (Bowen, 2012). When using games in courses, you may find it useful to: Speak the language of games Embed the language and reward structure of gaming into the design of the course and the syllabus (Sheldon, 2010). Play games, but don’t let the mode overwhelm the content Balance the focus on the content of the game with the requirements of the game. If you don’t assert the right balance, the game ac;vity can overwhelm the point of the instruc;on (Hayes, 2005). Customize the level of challenge Students learn beFer when they are challenged, but not challenged too much. Consider offering a few different ways to support a game ac;vity so that groups can work at the level of rigor that best matches their skill level (Ambrose, et al, 2010). Avoid games that focus on rote memorizaAon Games can be most successful when they focus on play within an open environment, crea;ng a space for reflec;on, content integra;on, and crea;ve discovery (BesseFe). Frame the game Supplement gaming ac;vi;es with immediate debriefing and feedback to highlight how the ac;vity supports the learning goals of the course (Hayes, 2005). Give specific formaAve feedback Make sure to communicate to students “how their current knowledge or performance differs from the goal” and tell them exactly what they can do to complete the task (Ambrose, et al, 2010, 134). Give students enough Ame to pracAce If you want students to truly learn from their involvement in a task, let them prac;ce it, especially if you want “new knowledge to be retained across ;me and transferred to new contexts” (Ambrose, et al, 2010, 134). External Syllabi & Resources Syllabus for T366: Mul;player Game Design, Indiana University Bloomington, by Lee Sheldon. hFp://gamingtheclassroom.wordpress.com/syllabus/ Successful Game Show Checklist and Troubleshoo;ng Guide, in I'll Take Learning for 500: Using Game Shows to Engage, Mo>vate, and Train, by Dan Yaman and Missy Covington. hFp://umass.worldcat.org/oclc/71353095 Example of a Plant-­‐Iden;fica;on Game Used in a Forestry Course, in 7 Things You Should Know About… Gamifica;on, EDUCAUSE. hFp://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7075.pdf Key References Ambrose, S. A. (2010). How learning works: Seven research-­‐based principles for smart teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-­‐Bass. Barkley, E. F. (2010). Student engagement techniques: A handbook for college faculty. San Francisco: Jossey-­‐Bass. BesseFe, Lee Skallerup. (2013, May 25). It's >me to play: Games, gamifica>on, and ac>ve learning. Hybrid Pedagogy. Retrieved from hNp://www.hybridpedagogy.com/journal/its-­‐>me-­‐to-­‐play-­‐games-­‐gamifica>on-­‐and-­‐ac>ve-­‐
learning/ Bowen, José Antonio. (2012). Teaching naked: How moving technology out of your college classroom will improve student learning. San Francisco: Jossey-­‐Bass. EDUCAUSE. (2011). 7 things you should know about gamifica>on. Retrieved from hFp://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7075.pdf Hays, R. (2005). The effec>veness of instruc>onal games: A literature review and discussion. Technical report 2005-­‐004, Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, FL. Sheldon, L. (2010). Syllabus for T366: Mul;player Game Design. hFp://gamingtheclassroom.wordpress.com/syllabus/ Yaman, D., & Covington, M. (2006). I'll take learning for 500: Using game shows to engage, mo>vate, and train. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.