Gamifying Classrooms
The idea of using game based ideas in the learning environment or gamification continues to gain momentum with teachers...but more importantly with students.
Let's not mistake "using games in the learning environment" with "gamifying the learning". They are two different approaches to using technology within the classroom. Gamification is using the ideas that are found in games to motivate students in a fun, competitive and engaging way that speaks to their inner kid. Gamification really seems to be taking off in the later elementary years like 4th and 5th grade and middle school.
Hannah Kingsley in her COETAIL Final Project gives us a great look at gamification in action in a middle school spanish class.You can visit her blog to get the full details along with links to the software she used and a unit planner outlining the process.If you want to learn more about Gamification and Game-Based learning, join Robert Appino in his new course Gamification of Education.
Game-Based Learning Overview from Eduro Learning on Vimeo.
The course runs from June 22 - July 31st and is going to be a great way to do some summer professional development while you "level up".
Photo Credit:Â flickr photo shared by chrisgj6 under a Creative Commons ( BY-SA ) license