Gamify Learning

One playing, one watching

Honestly, I can't believe I am even writing this post about using computer and video games for learning.  I did not have a Nintendo growing up and though I did occasionally play a computer game, I really didn't what the fuss was all about.

Then as the rhyme goes...first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage.  Lucky me, I got not one, but THREE BOYS! The power of Minecraft, Wii, and Friv are would consume my boys if I let them.  This week, however, I turned a corner in how an educator can harness that seductive video game power for educational purposes.

My son building his game. 

This week is my multimedia class we explored a video game creation, and I was skeptical. The assignment was to create a video that could be used for a classroom.  We used Game Star Mechanic which is free. Here is the catch, before you can create and publish a game you must pass 5 levels.  So I recruited my older boys, and even my husband at times since they are far superior and experienced at computer games.  They were hooked and with time and patience as a family we beat the quest.

Each of my boys made and published their own game.  They used a variety of avatars, backgrounds, music, and enemies to create their masterpieces. I was amazed at the time and critical thinking it required for them to develop their games.

Also, my son Noah and I developed a game about the Solar System.  We discussed strategy, the story and how to develop the challenge at each lesson.  Click on the link to play our game. It is fun, and I promise it is not too challenging even for a newbie like me.

The Solar System Game

Created by Noah and Jen Kuenz

When I reflected back on the process, I was truly astonished by how developing and publishing a game challenged both myself and my boys in new ways. This led me to ask myself some tough questions.

Shouldn't schools challenge kids in news ways?

Aren't problem-solving and critical thinking important skills for students in the 21st century?

Yes and yes. So I am on the gamification wagon.

Here is where I think it will benefit teachers and students:

1. Computer classes-Game creation should be part of computer class time. 

2. Option for in-class free time (Elementary)

3. Electives in middle and high school

4. Teachers can use games to reinforce instruction in the class. Students will practice more if it is fun.

5. Book reports: Students could choose to reflect the story of the book in a game they create.

I am sure there are many more ways to use games in education. So chime in...

How do you use games to engage and promote thinking?


Below is a vlog where I describe some of my insights from Game Star Mechanic:

Multimedia Lesson Design: Break it Up

How should we design our multimedia lessons or flipped lessons. Well Richard Mayer's research shows that

people learn better when we break up our lessons into bite size learning segments instead of one longer cohesive presentation.

Practical Tips:

1. Make a short video on each small concept and hyperlink the videos to a lesson page for each separate concept.

2. Take your video and break it into 3-5 short ones.

3. Give controls to the learner, allow them to choose how fast or slow to take in the concepts.

This allows for improved learning, but also built in differentiation a challenge for all teachers.


Here is my vlog explaining the segmenting principle and AR apps:

How to design multimedia lessons that stick

This week I explored two important resources that I want to share with you.  

 Teaching That Sticks is an article written by Chip Heath and Dan Heath that I highly recommend.  There research and approach is clear and concrete.  They include examples and how it would work in the classroom.  They recommend the following six traits to make ideas stick:

1. Simple

2. Unexpected

3. Concrete

4. Credible

5. Emotional

6. Story

I focused on the story aspect and combined it with a great new website Zaption. Zaption allows for you to take a video and add interactive elements such as short response questions and multiple choice.  This week I took a video from Ted Ed about commas and added some interactive elements. The video Commas:Conjunctions and Subordinates is a great way to flip the classroom or use in the classroom, but add extra engagement and focus for the students.

Here is my vlog where I discuss these ideas:

Multimedia Tips: Integrate and Don't Overload

Tip #1: Integrate Text and Images

It makes sense to place words and text next to each other, but now there is research to show how important it really is for learning. When there is text and images apart the learner processes them separately.  However, when the text and images are integrated the learning was enhanced because the brain processed the images together.

Key concept: Integrate text and images together to benefit learning.

Tip #2: Don't Overload the Brain

How much information can our brains truly process? Well research is showing that too much information in the way of text, narration, and images can overload the learners ability to process and learning is lost.  One simple fix is to use images and graphs with limited text when using narration.  In one study by Carole L. Yue, Elizabeth Ligon Bjork, and Robert A. Bjork of University of California, Los Angeles titled "Reducing Verbal Redundancy in Multimedia Learning: An Undesired Desirable Difficulty?" found that learning improved when there was brief text with animation.

Key concept: When designing a lesson with slides or video, use brief labels, but avoid onscreen 
text.

Here is my weekly vlog describing what I am learning and the principles above:

Flip the Classroom: Tips for Success

1. Keep it short or Break it up
Students will be far more engaged if the content is short and to the point. Another option is to make each point or idea a different video and stream them together. Also you can break up a video and make it interactive. YouTube editor, Blendspace, and other online tools can help edit your video and make it more engaging for learning.

2. Perfection is overrated
Your goal is for the students to learn the content. We probably say "um" in the class so don't feel the "um" in the video is a reason to start over. Be natural, you are the content expert, just present your content on video or screencast. Time is precious if you aim for perfection you will not be able to produce the content needed to flip the classroom.

3. A little at a time
Don't try to flip your entire curriculum. Take it one step at a time. You didn't perfect your curriculum in one year. Why would you be able to put all your curriculum on video or online.  Be patient, it's a process.

4. Teach your student "How to Learn" with a flipped lesson and why it is valuable
Don't assume students know how to use media to learn your content. Yes, they watch videos on YouTube, but that is for entertainment. We must teach them to watch to learn, similarly to how we teach them to read to learn. Teaching students strategies are critical to success.

Below is a video where I discuss my tips, how I am flipping a lesson, and the article  "Nine Video Tips for a Better Flipped Classroom" by David Raths.

Multimedia Learning Tips: Make it personal and add an image

Below is my vlog describing two concepts from Richard Mayer's book, Multimedia Learning.

From Multi-Media Learning by Richard E. Mayer

Personalization Principle: People learn better from multimedia presentations when words are in conversational style rather than formal style.

Theoretical Rationale: When learners feel that the author is talking to them, they are more likely to see the author as a conversational partner and therefore will try harder to make sense of what the author is saying.

Multimedia Principle: People learn better from words and pictures than from words alone.

Theoretical Rationale: When words and pictures are both presented, learners have an opportunity to construct verbal and visual mental models and to build connections between them.

Multimedia in the Classroom

Vlog Post 1 Multimedia in the Classroom: Learn with me

Multi-Media Learning by Richard Mayer

Playing with Media by Wesley Fryer