Using Games in the Classroom - In Learning Education and Games. Volume 2.
Many games purport to teach, practice, or encourage interest in STEM subjects; however, many fail to do so in ways that can be statistically shown to be effective. The potential benefits of such games are often overstated. All parties should be more cognizant of realistically achievable outcomes.
Designers and educators should establish parameters to determine what constitutes a successful game experience and design usability tests that measure the degree of improvement in students’ aptitude and performance following engagement with STEM games.
Progress is being made both in building STEM games and assessing their effects. Analysis of some successful games is helpful in determining how to include games in curricula and demonstrating how they support educational goals.
Game-based learning, as an approach and as a field, is at an all-time high, with more educators than ever using games for learning in their classrooms
The idea of “games in the classroom” is frowned upon in some schools.
insufficient access to technology
Educators' lack of general understanding and experience with games for learning
Lack of data and assessment feedback from games
Need for assurance
Teachers need assurance that the games provides a quality learning experience and will give them back some understanding of student performance
Administrators and parents need to understand the pedagogical benefits of playing games
Students need support in understanding how games can be used as learning tools (SIIA, 2009)
Although paper and board games are a commonly featured element in many classrooms, the presence of digital games has seen a slower uptake.
Targeted games are designed for a specific topic or concept, such as adding fractions or hotosynthesis. These types of games are more easily integrated into the classroom because they more easily align with curricula and fit into class timescales.
Linear games can be short or long, but generally include a storyline and pathway through the game.
Includes a wealth of intriguing math-based puzzles wrapped into an exciting narrative game in which students
work to find their lost pet and save the world from monsters.
Open-ended or sandbox games, which offer tools and a context to construct items and/or outcomes in the game, are gaining popularity in the classroom, as they offer a rich context in which to target specific
learning objectives.
Persistent worlds, virtual worlds that are ongoing, are often the most complex to integrate into
the classroom, but can offer some of the most rich learning environments (McCall, 2011).
Short form games (targeted games and some linear games) are easier to integrate into the classroom than long-form games, and are seeing a surge in numbers due to the growth of apps and purchases of mobile devices in K-12 education (Richards, Stebbins & Moellering, 2013).
Long-form games extend beyond one class period. They require more planning and preparation by the teacher, and a deeper commitment to curriculum time and alignment. However, they can be leveraged in a “flipped classroom” model, where play occurs outside class time and serves as the context for further classroom instruction (Richards, Stebbins & Moellering, 2013).
Although more work may be involved to leverage these games successfully, they also offer the potential of developing 21st century skills, such as problem solving, decision-making, planning, strategy, and collaboration (Klopfer, Osterweil, Groff & Haas, 2009).
Key Findings: Despite the often-cited lack of evidence of the impact on learning with games, scientists have conducted a considerable amount of research in support of game-based learning and its effectiveness. For example, we have a cursory understanding of the valuable skill development that playing games can support. According to a review conducted by McFarlane et al. (2002), these include:
Strategic thinking
Planning
Communication
Application of numbers
Negotiating skills
Group decision-making
Data-handling
Barriers Some are physical barriers, some are cultural, and some are perceptual. These barriers include (Richards, Stebbins & Moellering, 2013; Groff & Mouza, 2008):
Cost
Access to required tech resources
Emphasis on standarised tests (percieved lack of space for such pedagogies)
Standards alignment
Platform capability
Professional development
Research on effectiveness
Teachers beliefs and attitudes about learning
Student beliefs and attitudes about learning
School norms and professional perception of game-based learning
Kirriemuir & McFarlane (2006) explain that the most frequently encountered perceived or actual obstacles include:
Assessing the appropriateness of the game
Stakeholder support
Time
Irrelevant content and functionality
Need to provide educators with the knowledge, resources and support necessary to overcome these barriers.
Approaches to Game-Based Learning in the Classroom
Preparation for future learning
Game narratives as learning context and backdrops for project-based learning
Learning only has meaning, and can be retained, when
there are prior frames onto which one can hook new knowledge (Bransford, Brown &Cocking, 1999).
Games are rich, immersive environments that create context and frames upon which concepts of a discipline can then be explicitly unpacked and explored (Klopfer,Osterweil & Salen, 2009), and the nature of games themselves can also serve as discussion prompts.
use the game as a collective, shared experience that sets the foundation for future instruction.
One of the most meaningful elements of games is the story.
able to capture deep engagement and cover an array of educational standards (Groff, Cranmer & Howells, 2012).
Extended learning experiences deepen inquiry
Flipped Classroom model
Concept reinforcement
Classroom instruction may be targeted directly at one or several learning standards. However, the reality of our world is that these concepts play out in a complex context.
Allow learning extended time and multiple
dimensions to explore many concepts as they relate and interconnect with one another.
students engage with a digital learning experience outside of classroom time so that collectively the class can then build on that experience during classroom time, offers possibilities for game-based learning as well.
Game play outside the classroom can be a great way to give students a rich and meaningful experience that can be done individually on a student’s out-of-school time so that classroom time can be leveraged for deeper, extended inquiry based on the concepts targeted in the game.
all students in the learning environments must easily have access to the games and technology outside of school for the flipped model to be equitable and effective.
Just-in-time learning
support skill development as
students move from novice to deeper understanding.
the game can serve as the targeted instructional experience, or it can serve as the extended practice and reinforcement of concepts as the learner seeks to get stronger in their understanding of the concepts.
they can present opportunities to push on learner misconceptions.
present numerous teachable moments for
concepts and topics that might not otherwise arise (SIIA, 2009).
Use of different games in education
Games as "engines" or authoring platforms
Games as content
Games as simulations
Games as context
Games as technology gateways
Games as illustration
Games as exemplars of point of view
Games as code worlds
Games as documentary
Games as text
Games as research
Games as assessment
Games can be powerful mechanisms for capturing rich data on student learning (Phillips & Popovíc,
2012); however, we are just at the beginning of designing more robust models of assessment-based games and how they might play out in actual educational practice.
In the meantime, games are just another
instructional intervention, and all learning interventions require assessment tools and supports to be
effectively used in the classroom.
If the game does not capture learning data and/or the data reported is not of the type or quality sought
by the educator, then external assessments can be used.
Standford et al (2006; 2007) offer strategies for supporting learning and assessment in game play that include:
Check for understanding
Define assessment strategy
Review and reflect
What is the main topic of the game?
Do the events that take place in the game remind you of something you know?
Why do you think this topic is important?
What did you learn from this game?
To align with classroom requirements, more games must be available that target learning
standards and direct curricular needs.
Future Needs of Games in Education
Address the needs and barriers of educators
and students.
To align with classroom requirements, more games must be available that target learning standards and direct curricular needs
Must provide formative data about student performance in game to better support general instruction
Evidence of effectiveness and outcomes will be increasingly important as the market becomes more saturated and a larger range of options are available when selecting the right game for your learning needs
Must continue to create better resources so more educators can afford to incorporate games into their curricula
Best Practices
Define your learning goals and instructional needs
Find one or more games that meet your needs
Select the right game for you
Allow sufficient time for you and your students to become familiar with the game
Identify the precise role of the game toward meeting your learning goals
Let the students demonstrate their expertise
Build in time for review and reflection
Is the game you are considering suitable in terms of the technical difficulty and age of your students?
What elements of the game support your educational goals?
Does the game match your learning goals?
Can you use the game easily in your classroom?