Week 2
Essential Question: What common characteristics do engaging games have?
According to Michael Matera (2015, p. 14), "we can produce the right results for our gamified classroom by fusing together the ideal amount of content, choice, and challenge.” Content is what we are trying to teach or the required standards. Choice provides the students opportunities to explore unique paths within the game. Challenges are the unexpected missions that keep the students engaged (Matera, 2015, p. 15). It is important that we consider our audience when creating the game because the challenges must be delicately balanced - not too difficult so that it is frustrating for the learner, but not too easy so that they get bored.
Jill W. (n.d.) explained in her article that in addition to the three C’s, it is important that the game creator develop an effective learning objective which includes performance (what learners do), condition (how performance must be completed), and criteria (to evaluate the performance). It should be clear to the learners what it is they are trying to accomplish and that should lead them to the learning objective. “Students need to see the point of it all and know what they personally will get out of the game” (Gutierrez, 2012).
Another commonly noted characteristic of engaging games is interactivity. The students need to work through a scenario that gives them an opportunity to see the results of their choices and make changes to improve their performance.
The last characteristic, which I read frequently while researching, was to include consequences or customized feedback. It’s most effective if the feedback evolves as the player makes different choices and is provided throughout the game. Continuous feedback “will increase learning and motivational results” (Gutierrez, 2012).
Overall, there were many different resources which all had a slightly different list of what characteristics came together to make the best learning games. No matter the approach, the end goal is to “create opportunities for students to explore, practice, and embody skills like confidence, focus, resilience, dependability, curiosity, and empathy while working … towards a common goal” (Matera, 2015, p.7).
Resources:
According to Michael Matera (2015, p. 14), "we can produce the right results for our gamified classroom by fusing together the ideal amount of content, choice, and challenge.” Content is what we are trying to teach or the required standards. Choice provides the students opportunities to explore unique paths within the game. Challenges are the unexpected missions that keep the students engaged (Matera, 2015, p. 15). It is important that we consider our audience when creating the game because the challenges must be delicately balanced - not too difficult so that it is frustrating for the learner, but not too easy so that they get bored.
Jill W. (n.d.) explained in her article that in addition to the three C’s, it is important that the game creator develop an effective learning objective which includes performance (what learners do), condition (how performance must be completed), and criteria (to evaluate the performance). It should be clear to the learners what it is they are trying to accomplish and that should lead them to the learning objective. “Students need to see the point of it all and know what they personally will get out of the game” (Gutierrez, 2012).
Another commonly noted characteristic of engaging games is interactivity. The students need to work through a scenario that gives them an opportunity to see the results of their choices and make changes to improve their performance.
The last characteristic, which I read frequently while researching, was to include consequences or customized feedback. It’s most effective if the feedback evolves as the player makes different choices and is provided throughout the game. Continuous feedback “will increase learning and motivational results” (Gutierrez, 2012).
Overall, there were many different resources which all had a slightly different list of what characteristics came together to make the best learning games. No matter the approach, the end goal is to “create opportunities for students to explore, practice, and embody skills like confidence, focus, resilience, dependability, curiosity, and empathy while working … towards a common goal” (Matera, 2015, p.7).
Resources:
Gutierrez, K. (2012, October 17). The 5 Decisive Components of Outstanding Learning Games. Retrieved May 26, 2020, from https://www.shiftelearning.com/blog/bid/234495/The-5-Decisive-Components-of-Outstanding-Learning-Games
Matera, M. (2015). Explore Like A Pirate: Gamification and Game-Inspired Course Design to Engage, Enrich, and Elevate Your Learners. San Diego, CA, CA: Dave Burgess Consulting.
W., J. (n.d.). Top 6 Features of Successful Game-Based Learning. Retrieved May 26, 2020, from https://www.skillbuilderlms.com/top-features-game-based-learning/
I agree that the learning objective, interactivity and feedback are important. I would say that rewards are important. Those are called by different names by some advocates of games in education.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you have all the elements I have read about. Do you have any educational games that fit all these elements that you use right now?
ReplyDeleteI agree with how you stressed the interactivity component. It is important for students to realize that they can come up with a solution jointly, as we rarely work in a vacuum. I wonder, how it would be possible to add a social component to some single player games that are popular?
ReplyDelete