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CC Wendy (2008) [Video file] Retrieved from
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Can you say BINGO?! Over the years, studies
have examined the benefits of using instructional games in the classroom to
improve student’s motivation and academic performance. In correspondence with
inquiry, passion, and project based learning, curriculum and lessons should
originate and be designed from the interests, knowledge, understanding,
ability, and experiences of the students (Pinder, 2013). If teachers attempt to
engage students in their own learning through activities that are collectively
managed by all participants, the process can generate a variety of
perspectives, and lead to greater understanding (Pinder, 2013). It is
understood that teachers who add creativity into their lessons can enable students
to fully grasp an understanding of the lesson (Pinder, 2013). The following
examples are cross-curricula suggested uses of game activities, which can
extend to topics like biology and maths, and all the way to ethics and world
issues, as illustrated in John Hunter’s World Peace Game.
Bingo: Bingo cards
allow students to gather, select, and organize information in an appealing
fashion; while simultaneously gauging gaps in their own learning (Drake, Reid,
& Kolohon, 2014). During my placement I have seen bingo used effectively
for math problems. The teacher would read out “5”, and on the students’ bingo
cards would be problems like “2+3, or 2+4”. The students will have to gauge
which equation equals the correct response, and as a reward they are able to
put a chip on that space.
Monopoly: Monopoly offers students a chance to construct
concepts and skills involving probability, basic numeracy such as addition,
subtraction and multiplication, and spotting emerging patterns or trends
(Caldwell, 1998). By engaging children in discussions about chance such as
‘what are the chances of rolling a 6’, it incorporates classroom discussions
about prime and composite numbers, as well as the probability. Both StahlVan-Brackle and Education World discuss alternative games that could be played
in the classroom, but both authors support that position that games can provide an
additional instruction or assessment tool in the classroom.
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CC COD Newsroom (2015) [Video file] Retrieved from
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Create
your Own Game: It
is important to remember that games can be created for different platforms,
including role-play, live scale simulations, or trivia (Nicholson, 2011). Games
with extrinsic integration of context, such as jeopardy, would be relatively
easy to create and an appropriate tool to use when studying for a quiz or exam
(Nicholson, 2011). In order to create a developmentally appropriate game, the creator
must consider the learning outcomes, and strive to make a challenging problem
relatively simple for the players (Nicholson, 2011). Secondly, the creator must
consider the intended setting in which the game would be played, as well as the
interactions that would occur amongst the players. The next step is to integrate the content;
Nicholson (2011) suggests that focusing on a few pieces of content is more
effective for long-term retention than have to focus on many broader topics. Above I have included an example, where a student had created their own game
called ‘Life Happens’ in which a student is divvied scenarios that he/she would
have to budget for in real life. At the end of the game, students discussed how
they would handle the problem which led to a greater conversation about
empathy, and decision making.
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CC Saldana (2012) [Video file] Retrieved from
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Playing board games is a creative way to
support learning at home, and it certainly makes homework more fun! As an
educator, the rules can be adapted to meet the needs of your students; rules
can be slowly integrated, or scaled down, but should be agreed upon before playing.
Overall, studies have shown that playing instructional games has led to
significant improvement in the four components of motivation which include:
attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction (Klein & Freitag, 1991 as referenced in Pinder, 2013). So what are you waiting
for? Let’s start playing!
References
Caldwell, M. L. (1998, February). Parents, Board
Games, and Mathematical Learning. Teaching
Children
Mathematics, 4(6),
365-367.
Drake, S., Reid, J., & Kolohon, W. (2014). Interweaving Curriculum and Classroom
Assessment: Engaging the 21st-Century Learner (pp. 6-8). Don Mills: Oxford
University Press
Education World (2013). Five Reasons to Use Games
in the Classroom .In Education
World.
Retrieved
November 3, 2015, from http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/reasons-to-play-games-in-the-classroom.shtml
Hunter, J. (Actor). (2011). Teaching with the World Peace Game [Online video]. TedTalks.
Nicholson, S. (2011, September). Making Gameplay
Matter. Knowledge Quest, 40(1), 60-65.
Pinder, P. (2013). Utilizing Instructional Games as
an Innovative Tool to Improve Science
Learning
Among Elementary School Students. Education, 133(4), 434-439.
Stahl-Van Brackle, L. (2015, May 1). How Making
Board Games Can Lead to Real Classroom
Innovation.
In Make. Retrieved
November 3, 2015, from http://makezine.com/2015/05/01/making-board-games-can-lead-real-classroom-innovation/
