Gamification

What is gamification? 

This is a technique that utilizes games and game concepts to engage students in lessons and learning. 

• What are some important things to consider when using gamification in your classroom?

Some important things to consider when using gamification in the classroom are:

• Is your game age and level appropriate?
• Is this a game that the children need direct instruction from the teacher or can they figure it out by themselves?
• Does the program have a way for the teacher to see the progress the students are making as they go or do they have to rely on the student to report their progress?
• Is it something that they can use for specific lessons or just for general practice?

• What is the best example of gamification you've seen?

The best example of gamification that I have seen was the game played in class called Prodigy. I liked this game because it was teacher-backed and had ways for the teacher to have access to what the children were accomplishing throughout the game. I think the story line and the graphics would also be intriguing for a wide range of age groups and that is important because it keeps the child engaged. However, this is a game I'd let my students use when we had time for extra practice on math skills or during indoor recess because math is a subject that needs more attention with an instructor than to be self-taught or to be taught by an online program. 

• Do you think Gamification is good/bad or just a fad?

I think that gamification is a good resource because it is able to engage the students in different ways. I do not think that it is just "a fad" because technology is being used more and more in the classroom and gamification will evolve with the technology as it progresses. Along with that, children and adults are highly motivated by rewards and playing and "winning" these games is motivation to get through them and be engaged in what the program is teaching.