The pandemic put the creativity of teachers to the test, who now face not only the challenge of digitization through online classes, but also students who have lost motivation, who are stressed or scared or simply have a difficult education. distance. That is why today we will learn how to gamify a class to help teachers make their classes more enjoyable. Gamification in education examples
Educators constantly have to shape their teaching methods. For some students, finding the motivation to complete homework or prepare for class can also be a constant struggle, and they also become frustrated. How to achieve a balance?
Games are a motivator that almost all children respond to, they can be a very strong motivator for students when applied in an educational context. Thus, some educators have adopted the concept of making learning more fun through games, in which the structure of the game is applied to a non-playful setting.
Although some teachers may use play-based learning, such as having students play to reinforce content, play elements such as challenges, feedback, levels, creativity, and rewards are used to motivate students to learn. and master the concepts. Gamification in education examples
Ideas to gamify a class
Here we share some concrete ideas to get your class gamified in a simple and effective way:
1. Involve your students in class design
Present the class program in a fun way. Work with students to develop the narrative for the class, as well as short-term and long-term goals.
Allow students to have a say in class design. In this way, students will get behind the wheel of their own learning, allowing them to express their creativity and have some control over the direction of the class.
Since the design of the class is a collaborative effort, it will give students a sense of ownership and responsibility towards the outcome of the class.
2. Allow second chances. And third.
Another way to gamify a class is by giving students more lives, just like in video games! So it allows students more opportunities when they make mistakes, learn from their mistakes, and try again until they succeed. Students who are immediately successful have the option of moving on to a new challenge, or trying to increase their score. Gamification in education examples
This motivates students to self-learn, master skills, and increase performance, while removing the pressure or stigma of failure. In games, and in life, failure is an essential component of success.
Although this will require more work in terms of qualification for teachers, student performance and understanding will certainly increase.
3. Give feedback to your students
In a gaming environment, feedback is essential so that users know how they are doing. If a user makes a choice in a game, it is usually immediately known whether that choice was the correct one.
The classrooms must function in a similar way, as students must be able to receive and give feedback to know if the steps they are taking are going in the right direction.
It is not only about the teacher giving feedback to the student, but also between them.
4. Make progress visible
In games, users often have levels or progress bars that indicate how well they are doing in the game. So if you’re wondering how to gamify a class, include similar elements in the classroom that indicate how far the students are and how close they are to reaching the next level.
Instead of issuing grades or percentages, teachers can issue progress bars to students, or allow them to manage their own. With each completed assignment, exam or project, a certain number of points can be added to your progress bar, bringing you closer to reaching the next level.
This allows students to set goals and celebrate success once they reach it. This can be tremendous for students’ confidence, as they are once again allowed to learn from their mistakes, and motivated to raise their achievements to the next level. Gamification in education examples
5. Create challenges or missions instead of tasks and projects
In games, users constantly have to overcome challenges such as identifying patterns, cracking codes, or completing missions in order to advance. The same elements can be applied to a classroom, as homework and projects can be presented in a fun but challenging way.
By simply changing the context in which assignments are presented, teachers transform the act of working into a more fun and epic activity.
6. Offer individual badges and rewards
Badges or other rewards is another way to gamify a class. They are a great way to recognize student achievement and incentivize them to continue striving for academic goals.
By providing a tangible symbol of achievement, badges and rewards can be very effective in celebrating certain student accomplishments, and can be a great tool to boost their confidence. Even if badges are awarded for the simple act of attempting an assignment, completing extra credit, or showing effort to achieve a goal, mere recognition of effort can go a long way in motivating students to learn. Gamification in education examples
7. Take advantage of the use of new technological tools
Teachers are increasingly looking for creative ways to teach and motivate students to participate and improve their performance through fun.
Tools like LivePolls allow you to gamify a class by easily creating quizzes or trivia to do dynamics with your students, making the class more interactive.
Play and learn in a fun way and create healthy competition among your students to see who answers first on a topic in class. Without a doubt, these types of tools will help you keep your class entertained.
Gamifying a class provides an innovative way to facilitate learning, fostering collaboration, creativity, as well as motivating students to continue learning.
What are the benefits?
Through these techniques the teacher will be able to maintain a teaching method that will result in the following benefits:
1-Playful in the classroom:
Being a strategy that can be applied to different areas, it is possible to incentivize them in a non-traditional way that is also effective. Using recreation and motivation it is also possible to reinforce students’ knowledge . Gamification in education examples
2-Active motivation:
When students are in an environment where their way of learning is much more dynamic and participatory , they should be part of it. Your interaction and interest will increase considerably.
3-Improvement in personal and academic performance:
Due to the feedback that this activity suggests, knowledge is better consolidated . The handling of information is greater, which is reflected in the grades and performance of the student group.
4-Greater communication and cooperation:
Through these dynamics, it is possible to strengthen camaraderie, cooperation and teamwork. Which is essential for the adaptation and integration of students to the group.
5-Renewal of the learning method:
The way of learning can be adapted in a less behavioral way, using different tools beyond explaining a class, taking tests and assignments. Gamification in the classroom maintains interest in the subject, transforming it into an entertaining activity , ideal for exposing complicated concepts in a simpler way.
Examples of gamification in the primary classroom
Although there are many strategies to use, the choice will depend on the teacher who will determine which are appropriate according to their objectives. This step is essential, by defining the goals to be achieved it is easier to find the strategy and incorporate these dynamics into your plans more regularly.
Now, what gamification activities in the classroom are the most appropriate for primary school? As we have mentioned, depending on the area and the knowledge to be reinforced, different techniques can be used: Gamification in education examples
Examples of gamification in the classroom: the mechanics to use
The mechanics refer to the parameters that will help to achieve the objectives to be achieved that are beyond the game. It helps to weigh the bases of the game according to the performance and development of the student , thus motivating him to achieve the objectives. Among the most common mechanics are:
- Awards: for each goal achieved, the winner receives a prize.
- Scoring: depending on the number of goals, each one will have a percentage, weight or number of points to receive for each goal achieved.
- Classification: based on performance or points obtained, classify by place, position or lists.
- Challenge: The competition is used here to determine who or which group will get the points or the prize.
- Mission: the participants must solve a problem, puzzle, question or challenge to achieve the objective or score.
- Bonus: depending on the objectives achieved, they are awarded a gift, benefit or bonus.
Examples of gamification in the classroom: more accessible dynamics
They encourage motivation in the participants in order to make them feel comfortable to continue in the activity by their own decision, and they differ according to the objective to be achieved: Gamification in education examples
- Reward: used to maintain interest and concentration in reaching a goal.
- Position: use hierarchy as a model to highlight certain skills or performances.
- Competence: seeks to externalize the skills to use them in favor, either individually or in a group, to achieve the goal.
- Achievements: highlight the progress and progress obtained through the activity.
- Expression: that the participants can say what they think, feel and think about the experience. Promotes self-confidence and communication.
