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Launching Game-Based Learning

As a teacher, the challenge is how to make learning accessible, engaging and to make it memorable for our students. It is a quest for every teacher to consider the ways that our lessons will be structured to meet the needs of our students and make sure that it moves their learning forward.

This year as part of our Professional Development at my school, we are engaged in an Action Research Inquiry Learning Plan. The Action research model uses the spirals of inquiry to determine the needs of our learners and researching further into one area of interest. John Spencer explains it very well in this video:



What is Game-Based Learning? 

The area that I have chosen will be centred around game-based learning. Game-based learning borrows ideas and principles of competition and engagement to real-life situations. While students play they engage in concepts and feedback that are designed with an educational endpoint (Game-based Learning definition, Annie Pho and Amanda Dinscore 2015). It allows students to practice skills without feeling that they are at risk of being judged. They can teach resilience and persistence in a way that is supportive. This infographic shows the impact game-based learning can have on students:

The information that is presented in a game will stick with students not only because they are engaging, but they immerse them in mastery, decision-making and a range of different senses. 
A good resource to look at Piloting a Game-based learning program is John Spencer's Seven steps to Pilot a Game-based learning Unit.


Can Game-based learning improve the learning outcomes of my students? 

The first step in this process is to start finding out more about Game-based learning particularly in the area of Mathematics, as there are many children who find the concepts overwhelming and don't know where to start with problem-solving. 

Triangulating the data from a range of Maths tests has helped to establish which students need greater support in this area, but also which students have mastered strategies and concepts. This has been a beneficial process in getting an overall idea of the range of abilities that exist in my classroom. 

My next step will be to start to research about Game-based learning. My goals are as follows:
  • How has it been used successfully in Classrooms?
  • What are some good first strategies to start implementing Game-based learning?
  • How will I know if game-based learning is successful?
I am looking forward to learning more about using Games within my classroom as I believe students will grow academically and socially through this type of learning. 

Are there any resources on Game-based learning that I could try? 






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