To kick things off introduce yourself in the ‘Leave a Reply’ area below. Tell us whether you are a “gamer” or a “skeptic.” What’s your interest in gamifiying education? And tell us what campus you are with and anything else you’d like to share that you think might be of interest.
10 Bonus Points: Earn bonus points for commenting on another player’s introduction (earned only once).
Earn the Recruiter Badge by referring someone to the game. You will need to email who you referred. The badge will not be rewarded until the person registers.
Charla
Robin
Val
Lee
Marian
Ann
Dave
Mary
I am neither a gamer nor a skeptic. As someone who came from K-12 education and has studied brain-based learning, many of the techniques of gamefied learning are familiar to me. So, the gamer part of me, says, of course, finally and the skeptic part of me says the same thing. I appreciated the distinction between gamefied learning, learning games, and simulations that Karl Kapp made last week. Sometimes I feel like a curmudgeon because I don’t jump on the latest bandwagon in learning – whether it be MOOCs or gamefication or some new ed tech. I want to make sure that the focus remains on the learning outcomes, so I consider myself an intentional adapter, which some may see as slow.
I am an instructional designer, currently in the Community and Technical College at UAA.
It is nice to meet you lm.
I’m sorry that I missed the presentation last week by Mr. Kapp, I think it would have been a good skeptic check for me. I am not a gamer and am a slow adapter but a very willing learner. I too am focused on learning outcomes before selecting a new technology so am hoping this challenge will help me decide if I am willing to be a game adapter.
I like that term “Intentional adapter”. I’m in Palmer and try to keep up with some of what is happening at UAA since its close. I did some of the webinars that UAA did 2 weeks ago for online learning. Learned a few new tricks.
Hi Lee, I also appreciated hearing the distinctions between gamified learning, learning games, and simulations. We do a lot of really cool simulations in the nursing program with programmable mannikins and that is really beneficial. I posted some other examples of ways I try to use learning games in my courses. It was really validating for me to hear that students respond so well to Case Studies that are very life-like as I found that to be so true this semester. We have used Case Studies for a long time in nursing education, but I recently got a new book called ‘Case Mysteries of Pathophysiology’ that I use in Pharmacology. The students really love it cause it has some much more ‘real’ life patient data than just our typical several paragraph patient description following by a few ‘what should do about?’ questions. It also has a patient follow-up outcome piece that I can post for them after our in class discussions so they know what happened to the patient and can ‘see’ additional patient data results following treatment. Karl mentioned that students want to know what ultimately happens in these scenarios and I can know see evidence of how vital that piece really can be. Although it is not as involved as a simulation with a mannikin, it does bring the clinical scenario more fully into the classroom than our previous use of the case study technique.
I love case studies as a learning tool. That’s how my educational psychology class was designed. I read the whole textbook, not in order, but in the order that made sense for the cases I was pondering. It was a great learning methodology.
Hi Imhenrikson,
I too was piqued by Karl Kapp’s presentation and am rethinking gamification for my courses. As one who has not been a big supporter of gaming in higher education, I am now finding that there may be more to “gaming” than meets the eye. Simulations and “gamifications” may be very effective. I too focus on learning outcomes; however, I am also concerned about the behavioral characteristics that gaming may create. I am interested in encouraging students to develop a research oriented mindset. I worry that gaming teaches students that it is all about “winning” and not seeking the truth out of curiosity. I wonder if gaming prevents students from learning the behavioral traits that leads students to learn for the desire to understand the world we live in or for the desire to uncover the laws that might guide our universe.
I totally agree with your concerns about gaming and think the world needs less of the winning and more of the cooperative spirit, but I also wonder if there is a way to create games that do push those behavioral traits of analytical thinking, understanding and compassion that the world so desperately needs.
Hey there – one thing that keeps bobbing around in the back of my mind is how competitive we are as a people in the United States. It would be interesting to explore the concept of gamification in a more collectivist society (e.g. China) or other cultural dimensions in general.
Reference: Hofstede, G. (2001). Culture’s consquences: Comparing values, behaviors, institutions, and organizations across nations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
I have a bit of a reaction to the terms gamefication and gaming in education. However, I apply some of the principles when I use brain-based learning. So, I am starting to be more at ease with these words.
You have a good point Ann: as part of intentional adapting of a teaching/learning strategy, it’s important to consider the behavioral traits that the strategy evokes. I see potential for some good traits with gamefication – collaboration and persistence come to my mind first.
I work with career and technical education faculty. I was musing with a professor today about simulating the workplace environment when students did presentations to help encourage the students to give realistic feedback to their peers. In the classroom, this bunch of students had been reluctant to provide feedback that wasn’t all positive. In the workplace, that could hurt the employer. Reframing the giving of feedback as a part of a workplace simulation might help. There’s a responsibility to provide honest feedback to help the work proceed.
I always tell students that “feedback is a gift” and what they choose to do with that gift can help them become better. I also have them role play giving and receiving feedback which also seems to help.
Hi all,
Excited to take the 10 day challenge, but as those you know me know my little squirrel brain might not be able to focus that long. HAHA.
I’m a bid proponent of game based learning and gamification, having studied it in graduate school and even writing a bit on it. That said, I have to agree with Lee, we have to keep the focus on the learning goals before adopting any bright and shiny new ed tech thingy.
By day, I am the Director of Academic Innovations & eLearning at UAA. By night, I sleep.
Dave,
It is fun and exciting to be in this challenge. I am especially looking forward to engaging in this professional learning activity with colleagues across UA and am pleased that our colleagues at UAS invited us to participate.
Hi All,
My name is Leslie Gordon and I am the Program Director for the Health Information Management Program. The content can be a little less than exciting sometimes, it would be nice to throw in some fun and games.
I look forward to seeing games in action in the educational setting!
Leslie,
Nice to see you in this context since meeting you in the grant with Cook Inlet Tribal Council on Health Information Management. That’s another example of cross- MAU collaboration since the students are on the UAA campus and the instructors – you and Susie – are in Souteast.
Hi Leslie! It’s great to “see” you again and I love how our paths keep crossing. I think the topic of HIM would lend itself well to gamification and it will be interesting to learn what you will be able to practically apply from these exercises. I look forward to seeing your additional posts!
And cabrown = Charla Brown 🙂
Hello-I’m Robin G from the Juneau campus of UAS. I teach in the construction technology department as a residential design and drafting instructor. I have been teaching full-time for UAS since 2007. I earned a Master of Educational Technology from UAS in 2010 and have been hooked on learning teaching technology to apply in my courses ever since the first course in the program.
I am a first time computer gamer (believe it or not). I’m looking forward to having some fun playing with the rest of the participant in this 10 challenge.
Hi Robin,
I am lmhenrikson above. I worked for 1 1/2 years with the faculty in the Architectural Engineering and Design program at CTC at UAA. I helped them move to synchronous mixed-delivery classes.
Hi Val Barber here. I want to learn more about this whole gaming thing. Sorry I missed last weeks presentation but I was flying. I am a Forestry Specialist with UAF- SNRE. School of Natural Resources and Ag just combined with Cooperative extension, thus SNRE- School of Natural Resources and Extension. I teach the Intro to Chem 103 online and am looking to incorporate some gaming and fun stuff into it. I like doing games that challenge my mind. Looking forward to 10 days of challenge.
Let’s get together for coffee! I live in Palmer. Maybe we can get Kathi to join us and even Susan Mircovich who teaches chemistry online for Kenai College.
Always available for coffee 😉 (tried some html – just an experiment!)
Hi Challengers! Like Lee says above I am an Assistant Professor of Chemistry for KPC, and I teach online chemistry. Previously I was an instructional designer at UAA. I have over 100 students every semester, so it is important to find ways to keep them engaged in the course. I do use many games that I would classify as “self-check” type activities which are completed individually. Am interested in figuring out how to incorporate/offer multiplayer online games – don’t know if I am smart enough for that!
For brainstorming purposes, here are few ideas to share but I cannot speak to their quality or accuracy. You may already have some of these resources!
Jefferson Lab – Science Education Games & Puzzles
http://education.jlab.org/indexpages/elementgames.html
Sheppard Software – Chemistry Games
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/Elementsgames.htm
The Department of Chemistry at the University of Illinois:
http://www.chem.illinois.edu/clcwebsite/olresources.html
Various Online Chemistry Labs (e.g. University of Oxford, Iowa State University, Dartmouth, Davidson University):
http://onlinelabs.in/chemistry
Hi! I’m Marian Allen, the low tech in the high tech team here in Sitka’s Title III team. I also teach ESL and an asynchronous 593 course for teachers who want to teach cold water safety and survival. I’m not a gamer, but am interested to see how it interfaces with education.
Like lm, I consider myself to be neither gamer or skeptic. If anything, I am insatiably interested in how to apply concepts in creative ways to keep students engaged and interested, particularly in a distance environment. I love surprising my students with new twists although I usually only introduce one or two into a class to avoid overload.
I hail from Juneau and work as a member of faculty in the School of Management at UAS. I moved to Alaska in August 2013 and don’t think I’ll ever go back south. I love the rain and the snow and the trees and the mountains… the list goes on and on. Although I did have my first official bought of cabin fever last week which results in tickets to Vegas over the holiday break.
P.S. I have invited four colleagues to play but I don’t know if they will sign up or not.
Hello, I am an Outreach nursing faculty member who teaches blended distance delivered classes. I have used programs that create games for posting on Bb such as concentration, fill in the blank, and flash cards out of course content so that students have a fun way to review material for exams. I have rec’d a lot of positive feedback about having that available. I also use a lot of clicker questions and case studies in the VC portion of the class. Recently I found a great resource called ‘Case Mysteries in Pathophysiology’ that really makes the case studies so much more realistic as it contains lab results, radiology films, and a lot of other types of patient data for students to evaluate. I used it for the first time this semester and it rec’d very enthusiastic feedback. Take care, Margie
I love the idea of “case mysteries” – that sounds like a lot of fun!!! Also, these websites may be of interest to you just for brainstorming purposes.
TOP 10 ONLINE TOOLS FOR NURSES:
http://www.nursingschoolhub.com/top-10-online-tools-for-nurses/
50 GREAT LEARNING TOOLS & VIDEO GAMES FOR NURSE & HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS:
http://onlinenursingdegreeguide.org/2009/50-great-learning-tools-video-games-for-nurses-health-professionals/
GAMES, SIMULATIONS & VIRTUAL WORLDS IN NURSING EDUCATION
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/780819
Hello, I am an Assistant Professor of Economics at the University of Alaska Southeast. I develop and instruct online asynchronous courses. I have not been one who has supported games in higher education. I have not believed that it teaches the behavioral characteristics that create an appropriate higher education milieu. But I keep an open mind with all new technologies in the event that I have missed some important concept that could help me become a more effective instructor.
Hi, I’m Mary Purvis and I support faculty at UAS. I’ve been observing this game stuff, but not participating much. I’m interested, but not so sure it’s worth the effort. Now I’m here to see what is going on and get my mind changed by all of your awsome energy and enthusiasm.
I meant to mention that I am currently using a simulation in my Principles of Human Resources Management course which measures students on a variety of performance measures to include unit cost, quality index, morale, absenteeism, grievances, and budget. They work in teams and become incredibly competitive to achieve the top spot in these categories on a week-to-week basis depending on the strategy they choose to employ. I am not sure if if this is the right place to put this or not but there it is.