Tips, Tricks, and Tools to help busy educators create game-inspired learning experiences.

1. Classroom Game Master
Tips, Tricks, and Tools to Help Busy
Educators Create Game-Inspired
Learning Experiences

2. This session is also a game!

3. To Play:
1. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/nccatgame
2. Go to File —> Make A Copy!
3. When you have completed a quest, put an X in the cell.
4. There are hints on slides that connect to specific quests!
5. If you don’t have Twitter, use the backchannel:
https://todaysmeet.com/nccatgame

4. Your Play Board

5. 19
@alicekeeler
alicekeeler.com
Shout Out!

6. www.edurealms.com
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7. What is a game?
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8. Common Elements of Games
Goals
Rules
Artificial Barriers
Voluntary
Participation
Feedback
SystemStory
Win-Loss
Challenge
InteractionCompetition
Chance
Conflict/Cooperation
Fun
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9. “A game is a system in which
players engage in an artificial
conflict, defined by rules, that
results in a quantifiable
outcome.”
- Salen and Zimmerman

10. Learning Spaces
as
Game Spaces

11. Gamification
Badges
Leaderboards
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12. It’s not a silver bullet.
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13. Taking Learning Beyond Simple
Gamification

14. Story Elements and Role-play
Identify your learning goals in the context of a real/fictional
story world.
If this lesson/unit were a movie or
fictional novel, what would it involve?
Plot? Theme?
What roles will/can my learners play?
How can I guide and move the story forward?
Questions to help:
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15. Chance and Uncertainty
Incorporate elements of uncertainty, novelty, mystery, and
surprise into the lesson/unit.
What aspects of the lesson are non-negotiable? What aspects
can be randomized?
What actions will trigger chance events?
Questions to help:
Are there opportunities for elements that are
simply fun or silly?
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16. Choice and Pathways
Design in such a way that learners have multiple pathways
that lead to the same learning outcomes.
How can I design the lesson in such a way that learners can
customize their own experience?
Does the experience have to
be the same for every learner?
Questions to help:
Can I incorporate
bonus/side options for
learners who wish to go
deeper?

17. Rewards and Feedback
Provide feedback early and often. Rethink failure.
If a student fails can they re-try?
How can I help student-players gain a
vision/desire for how to “win the class?”
Questions to help:
Is progress toward goals
visible/tangible?
Do rewards impact the
experience?

18. Technology Not Required!

19. But it helps!

20. Here Are Some Tools!
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21. Google Apps!

22. Badging Tools

23. Classroom Tools

24. Productivity/Apps

25. …and a not-so-techy tool.
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26. A Great Example…

27. Paul Darvasi (@pauldarvasi)
English Teacher in Toronto,
Canada
Created The Ward Game
based on Kasey’s One Flew
Over The Cuckoo’s Nest
“I saw an incredible level of
engagement. Some of my
students became obsessed by
the game.”
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28. Let’s Watch The Video!
https://vimeo.com/85625959

29. Tips!

30. Start Small!
Capitalize on your passion!
Leverage your students!
Experiment and iterate!
Re-think assessment, grades,
and failure.
Have fun!!!