Accidental learning...something that happens all the time, but not something that is normally associated with school. A lot of students hate the idea of school. It's basically a building where they're forced to go everyday, and are forced to gain knowledge, or else bad things will happen. Sounds a little bit like prison if you ask me. It doesn't have to feel that way, though. It's up to the teachers, and the students, to make it different.
School is mandatory. And, a lot of times, if you tell a kid to do something, they really are not going to want to do it. Teachers jobs are extra tricky because of this. Somehow, teachers have to make students enjoy going where they're forced to spend all of their sunny days. Maybe it's okay to trick them into learning every once in a while...shh don't tell them.
That's right, trick them into learning. How? Use Gamification techniques in your classroom. Games can be a really effective way of teaching material, while adding components of competition, and fun into the classroom. Many students will be more engaged, and the experiences they have in the classroom will be more memorable. They will associate the material being learned with the game, and it will stick better...or that's the hope.
In class tonight, we talked a lot about using Jeopardy as a review game. It seemed to be a favorite for a lot of people. I am an avid Jeopardy watcher, and I always got excited to play in school. Knowing that I was going to play Jeopardy in one of my classes the next day at school made me motivated to study. I wanted my team to win, and I didn't want to look dumb in front of my peers. This sense of competition, and proving myself is exactly why Gamification works. I was tricked into studying, in a way.
There are some things to remember when using Gamification in the classroom. Sometimes, games end up being pointless, and students have no idea why they just did something for a whole class period. Teachers have to be sure to give a clear end goal. If students are working towards nothing, they won't have any motivation. In order for the games to be effective, they have to know what it is you need from them.
Feedback is also very important. Think about any computer or video game you have ever played. If you do something wrong, you die. And then you start over. You do this again and again, until you get it right. The same should go for games in schools. Students need to know how they are doing during a game, in order for them to stay engaged. Have checkpoints for them to reach, or some kind of a way for them to check their answers. If they do get it wrong, have them use problem solving to get it right, instead of handing out the answers.
Gamification in the classroom allows students to interact, and to learn from one another. It may seem crazy, but Gamification teaches more real life communication skills than traditional schooling does. Kids are talking, sharing ideas, and interacting with people they normally wouldn't. These are all skills that are important in life, arguably more so than the square root of 9. Gamification allows students to learn the material and life skills, maybe without even realizing it.
Tricking students into learning something with games isn't a bad thing at all. If it's for a the sake of their own learning, tricking students is the smartest way to go. They will thank you later for the tricks, and the knowledge they got out of them.
