My learning goals for this course were to learn how game creation and development can meet Ontario Curriculum Expectations and understand the theory behind why students are motivated to learn through games. Game-based learning is not a new concept, I notice how students are engaged with learning with technology and observed how students enjoy learning through digital games such as Kahoot, Reflex Math and Scratch Coding. However, prior to this course I did not see a direct correlation between game-play and academic success. I did not fully appreciate video games as a learning medium and my perception was that video games were a waste of one’s time. Furthermore, I did not understand students’ learning can be positively impacted through digital gameplay.
Game genres such as competition, strategy and role-play are factors that make game-based learning a motivating and rich medium for learning. Students are motivated to learn through video games since they are a medium for students to learn by doing and actively participating in their learning. Video games provide students with multiple entry points to learning. Each students’ perspective and experiences will naturally differentiate how they engage in this learning environment. Students have a safe and inclusive environment to learn through trial and error. If students are not able to pass a level they continue to persevere and strategize new ways to be successful.
Digital games create a narrative learning environment through role-play and storytelling. Throughout this course, I learned game elements support student engagement, immersion and learning. Game interaction through audio and visual elements provides students with immediate feedback. Digital games as a learning medium embed choice and agency for students. Immersion is positively impacted through student choice in character development, game environment and the narrative.
Game-based learning supports student’s development of 21st-century learning competencies, media literacy, digital literacy and information literacy, as well as the games, target subject content areas. Through gameplay students practice critical thinking to solve problems, communicate with the game or peers through controllers, touch screens or kinesthetically. Digital games organically support student’s information literacy skills as students find, process, analyse and evaluate information through game mechanics and the game environment.
Students think creatively while playing and constructing their own games. Based on my experience creating a digital game, I can state with confidence that I learned more through creating the game then students will learn through playing the game. In order to create the Superior North Digital Race (SNDR), an understanding of the Grade 4 – 6 Social Studies Curriculum was needed; research of the content areas within the curriculum was required to find engaging questions. Furthermore, consideration of all the possible answers to the clues and questions was researched. There are many digital tools learned through building the game; Google Maps, Slides, Forms, Read and Write, Kahoot, Geogussr and Online Voice Recorder. Connecting these digital resources together in a comprehensive way, that can easily be integrated into the classroom by educators, was a learning experience.
The next step as a technology leader within the school board will be to actively pursue and promote game-based learning and create digital games similar to SNDR to share with teachers to be utilized as classroom resources. Since a significant amount of time was required to create SNDR and considering that time is a barrier for classroom teachers to create their own games, I will model the use of digital games during my classroom visits, share games with students and model for teachers how digital games can be implemented. Engaging students in creating their own digital games to share with their peers will also be part of my long-term plan. Using my SNDR game as a template will allow students to collaboratively work together and build their own digital games. This supports student media literacy and information literacy skills and will alleviate the barrier of a teacher’s time. Finally, I will continue to promote the implementation and creation of digital games into the classroom and follow up directly with students and teachers for concerns or challenges.
