Instructional Gaming

By: Ernie Hinojosa, Jack Boucke, Kim Kuhlman

What is Instructional Gaming ?

A learning activity that encourages students to perform a specific subjects
skills in a game format.
A game that and demonstrates they can perform a skill with at least moderate
success.
Assists students to master appropriate skills, to develop automaticity (fluency),
and/or to maintain their mastery of skills over a period of time.
Individualized, small group, and whole class.

Why Is It Important?
Keep the students engaged.
Provide students with multiple opportunities to respond to a particular
learning task.
Make practicing skills fun.
Meet a variety of learning styles.
Can be used as an incentive.
Used to promote social and academic development.

Theory on Instructional Gaming

The human brain is designed to learn through experience and experience
has no meaning except in some context.
Simulation games can provide that experience in the absence of real life
experience. Thus, simulation games are a powerful tool whose use can
only be expected to increase(e.g., Brown, Collins, & Duguid, 1989;
Perelman, 1992).

Types of Instructional Games

Simulation (3D)
Levels
Drill and Practice
Modeling
Puzzles
Adventure
Experimental

Instructional Games By Subject

Elementary English: Standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.5.B ISTE
(Standards for students): 4A.Game type: Drill and Practice.
Link: http://www.abcya.com/synonyms_antonyms.htm
Middle School Math: Standard: CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.A.2.
(Evaluate Square roots). ISTE (Standards for students): 4C.
Game type: Level/Drill and Practice Link:
http://www.math-play.com/square-roots-game.html

Instructional Games By Subject

High School ELA: Standard: CCSS.ELA.RL.9-10.1. ISTE (Standard for
students): 1B. Game type: Modeling, Procedural Simulation.
Link: http://generator.acmi.net.au/storyboard/interactive

More Instructional Games

Elementary Science: Standard: (5-LS2-1). ISTE (Standards for
students):1C. Game type: Problem solving. Link:
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/gamesactivities/foodchains.html
Beneficial for students with special-needs: ISTE (Standards for students):
2B. Game type: Modeling. Link:
http://www.do2learn.com/games/feelingsgame/index.htm

Games and Common Core

Boys are highly motivated to read text in the context of games. But they are
unmotivated -- flat out bored -- by the texts they are required to read in
class or analyze on tests(Dr. Steinkuehler 2013).
Games need to demonstrate how interest-driven and collaborative learning
can accomplish the goals of the Common Core.
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/games-common-core-need-each-other-milton-c
hen

Gaming Curriculum
Quest to learn public school in New York has incorporated technology into
everyday lessons and uses it as its core instructional method
(Richardson, 2012, p. 47).

Gaming and Curriculum Cont.

Rebecca Rupo-Teffer, director of integrated learning at the Institute of Play
shared that The curriculum itself is game like in that it is immersive,
participatory, allows for social engagement, and provides a challenge
based context for students to work within. Students are given immediate
and constant feedback and dont progress unless they have mastered
certain knowledge and skills that are needed to complete a quest.
Instead of having the kids play games that merely ask for the answer these
games focus on teaching the students that there are often several different
solutions to a problem.

EcoMUVE
Gaming simulation incorporated into a school's curriculum.
Benefits: Helps students understand different ecosystems.
Link: http://ecolearn.gse.harvard.edu/ecoMUVE/overview.php

3D Gaming
Exploratory study was done at Orchard Primary School to assess learning
engagement as the students participate in a 3D virtual environment.
Quest Atlantis (QA) developed by Center for Research on Learning and
Technology (CRLT) at Indiana University.
What is apparent about the definitions of engagement is that they entail
some kind of mindfulness, intrinsic motivation, cognitive effort, and
attention(Bangert-Drowns & Pyke, 2001; Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1998;
Lee & Anderson, 1993, p. 213).

3D Gaming Continued
QA allows students to do independent learning through, information
collection, interpretation and analysis, and personal reflection to foster
critical thinking and metacognition.

Challenges of 3D Gaming
Lack of student computer competency
Role of the teacher: The study found that the teacher contributed to the
students engagement. The teacher supported the learner by providing the
objectives of the lesson, along with modeling how to complete the task.

Who Does this help?

Students with different learning styles.
Students who are struggling.
Students who are advanced.
Students with disabilities.
Basically anyone!

Works Cited
Bangert-Drowns, R. & Pyke, R. (2001). A taxonomy of student engagement
with educational software: an exploration of literate thinking with electronic
text. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 24, 3, 213234
Dempsey, John V. (1994). Instructional Gaming: Implications for Instructional
Technology.Eric Data Base:Feb 94 21p.
Kearsley, G. & Shneiderman, B. (1998). Engagement theory: a framework for
technology-based teaching and learning. Educational Technology, 38, 5, 2023

Works Cited Continued

Lee, O. & Anderson, C. W. (1993). Task engagement and conceptual change in
middle school science classrooms. American Educational Research
Journal, 30, 3, 585610.
Lim, C., Nonis, D., & Hedberg, J. (2006). Gaming in a 3D multiuser virtual
environment: Engaging students in Science lessons. Br Educ Technol
British Journal of Educational Technology, 37(No 2), 211-231.

Works Cited Continued

Richardson, W. (2012, July 1). Gaming Gains Respect. Retrieved September
14, 2015, from
http://www.districtadministration.com/article/gaming-gains-respect