I admit, I was impressed with Paul Anderson's gamified AP Bio class. I was impressed with the amount of work that he put in and I was impressed at student engagement. However, I wonder what happens when gamification becomes routine? I worry that teachers only reach a certain student population through gamification.
The whole idea of turning your curriculum into a video game style game is interesting. Personally, I have fond memories of Oregon Trail... until I went on a dying streak. Notably, we didn't play Oregon Trail all year. The game supplemented many, many other activities.
As for me as a lower elementary person... a little gamification would be refreshing and fun. In most K-4 classrooms the classroom teacher teaches every discipline except specials (PE, music, library, computers). Gamification has a place, but not in everything. It would be interesting to see a gamified elementary classroom.
I am an proponent of moderation. It turns out that mothers are correct... one cookie is a treat, 5 is a stomach ache, and 15 is a vomit fest. The same thing rings true in education. Like I mentioned in another post---- beware the educational bandwagon! I will do what fits my teaching situation and my kiddos.
The best gamification strategy, in my opinion, comes in the way of apps---especially math apps. Hands on math apps/games take the place of mundane worksheets.... everyone knows how I feel about math worksheets... Why not use a game in that situation?
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