Choosing and Using Digital Games in the Classroom – A Practical Guide

By Katrin Becker

This book is full of lists and practical advice on how to use games in the classroom. It takes you from the theories that underpin both learning and teaching with games to the practical application of these theories. There are dozens of strategies for using games in the classroom and templates to help you design and build lesson plans for single classes or entire courses.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
For a more detailed table of contents, try here.
To view individual chapter details and links to additional resources, click on the chapter links, right.

Table of Contents

Preface

  1. Who This Book is For
  2. What This Book Covers
  3. How This Book is Structured
  4. What You Can Get Out of this Book
  5. What You Need to Use This Book
  6. Conventions

Part ONE - Context

Chapter 1. What Is It About Games?

  1. What is a Game?
    1. Defining 'Game'
  2. Why We Need to Analyse Games
  3. Why Games?
    1. Games in Society
    2. Games in Education
    3. Talking About Games
      1. Digital VS Analog
      2. Game vs Simulation
      3. Computer Game vs Computer-Mediated Game
      4. Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) vs. Digital Game Pedagogy (DGP) vs. Gamification
      5. Serious Game
      6. Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) Games
    4. Going Digital
  4. Games Now
  5. Summary
  6. References

Chapter 2. Digital Game-Based Learning: Learning With Games

  1. Theoretical Underpinnings of DGBL
    1. Learning Theories
      1. Behaviorist Approaches
        1. Operant Conditioning
        2. Connectionism
        3. Conditions of Learning
      2. Cognitive Approaches
        1. Schemata
        2. Cognitive Development
        3. Attribution Theory
        4. Cognitive Apprenticeship
        5. Cognitive Load Theory
      3. Social Learning Approaches
        1. Social Learning Theory
        2. Social Development Theory
        3. Situated Learning
        4. Social Constructivism
      4. Constructivist Approaches
        1. Actor-Network Theory
        2. Discovery Learning
        3. Activity Theory
        4. Constructionism
      5. Humanist Approaches
        1. Experiential Learning
        2. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
        3. Self Determination Theory
        4. Flow Theory
  2. The Clark-Kozma Debate, Revisited
  3. All Games Teach
  4. Why Games?
  5. Why NOT Games?
  6. Games Literacy
  7. Summary
  8. References

Chapter 3. Digital Game Pedagogy: Teaching With Games

  1. Introduction
  2. Studying the Masters
    1. Choosing Good Games
  3. Instructional Design Theory
    1. Didactic Approaches
      1. Gagné's Nine Events
      2. Reigeluth's Elaboration Theory
      3. Merrill's 1st Principles
    2. Instructionist Approaches
      1. Spiral Instruction
      2. Programmed Instruction
      3. Direct Instruction
    3. Bricolage
      1. Problem-Based Learning
      2. Situated Learning
      3. Discovery Learning
    4. Hermeneutic Approaches
      1. Activity Theory
      2. Constructivist Learning Environments
      3. ARCS
    5. Cognitive Approaches
      1. Advance Organizers
      2. Information Processing
      3. Cognitive Apprenticeship
  4. Game Elements
  5. Summary
  6. References

Part Two - Choosing Games

Chapter 4. Commercial Off-The-Shelf Games (COTS)

  1. Introduction
  2. Digital Games are Special
  3. Fitness for Purpose
    1. Advantages to Using COTS Games
    2. Disadvantages to Using COTS Games
    3. Games for Content
      1. Angry Birds
      2. Civilization IV
      3. The SIMs
      4. FIFA Soccer
      5. Roller Coaster Tycoon
      6. Assassin's Creed
    4. Games as Environment
      1. Minecraft
      2. Portal
    5. Games as Literature
      1. Gone Home
  4. Summary
  5. References, Resources
    1. References
    2. Resources

Chapter 5. A Magic Bullet

  1. Introduction
    1. Informal Research
    2. Formal Research on Games
    3. Playing Games
    4. A Better Way
  2. The Magic Bullet Model
    1. Things We CAN Learn (CL)
    2. Things We MUST Learn (ML)
    3. External Learning (EL)
    4. Coincidental Learning (CoL)
    5. Variations on a Theme
      1. Equal Balance
      2. Must ≈≈ Can
      3. Must > Can
      4. Must « Can
      5. Thin Games
    6. Magic Bullet for Education
      1. Operational Learning
      2. Educational Learning
      3. Discretionary Learning
  3. Summary
  4. References & Resources

Chapter 6. Evaluating Games

  1. Introduction
  2. What's Important in a Game for Learning?
  3. What Roles Do Teachers Play?
  4. Decorative Media Principle
  5. Becker's Lazy Test (a.k.a. The BLT)
  6. The Four Pillars
    1. Gameplay
      1. Content & Originality
      2. Game Mechanics
      3. Game Progression
      4. Artistic Design
      5. Set, Settings, Characters & Costumes
      6. Audio
    2. Educational Content
      1. Instructional Strategies
      2. Instructional Design
      3. Objectives
      4. Integration
      5. Accuracy
      6. Assessment
    3. Teacher Support
      1. Teacher's Guide
      2. Plug N' Play
      3. Supplementary resources
      4. Community
    4. Magic Bullet Rating
      1. Overall Balance
      2. Can vs. Must
      3. Operational vs Educational
      4. Educational vs Discretionary
  7. Summary
  8. References

Chapter 7. 4PEG In Action

  1. September 12
    1. Game Description
    2. Summary Review
    3. Game Overview
    4. Educational Review
    5. Teacher Support
    6. Educational Content
    7. Magic Bullet Assessment
    8. Instructional Strategies
    9. Possible Uses and Affordances
  2. Osy Osmosis
    1. Game Description
    2. Summary Review
    3. Game Overview
    4. Educational Review
    5. Teacher Support
    6. Educational Content
    7. Magic Bullet Assessment
    8. Instructional Strategies
    9. Possible Uses and Affordances
  3. MathBlaster
    1. Game Description
    2. Summary Review
    3. Game Overview
    4. Educational Review
    5. Teacher Support
    6. Educational Content
    7. Magic Bullet Assessment
    8. Instructional Strategies
    9. Possible Uses and Affordances
  4. Real Lives
    1. Game Description
    2. Summary Review
    3. Game Overview
    4. Educational Review
    5. Teacher Support
    6. Educational Content
    7. Magic Bullet Assessment
    8. Instructional Strategies
    9. Possible Uses and Affordances
  5. Gone Home
    1. Game Description
    2. Summary Review
    3. Game Overview
    4. Educational Review
    5. Teacher Support
    6. Educational Content
    7. Magic Bullet Assessment
    8. Instructional Strategies
    9. Possible Uses and Affordances
  6. Minecraft
    1. Game Description
    2. Summary Review
    3. Game Overview
    4. Educational Review
    5. Teacher Support
    6. Educational Content
    7. Magic Bullet Assessment
    8. Instructional Strategies
    9. Possible Uses and Affordances
  7. Portal II
    1. Game Description
    2. Summary Review
    3. Game Overview
    4. Educational Review
    5. Teacher Support
    6. Educational Content
    7. Magic Bullet Assessment
    8. Instructional Strategies
    9. Possible Uses and Affordances
  8. Summary
  9. References

Part Three - Using Games

Chapter 8. Designing Game Based Pedagogy

  1. Introduction
  2. The Myth of the Digital Native
  3. Teacher Roles and the Magic Circle
  4. Beginning at the Beginning
  5. Instructional Design and Lesson Planning are Wicked Problems
  6. Instructional Design Models for DGBL
    1. Generalist Models
      1. A.D.D.I.E.
      2. Design by Query
      3. Merrill's First Principles
    2. Agile Models
      1. Wiggins and McTighe
      2. Rapid Prototyping
      3. Hannafin and Peck
    3. Detailed Models
      1. Gerlach and Ely
      2. Morrison, Ross and Kemp
      3. Dick and Carey
    4. Applied Models
      1. Serious ID
      2. Gamified ID
      3. Game Based Learning ID
  7. Summary
  8. References

Chapter 9. Game Based Lessons

  1. Introduction
  2. 15 Ways to Use Games in the Classroom
    1. Introduction
    2. Content
    3. Process
    4. Example (Case Study)
      1. Counter-Example
    5. Inspiration
    6. Literature
    7. Art
    8. Music
    9. Lesson Opener
    10. Homework
    11. Medium
    12. Environment
    13. Virtual Environment
    14. Optional
    15. Pastime / Reward
  3. 101 Instructional Strategies for DGBL
    1. 1st TRIP (First TRIP)
    2. 3-2-1 (Three-Two-One)
    3. Abstracting
    4. Action Projects
    5. AGO (Aims, Goals, Objectives)
    6. AIDA (Analysis of Interactive Decision Areas)
    7. Alternative Scenarios
    8. Anticipation Guide
    9. Apprenticeships
    10. Artifact Strategy
    11. Autobiographies
    12. Before, During, and After
    13. Biopoems
    14. Cascade
    15. Case Studies
    16. Checklist
    17. Collections
    18. Collective Notebook
    19. Competitions
    20. Completed Work Chart
    21. Compositions
    22. Conflict Chart
    23. Creative Problem Solving
    24. Critical Incident Questionnaires (CIQ)
    25. Critique
    26. CROWN
    27. DPTA (Directed Playing Thinking Activity)
    28. Data Analysis
    29. Debriefing
    30. Double Entry Journal
    31. Exit / Admit Slips
    32. Expectation Outline
    33. Experiments
    34. Fan Fiction
    35. Field Guides
    36. Field Logs
    37. Field Trips
    38. Find the Fib
    39. Find the Rule
    40. Flow Charts
    41. Game Box
    42. Game Club
    43. Game Kits
    44. Game Logs
    45. Game Pitch
    46. Game Reports
    47. Game Talk
    48. Guided Practice
    49. Independent Playing Programs
    50. Interdisciplinary (Cross-Curricular) Teaching
    51. Journal
    52. Justifying
    53. Knowledge Rating
    54. KWHL
    55. Learning Contracts
    56. Learning Stations
    57. Letters From Previous Players
    58. Machinima
    59. Muddiest Point
    60. Olympiads
    61. Pair Play or Team Play
    62. Paired Annotations
    63. Playing Out Loud
    64. Portfolio
    65. Position Paper
    66. Possible Dialog / Possible Statements
    67. Precision Playing
    68. Predictions
    69. PROP Advance Organizer
    70. Question the Developer
    71. Recall, Summarize, Question, Comment, and Connect (RSQC2)
    72. Reflection Logs
    73. RELATE Table
    74. Relay Summary
    75. Retelling the Story
    76. Rewrite the Ending
    77. Role-Playing
    78. Role/Audience/Format/Topic (RAFT)
    79. S.W.O.T. Analysis (SWOT)
    80. Scale Models and Drawings
    81. SCAMPER
    82. Screenshots
    83. Self-Selected Gaming
    84. Send-A-Problem
    85. Shared Gaming
    86. Shadowing
    87. SOAPSS
    88. Storyboards & Story Maps
    89. Structured Learning Team Group Roles
    90. Supervised Practice
    91. TAPPS (Thinking Aloud Pair Problem Solving)
    92. Teams-Games-Tournaments (TGT)
    93. Through the Eyes of the Enemy
    94. Value Line
    95. Video
    96. Walkthroughs
    97. What Would/Should X Do? (WWXD or WSXD)
    98. Who Am I? Why Am I?
    99. Working Backwards
    100. Writing
    101. YouTube

Chapter 10. Creating DGBL Lesson Plans & Curricula

  1. Introduction
  2. Lesson Plans for Games
  3. Anatomy of a Lesson Plan
  4. Template: Single Lesson
    1. Example 1: Grade 3 Social Science with Real Lives
    2. Example 2: Grade 7 Science with Osy Osmosis
    3. Example 3: Grade 12 Social Studies with September 12
  5. Template: Unit
    1. Unit Plan: Grade 12 Social Studies with Gone Home
    2. Unit Plan Template
      1. Overview of Lessons
  6. Using Games as a Long-Term Resource
  7. Template: Semester
    1. Semester Plan: Grade 1 Science with Minecraft
    2. Videogame Long-Term Planning Template
  8. Summary
  9. References, Resources

Chapter 11. End Game

  1. Now What?
  2. Embracing the Opportunities
  3. Addressing the Challenges
  4. The Next Ten Years

Chapter 12 Supplementary Materials

  1. 20 Learning Theories Embodied in Games
    1. Behaviorist
    2. Cognitivist
    3. Social Learning
    4. Constructivist
    5. Humanist
  2. 15 Instructional Theories Embodied in Games
    1. Didactic
    2. Instructionist
    3. Bricolage
    4. Hermeneutic
    5. Cognitive
  3. 12 Instructional Design Models For Using Games in the Classroom
    1. Generalist Models
    2. Agile Models
    3. Detailed Models
    4. Applied Models
  4. 15 Ways to Use Games in the Classroom
  5. 101 Instructional Strategies for Use with Games
  6. Single Lesson Plan Template
  7. Unit Lesson Plan Template
  8. Course Plan Template
  9. Study Guide Template
  10. Teacher's Guide Template
  11. Glossary
  12. Games and other Software Mentioned in This Book