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
- Who This Book is For
- What This Book Covers
- How This Book is Structured
- What You Can Get Out of this Book
- What You Need to Use This Book
- Conventions
Part ONE - Context
Chapter 1. What Is It About Games?
- What is a Game?
- Defining 'Game'
- Why We Need to Analyse Games
- Why Games?
- Games in Society
- Games in Education
- Talking About Games
- Digital VS Analog
- Game vs Simulation
- Computer Game vs Computer-Mediated Game
- Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) vs. Digital Game Pedagogy (DGP) vs. Gamification
- Serious Game
- Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) Games
- Going Digital
- Games Now
- Summary
- References
Chapter 2. Digital Game-Based Learning: Learning With Games
- Theoretical Underpinnings of DGBL
- Learning Theories
- Behaviorist Approaches
- Operant Conditioning
- Connectionism
- Conditions of Learning
-
- Schemata
- Cognitive Development
- Attribution Theory
- Cognitive Apprenticeship
- Cognitive Load Theory
-
- Social Learning Theory
- Social Development Theory
- Situated Learning
- Social Constructivism
- Constructivist Approaches
- Actor-Network Theory
- Discovery Learning
- Activity Theory
- Constructionism
- Humanist Approaches
- Experiential Learning
- Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
- Self Determination Theory
- Flow Theory
- The Clark-Kozma Debate, Revisited
- All Games Teach
- Why Games?
- Why NOT Games?
- Games Literacy
- Summary
- References
Chapter 3. Digital Game Pedagogy: Teaching With Games
- Introduction
- Studying the Masters
- Choosing Good Games
-
- Didactic Approaches
- Gagné's Nine Events
- Reigeluth's Elaboration Theory
- Merrill's 1st Principles
-
- Spiral Instruction
- Programmed Instruction
- Direct Instruction
- Bricolage
- Problem-Based Learning
- Situated Learning
- Discovery Learning
- Hermeneutic Approaches
- Activity Theory
- Constructivist Learning Environments
- ARCS
- Cognitive Approaches
- Advance Organizers
- Information Processing
- Cognitive Apprenticeship
- Game Elements
- Summary
- References
Part Two - Choosing Games
Chapter 4. Commercial Off-The-Shelf Games (COTS)
- Introduction
- Digital Games are Special
- Fitness for Purpose
- Advantages to Using COTS Games
- Disadvantages to Using COTS Games
- Games for Content
- Angry Birds
- Civilization IV
- The SIMs
- FIFA Soccer
- Roller Coaster Tycoon
- Assassin's Creed
- Games as Environment
- Minecraft
- Portal
- Games as Literature
- Gone Home
- Summary
- References, Resources
- References
- Resources
Chapter 5. A Magic Bullet
- Introduction
- Informal Research
- Formal Research on Games
- Playing Games
- A Better Way
- The Magic Bullet Model
- Things We CAN Learn (CL)
- Things We MUST Learn (ML)
- External Learning (EL)
- Coincidental Learning (CoL)
- Variations on a Theme
- Equal Balance
- Must ≈≈ Can
- Must > Can
- Must « Can
- Thin Games
- Magic Bullet for Education
- Operational Learning
- Educational Learning
- Discretionary Learning
- Summary
- References & Resources
Chapter 6. Evaluating Games
- Introduction
- What's Important in a Game for Learning?
- What Roles Do Teachers Play?
- Decorative Media Principle
- Becker's Lazy Test (a.k.a. The BLT)
- The Four Pillars
- Gameplay
- Content & Originality
- Game Mechanics
- Game Progression
- Artistic Design
- Set, Settings, Characters & Costumes
- Audio
- Educational Content
- Instructional Strategies
- Instructional Design
- Objectives
- Integration
- Accuracy
- Assessment
- Teacher Support
- Teacher's Guide
- Plug N' Play
- Supplementary resources
- Community
- Magic Bullet Rating
- Overall Balance
- Can vs. Must
- Operational vs Educational
- Educational vs Discretionary
- Summary
- References
Chapter 7. 4PEG In Action
- September 12
- Game Description
- Summary Review
- Game Overview
- Educational Review
- Teacher Support
- Educational Content
- Magic Bullet Assessment
- Instructional Strategies
- Possible Uses and Affordances
- Osy Osmosis
- Game Description
- Summary Review
- Game Overview
- Educational Review
- Teacher Support
- Educational Content
- Magic Bullet Assessment
- Instructional Strategies
- Possible Uses and Affordances
- MathBlaster
- Game Description
- Summary Review
- Game Overview
- Educational Review
- Teacher Support
- Educational Content
- Magic Bullet Assessment
- Instructional Strategies
- Possible Uses and Affordances
- Real Lives
- Game Description
- Summary Review
- Game Overview
- Educational Review
- Teacher Support
- Educational Content
- Magic Bullet Assessment
- Instructional Strategies
- Possible Uses and Affordances
- Gone Home
- Game Description
- Summary Review
- Game Overview
- Educational Review
- Teacher Support
- Educational Content
- Magic Bullet Assessment
- Instructional Strategies
- Possible Uses and Affordances
- Minecraft
- Game Description
- Summary Review
- Game Overview
- Educational Review
- Teacher Support
- Educational Content
- Magic Bullet Assessment
- Instructional Strategies
- Possible Uses and Affordances
- Portal II
- Game Description
- Summary Review
- Game Overview
- Educational Review
- Teacher Support
- Educational Content
- Magic Bullet Assessment
- Instructional Strategies
- Possible Uses and Affordances
- Summary
- References
Part Three - Using Games
Chapter 8. Designing Game Based Pedagogy
- Introduction
- The Myth of the Digital Native
- Teacher Roles and the Magic Circle
- Beginning at the Beginning
- Instructional Design and Lesson Planning are Wicked Problems
-
- Generalist Models
- A.D.D.I.E.
- Design by Query
- Merrill's First Principles
-
- Wiggins and McTighe
- Rapid Prototyping
- Hannafin and Peck
- Detailed Models
- Gerlach and Ely
- Morrison, Ross and Kemp
- Dick and Carey
- Applied Models
- Serious ID
- Gamified ID
- Game Based Learning ID
- Summary
- References
Chapter 9. Game Based Lessons
- Introduction
- 15 Ways to Use Games in the Classroom
- Introduction
- Content
- Process
- Example (Case Study)
- Counter-Example
- Inspiration
- Literature
- Art
- Music
- Lesson Opener
- Homework
- Medium
- Environment
- Virtual Environment
- Optional
- Pastime / Reward
- 101 Instructional Strategies for DGBL
- 1st TRIP (First TRIP)
- 3-2-1 (Three-Two-One)
- Abstracting
- Action Projects
- AGO (Aims, Goals, Objectives)
- AIDA (Analysis of Interactive Decision Areas)
- Alternative Scenarios
- Anticipation Guide
- Apprenticeships
- Artifact Strategy
- Autobiographies
- Before, During, and After
- Biopoems
- Cascade
- Case Studies
- Checklist
- Collections
- Collective Notebook
- Competitions
- Completed Work Chart
- Compositions
- Conflict Chart
- Creative Problem Solving
- Critical Incident Questionnaires (CIQ)
- Critique
- CROWN
- DPTA (Directed Playing Thinking Activity)
- Data Analysis
- Debriefing
- Double Entry Journal
- Exit / Admit Slips
- Expectation Outline
- Experiments
- Fan Fiction
- Field Guides
- Field Logs
- Field Trips
- Find the Fib
- Find the Rule
- Flow Charts
- Game Box
- Game Club
- Game Kits
- Game Logs
- Game Pitch
- Game Reports
- Game Talk
- Guided Practice
- Independent Playing Programs
- Interdisciplinary (Cross-Curricular) Teaching
- Journal
- Justifying
- Knowledge Rating
- KWHL
- Learning Contracts
- Learning Stations
- Letters From Previous Players
- Machinima
- Muddiest Point
- Olympiads
- Pair Play or Team Play
- Paired Annotations
- Playing Out Loud
- Portfolio
- Position Paper
- Possible Dialog / Possible Statements
- Precision Playing
- Predictions
- PROP Advance Organizer
- Question the Developer
- Recall, Summarize, Question, Comment, and Connect (RSQC2)
- Reflection Logs
- RELATE Table
- Relay Summary
- Retelling the Story
- Rewrite the Ending
- Role-Playing
- Role/Audience/Format/Topic (RAFT)
- S.W.O.T. Analysis (SWOT)
- Scale Models and Drawings
- SCAMPER
- Screenshots
- Self-Selected Gaming
- Send-A-Problem
- Shared Gaming
- Shadowing
- SOAPSS
- Storyboards & Story Maps
- Structured Learning Team Group Roles
- Supervised Practice
- TAPPS (Thinking Aloud Pair Problem Solving)
- Teams-Games-Tournaments (TGT)
- Through the Eyes of the Enemy
- Value Line
- Video
- Walkthroughs
- What Would/Should X Do? (WWXD or WSXD)
- Who Am I? Why Am I?
- Working Backwards
- Writing
- YouTube
Chapter 10. Creating DGBL Lesson Plans & Curricula
- Introduction
- Lesson Plans for Games
- Anatomy of a Lesson Plan
- Template: Single Lesson
- Example 1: Grade 3 Social Science with Real Lives
- Example 2: Grade 7 Science with Osy Osmosis
- Example 3: Grade 12 Social Studies with September 12
- Template: Unit
- Unit Plan: Grade 12 Social Studies with Gone Home
- Unit Plan Template
- Overview of Lessons
- Using Games as a Long-Term Resource
- Template: Semester
- Semester Plan: Grade 1 Science with Minecraft
- Videogame Long-Term Planning Template
- Summary
- References, Resources
Chapter 11. End Game
- Now What?
- Embracing the Opportunities
- Addressing the Challenges
- The Next Ten Years
Chapter 12 Supplementary Materials
- 20 Learning Theories Embodied in Games
- Behaviorist
- Cognitivist
- Social Learning
- Constructivist
- Humanist
- 15 Instructional Theories Embodied in Games
- Didactic
- Instructionist
- Bricolage
- Hermeneutic
- Cognitive
- 12 Instructional Design Models For Using Games in the Classroom
- Generalist Models
- Agile Models
- Detailed Models
- Applied Models
- 15 Ways to Use Games in the Classroom
- 101 Instructional Strategies for Use with Games
- Single Lesson Plan Template
- Unit Lesson Plan Template
- Course Plan Template
- Study Guide Template
- Teacher's Guide Template
- Glossary
- Games and other Software Mentioned in This Book