Game-based learning keys student engagement
NORMAN — Isabella Wilson prefers books to video games, but the game she is testing for her father at the University of Oklahoma’s K20 Center is growing on her.
Designed for high school juniors and seniors, “Advance U: The Talent Machine” introduces the concepts of neuroplasticity — the brain’s ability to change throughout life — and mindset theory.
Heady stuff for the Whittier Middle School eighth-grader.
“I like playing this game; it’s pretty fun,” she said recently. “You get to explore what it would be like to be in college, so it’s kind of good preparation.”
Scott Wilson, Isabella’s dad, is the director of innovative learning for the K20 Center for Educational and Community Renewal, a statewide education research and development center that promotes innovative learning.
One way Wilson and his colleagues engage students is through video game technology that helps develop collaboration and teamwork, creativity and imagination, and critical thinking and problem solving.
“As educators we know student motivation is vital for learning,” he said. “If we can figure out what motivates students and get them engaged in what they’re doing then we see ... increased academic success, better behavioral outcomes.
“All too often, kids find school or some aspect of school boring and they don’t see it associated with what they do in the real world. With the affordances of technology, we are able to transport those students into new worlds where they are provided opportunities to take on roles and basically begin to apply what they’re learning.”
Through a partnership with OneNet, K20 is now offering 14 different game-based learning titles at no cost. All Oklahoma schools now have free access to the center’s award-winning games. Anyone can request an account to the game portal and the games.
Those titles include “The Detective: Verona,” which blends digital game-based learning principles with a modern spin on the classic story Romeo and Juliet.
After playing the game, students are able to recognize unreliable sources and assess information based on five criteria: verifiability, objectivity, timeliness, detail and authority.
School districts in
Oklahoma City and Norman are among those using game-based learning in the classroom as a tool to complement traditional learning.
Cordarrow Milton teaches financial literacy at Emerson South, an alternative school in south Oklahoma City that serves students in grades seven through 12.
Milton uses the game “Mind Your Own Budget,” a hands-on way for students to build financial literacy and strategically apply their knowledge to solve a variety of financial challenges.
Students who play encounter everyday financial tasks such as making a budget, paying a bill, managing financial accounts, and using financial instruments.
Milton said students like it because it challenges them to stick to a budget and presents opportunities to take risks with their money.
“The game is beneficial because it is a virtual reality of life scenarios dealing with the complexities of life and what it takes to fund a lifestyle,” he said. “I believe it helps our scholars/ students appreciate the value of money and how to manage money while thinking critically about balance and saving for the future.”
GEAR UP for the PROMISE, a partnership between Oklahoma City Public Schools and the K20 Center, is a federal grant program that helps disadvantaged students prepare for and pursue a college education.
The grant program funds game-based learning used by students in the state’s largest school district.
Emily Ray, a GEAR UP site facilitator for the district, estimated that at least 2,000 students have played at some point in their high school careers.
“My background is in teaching, and if I had an avenue like this to use with my students, I would be thrilled,” Ray said. “It’s a valuable tool, especially considering the changing dynamics of the learning environment of our students.
“Technology is quickly advancing, and being able to provide students with an alternative to traditional methods can be transformative for the classroom. It also provides a differentiated avenue for students who struggle to learn with traditional methods.”