Even though digital games are an integral part of many children’s and young people’s daily lives, they still play a minor role in educational settings. Digital games have a lot of potential in terms of teaching and learning. Digital games can help visualize complex content in a realistic way. Furthermore, game scenarios can motivate students and inspire them to learn while sitting in gaming chairs otherwise dry material.
However, the lesson should not solely focus on the game. Students can, for example, write their own game reviews, record podcasts, or film “Let’s Play” videos. Media literacy can be promoted in this way with an eye toward other types of media work. Teachers can facilitate interdisciplinary learning in this way.
DIGITAL GAMES IN THE CLASSROOM EXAMPLES
Assassin’s Creed Origins
The game includes an educational mode that allows players to freely explore the ancient Egyptian world. The game includes historical information on important structures and cultural practices. The game provides themed tours with no time limit or combat for this purpose.
Valiant Hearts
Valiant Hearts is a puzzle and adventure game set during the First World War. The game is based on real wartime letters and historical documents. It tells the story of four characters who each had their own unique perspective on the war. A French commission of historians praised the game for its historical accuracy.
Minecraft
Minecraft is a type of block-based game in which the goal is to create various shapes out of blocks. The blocks can be used to make structures, tools, animals, and plants. Topics from specialist lessons can be transferred into the virtual world thanks to the modular system. With the blocks, students can, for example, recreate certain buildings or represent complex issues such as the structure of a molecule. You can find Minecraft lesson plans here.
Scratch
Scratch is a programming environment that allows users to create animations and digital applications. It is not a game in the traditional sense. Students can, for example, create their own computer game or use Scratch to program robot command sequences. The programming interface is clearly and simply designed so that even novice programmers can quickly navigate and get their first taste of programming. Scratch is also available as part of a paid L version’s SoN software package.
GAMIFICATION IN THE CLASSROOM EXAMPLES
Storytelling
In the context of teaching, storytelling can mean incorporating work assignments into stories to create a more engaging environment. One option is to simply rename certain terms used in the classroom: A work item might be referred to as a “mission,” and the worksheet might be referred to as a “mission report.”
Classcraft
Classcraft is a gamification platform that is meant to be used in the classroom for a long time. This embeds everyday teaching activities in a role-playing scenario, promoting social skills in particular. The game is based on a virtual point system, in which students earn points for real-world participation in the classroom, for example. Over time, the students receive tangible rewards in exchange for their experience points, such as homework vouchers or test preparation tips.