Unit 2: Game Mechanics and Classroom Dynamics
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Unit 2 Objectives
By the end of this unit you will be able to...
- Define "badge" within the context of games
- Define "experience points" within the context of games
- Define a "board" (leader, discussion or activity) within the context of games
- Provide examples of badges, XP systems, and boards used in both games and within education
Mini-Lecture - 250 XP
Now that you are officially masters of gamification it's time to start diving into the elements of games that you will have the opportunity of creating, and possibly implementing, by the end of this course! The elements of games, or game mechanics, we will be exploring in depth in this unit are badges, experience points and boards. To start, a game mechanic can be defined as the rules and/or rewards that build the foundation of how a user engages with a particular game. While there is a near countless number of mechanics used in games today that reward, challenge and engage people, we are going to stick with just our three to start.
Badges
Within the context of games a badge can be defined as a distinctive mark to be worn and/or displayed as a sign of achievement or membership. When thinking back to the 8 Core Human Drives that gamification appeals to, badges can give students a sense of Achievement and Empowerment, knowing that their choices and hard work has lead to a reward. You will engage with examples of how badges have been used to encourage positive behaviors as well as reward student achievement within the Unit 2 Activity Board.
Experience Points
Within the context of games experience points or XP can be defined as points awarded to a player as a measure of their progress within a game, given for accomplishing a task such as collecting a particular item or defeating an enemy. When thinking back to the 8 Core Human Drives that gamification appeals to, experience points provides students with a sense of meaning by giving each action and completed task purpose, as well as ownership as students are able to visualize their learning as they accumulate more experience points. The use of experience points can also aid students in developing a growth mindset, as they continually gain more experience throughout a topic of study, rather than simply have their understanding assessed at the end of a topic.
Leader, Activity, and Discussion Boards
Within the context of games a board mechanic can be defined as a central hub for information to be accessed either individually or as a group. There are many different kinds of board mechanics that can be utilized when it comes to gamification in education, and I do not mean board games like Monopoly. Leader Boards can be defined as a central hub to display names of participants based on points scored/awarded which appeals to our need for social influence and again accomlpishment. An Activity Board (or sometimes referred to as a Quest Board) is a central hub with information regarding tasks to be completed for a particular reward. which appeals to the core human drive of Ownership through choice. And lastly, a Discussion Board can be defined as a web page where users can post comments about a particular topic and reply to other users' postings which again supports the core need our students have for social influence.
Activity Board - 1000 XP max
Completing every task on the Activity Board will award you the... Dynamic Games Mechanic Badge!
Unlock Unit 3
After you have earned your 1000XP for Unit 2 you may move on to Unit 3: Start Gamifying your Classroom
REMINDER: You can always return to Unit 2 at a later time to complete the remaining tasks on the Activities Board if you want to earn the Dynamic Games Mechanic Badge!