Professional Documents
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SPED 5326:253
Summer 2018 Academic Games:
Make Learning Fun
WHY USE GAMES IN EDUCATION?
Games increase motivation, engagement, and decrease absenteeism.
Students enjoy peer collaboration and socializing.
Studies show that using academic games in the classroom can result in a
20 percentile point gain in student achievement.
Play is an important and natural mode of learning.
EXAMPLES OF GAMES
Students like to compete when the stakes are not high. Rewards and points
should be for fun and not for grades.
Each game’s focus should be on important academic content.
Don’t just tally up the points and move on at the end of the game. It is
essential to debrief. Address specific questions and go over difficult topics.
Give students time to revise their notes and correct misconceptions.
RESEARCH
Studies show that academic success in 3rd, 5th, and 8th grades can be
predicted by mathematical performance in kindergarten.
Using linear board games (such as Chutes and Ladders) during early
childhood improves numerical knowledge in all children, including those with
Autism Spectrum Disorder.
For children with ADHD, brain games have shown to have a similar impact on
the brain as medications (stimulants) used to treat symptoms.
Gamification of
Education
GAMIFICATION-WHAT IS IT?
REFERENCES
Cassells, T. t., Broin, D. D., & Power, K. k. (2015). Increasing student engagement with gamification. Proceedings Of
The European Conference On Games Based Learning, 1770-773.
Marzano, R. J. (2010). Using games to enhance student achievement. Educational Leadership, 67(5), 71-72.
Moomaw, S. (2017). Not all preschool math games are created equal. YC: Young Children, 72(3), 14-21.
Satsangi, R., & Bofferding, L. (2017). Improving the numerical knowledge of children with autism spectrum disorder:
The benefits of linear board games. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 17(3), 218-226.
doi:10.1111/1471-3802.12380
Toppo, G. (2016). Game plan for learning. Education Next, 16(2), 38-45.
Townsend, D. d. (2009). Building academic vocabulary in after-school settings: Games for growth with middle school
English-language learners. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 53(3), 242-251.
Wegrzyn, S. C., Hearrington, D., Martin, T., & Randolph, A. B. (2012). Brain games as a potential nonpharmaceutical
alternative for the treatment of ADHD. Journal of Research On Technology In Education, 45(2), 107-130.
Zarzycka-Piskorz, E. e. (2016). Kahoot it or not? Can games be motivating in learning grammer?. Teaching English
with Technology, 16(3), 17-36.