Games and Learning

“Anyone who  makes a distinction
between games and learning doesn’t know
the first thing about either.” --Marshal McLuhan

In a recent session of CALMet Online, Maja and Patrick led a game-based learning activity called Learnopoly. This session used a game structure to allow participants to practice developing active learning strategies on a  variety of topics related to meteorology and climate. One strategy that the participants were not asked to use, but which they experienced first hand, was Game-Based Learning itself. This post explores this popular but challenging active learning approach, and provides some references to explore the topic more.

Games have always been around us—in every human culture, and throughout time. In fact, even animals play at least simple games. Just watch dogs playing in the park and you’ll agree. What is it that gives games such universal appeal?

Well, for one, games create a comfortable competition—a competition that challenges us to push our limits, but that also presents no serious repercussions if we lose. In many ways, games are a warm up for everyday life. We are forced to learn new things, and even to master them if we stick with it. We play games for the fun of the challenge, for the focus, and the “flow state” of mind they create in us. Games are usually short (unless you are playing cricket :), and the boundaries of limited time and limited impact make game competition highly rewarding.  And some games let us compete in teams, which provides the social interaction most of us crave, and the practice working together that is essential in nearly all other aspects of life.

Games often challenge us to solve puzzles or generate solutions. They ask us to think rationally and
creatively to complete a task and to do our best to win. They make us work smarter, and in doing so they teach us thinking strategies we can apply elsewhere. They can challenge us physically as well, of course, as sports do. It‘s easy to see that games are a sort of practice field for life, a place where we learn basic thinking and survival skills. Games are all about learning.

All games have several general qualities in common. Players have tasks to complete, they have to play by the rules, and they have to work with the limited set of resources and tools provided. These constraints provide a unique opportunity. They make a game comfortable compared to most of life by defining a clear beginning and end, and by providing a level of fairness and equality.   

Recently, many educators have been intrigued by the overwhelming popularity of video games, in particular. They have taken a harder look at the strategies games can offer to educators and trainers for engaging students. The “gamification” of learning is in full swing. Below you will find several links to some useful resources about games. Take a look. They might intrigue you enough to try out a game in your teaching as well.

We would like to hear about your experiences with games. Can you share your thoughts about Games and Learning?

1. Think about the games (or sports) you have played in your life, maybe the ones you have played the most. What skills and lessons have they taught you that you still carry with you today?
2. Have you ever played learning games in school as a child? We suspect that you have. What did you learn? What was your experience in learning?
3. Have you ever played learning games as an adult learner? What was your experience in those situations?
4. Can you think of any applications for using Game-Based Learning in your training? What would you need to do to make that happen?

Resources:
Playing to Learn: "People play everywhere except in school" is a quote from Playing to learn: using games as an educational tool provides opportunities for deeper learning. This short article is written about the potential power of using games in public education for children, but it applies equally to adults.

Edutopia: Game-based Learning: This section of the Edutopia website is focused on games and learning. There are a large number of videos focused on the topic. We are particularly interested in the one by Kurt Squire, one of the leading authorities on games for learning, and the one by Kate Salen, on the program Quest to Learn, and the one by Constance Steinkuehler, on Interest-Driven Learning, and John Seely Brown on Motivating Learners. Again, don’t let the fact that these are primarily about school learning fool you. Adult learning theory is a myth. We all learn in the same ways and are motivated by the same things.

Games...and ...Learning: A free book chapter by three well-respected Florida State University professors. “Anyone who  makes a distinction between games and learning doesn’t know the first thing about either.” --Marshal McLuhan

Coursera course on Gamification: If you become really interested, check out this free course, which introduces the power of using game techniques applied to many aspects of life, beyond education and training, to business and social impact challenges.