5 Questions to Ask When Considering Games Based Learning

Games can be a powerful tool to teach a myriad of things, from curriculum matter to soft, 21st century skills such as problem-solving and collaboration. However, they are not always appropriate. These questions may help you decide whether games are right for you:

1. Will using a game bring anything to the table? – Don’t use games for the sake of it. If the game adds nothing, or if other methods are superior, don’t use them. However, if the game teaches at the same level, go for it! It will have added value (spice up curriculum and engagement). Be wary of ‘games’ that are just quizzes with graphics and tagged on mini-games. Learning outcomes are paramount.
2. What problems do I have that I need to address? – Think what problems you need to address rather than where you can use games. This could be curriculum based e.g. “I could do with a way of showing the inner workings of the human body, beyond two-dimensional diagrams”. Or non-curriculum based e.g. “I need to get students to work together to help reduce bullying”.
3. ...

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Games Based Learning With Zoo Tycoon

The latest chapter of Zoo Tycoon, developed by Frontier Developments and published by Microsoft Studios, has recently become available for Xbox One and Xbox 360. The game puts you in charge of a zoo. You build it up, care for animals, hire and fire staff, keep guests happy, release endangered animals into the wild and more.

It is a fantastic entertainment game, but it also has educational merits. I have split these into three broad categories: Animals, Business and Soft Skills...

To read the full article, visit: http://www.pil-network.com/HotTopics/gamesbasedlearning/GBLwithZooTycoon

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Games Based Learning and 21st Century Skills

There are many characterisations of the skills that are most important in the 21st century. However, The University of Melbourne’s Assessment and Teaching of 21st Century Skills (ATC21S) team defines them as:

• Ways of thinking. Creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, decision-making and learning
• Ways of working. Communication and collaboration
• Tools for working. Information and communications technology (ICT) and information literacy
• Skills for living in the world. Citizenship, life and career, and personal and social responsibility

Why are they important? There is a problem amongst employers, where entry-level candidates are seriously lacking in some of these skills (for example survey findings, see http://upstart.bizjournals.com/news/wire/2013/11/11/jobseekers-missing-interpersonal-skills.html?page=all). These skills are necessary for competitive, innovative, businesses of the 21st Century to thrive, and for young people to gain employment...

For full article visit: http://www.pil-network.com/HotTopics/gamesbasedlearning/GBLand21stCenturySkills

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Building a 21st Century Education System with Games Based Learning

I am extremely happy to announce that I have been selected to be a Hot Topics Contributor for Microsoft Partners in Learning.  I am now a contributor to their Games Based Learning Hot Topics page and have just uploaded my first post.

The post discusses the current education system and why it is lacking.  I offer suggestions for improvement and explain why improvements are important.  There are many ways that games based learning could be part of a solution to building a 21st education system.

To see the post, click here.

Their word limit is pretty tight, so if you want to read a post of mine on this very blog, which follows a similar theme, visit '21st Century Skills and Games Based Learning'.

Please follow @paulladley on Twitter, games-ED on Pinterest and like games-ED’sFacebook and Google+ pages for blog updates and interesting games based learning findings.