This was the last week of classes this term. We talked about gaming and gamification and I found it very interesting. I think using games to help teach students is a great way to keep them engaged and enjoying what they are learning. There are so many websites and online games/activities that teachers can use. Some will help with specific subjects, some can help with skills like typing, and others can get the students up and moving. One for math that I am very familiar with is the website, Prodigy. We used it during one of our math classes to see how technology can help students learn math, but I had used it a lot before then. I tutor, and one of the students I help loves Prodigy, so we use it every session. It turns math into an adventure game where the students are able to create a character and solve math problems to win battles in order to level up and earn prizes. Another aspect about Prodigy that is great is that the questions have visuals to help the students understand the questions and what they are solving for. 

I also liked the key characteristics of gamification and I think they are important aspects to incorporate into teaching. Having rewards is a form of motivation that encourages students to keep working and learning in order to get the prize at the end. Visually appealing aspects help draw in the kids and keep their attention because of the visuals they are looking at. Progression of difficulty, feedback, and limitations are also important parts of gamification that engage students and help them learn. They help the students learn because as they start answering the questions correctly, the level will increase to challenge them and teach them more complex questions. When questions are answered incorrectly, there is feedback given with the correct answer and an explanation of how to solve the problem.

 I really enjoyed taking this course. I learned a lot about technology, and I will definitely use my new knowledge in my classroom when I am a teacher. I also learned a lot of different ways to help and teach my students using technology, so I will use those resources as well.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash