Digital games in teacher education: a game-based learning approach (original) (raw)
Related papers
Digital Game-Based Learning Once Removed: Teaching Teachers
British Journal of Educational Technology, 2007
In the spring of 2005, the author designed and taught a graduate level course on digital game based learning, primarily for teachers. Teachers cannot be expected to embrace digital games as a tool for learning unless they have a sound understanding of the potential as well as the limitations, and are confident in their ability to use games effectively to enhance learning. The course was designed as an introduction to digital games and gaming for instruction and learning. In it, students explored the theories; possibilities, considerations and constraints related to the design of instructional games, and the use of learning and commercial entertainment games in classroom and out-of-class settings. The design of the course along with the rationales will be outlined and participant reaction profiled. Suggestions for future course designs are described as well as key elements crucial for teacher preparation. Ultimately, the success of digital games as a medium for learning depends to a large extent on the abilities of new and practicing teachers to take full advantage of this medium. *Note*: This paper is available through BJET
Teacher perceptions of the value of game-based learning in secondary education
Computers & Education
Teachers' perceptions of the usefulness of digital games might be a reason for the limited application of digital games in education. However, participants in most studies of teaching with digital games are teachers who do not use digital games regularly in their teaching. This study examined the practice-based perceptions of teachers who do teach with digital games-either playing or creating games-in their classroom. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 43 secondary education teachers. Our findings showed that most teachers who actually use games in class perceived student engagement with a game and cognitive learning outcomes as effects of the use of games in formal teaching settings. Fewer teachers mentioned motivational effects of learning with digital games. The implications of these findings for the use of digital games in teachers' educational practice are discussed.
Teacher Candidates' Views of Digital Games as Learning Devices
Issues in Teacher Education, 2009
The objective of this research study was to explore teacher candidate views toward digital learning games using an immersive strategy. Specifically, we were interested in finding out what game use in classroom settings taught candidates about the role of teacher as facilitator of instruction. The procedures first focused teacher candidate attention on effective learning methods followed by attention to the pedagogies of teaching digital games to middle or high school students and peers. Data was collected regarding teacher candidate reactions to this learning medium. Teacher educators may be interested in the findings to help design contemporary curricula to support candidates' development in using computer-based games for learning purposes in middle and secondary classrooms. In addition, research findings may help developers and instructional technologists design future games that are germane to specific learning contexts while challenging students to think critically and develop complex reasoning skills.
Principles for Advancing Game-Based Learning in Teacher Education
Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 2020
In this analytical paper, we argue for the centrality of teachers in gamebased learning (GBL) interventions. We examine the following research question, "What principles emerge from teacher education in game-based learning research conducted from 2007-2018?". In doing so, we examine evidence generated over 10þ years deductively and inductively using thematic analysis, to identify six principles that can guide research and practice in teacher education for GBL. These principles include: (a) Teachers play an active role in GBL environments; (b) Games are a form of curriculum; (c) GBL is a way of facilitating learning; (d) Games are not contextually or pedagogically neutral; (e) Teachers' knowledge of GBL evolves over time; and (f) Teachers' professional identities impact GBL practice. We conclude with pathways to engage the teacher education community in a critical assessment of how we can scaffold teachers to identify-studyincorporate games for learning.
Teachers and Teaching in Game-Based Learning Theory and Practice
Approaches and Strategies in Next Generation Science Learning
Interest in game-based learning has grown dramatically over the past decade. Thus far, most of the focus has not included the role of teachers. This chapter first summarizes the theoretical research on game-based learning and the implications of that research for the role of teachers. The authors next review the game-based learning literature that has specifically articulated a role for teachers or achieved an empirical description of teacher action within a game-based learning context. They then connect these accounts with more general research on teachers and technology use, elaborating on points of contact and identifying differences that may signal special challenges. Finally, the authors articulate an expanded role for teachers in game-based learning practices in terms of game-based learning research and new scholarship on the psychology of games.
Teacher Candidate Responses to Digital Games
Journal of research on technology in education, 2010
Researchers conducted a mixed-methods study with 21 undergraduate university students majoring in education to determine their ability to recognize the motivational factors and 21 st-century learning skills associated with digital games. Results suggest that students in the study were able to detect the learning skills embedded in games. The majority of participants stated that the element of motivation was important, but motivation alone was not a sufficient reason to influence them to use digital-game-based instruction in their future classrooms. However, peer modeling and the positive responses received from middle/high school students to whom candidates taught games appeared to be factors in teacher candidates' decision to use digital games in the classroom.
Game-Based Learning in Schools: Trainee Teacher Perceptions in Implementing Gamified Approaches
Many children play games. Most notably, in the twenty first century, these games are digital in appearance and played across a variety of platforms. Gaming can form an immense part of a child's identity development as they grow through their childhood and beyond. The digital games they play frequently offer continuous player feedback as well as propose challenge and clear pathways for progress. Additionally, the player learns to fail in order to progress within the game. Games capture fun, mystery, surprise, uncertainty, exploration and abstract risk. They develop resilience, mastery and problem solving capability in something that is voluntarily engaged with by the child. With all these qualities in mind, the synergy between games and learning would perhaps appear convincing. However, is this happening in our schools as a means to contextualise learning in a form that is familiar and engaging to our pupils? Do teachers know what is required to develop game-based pedagogy that has a tangible impact on the engagement, and inevitably the attainment, of their pupils? This paper presents the beginnings of a small-scale study that considers twenty-one, east London (England) based, computer science pre-service teachers and their perceptions of the knowledge and understanding needed to successfully incorporate game-based learning pedagogy into their practice. The study also deliberates barriers that pre-service teachers may face in trying to implement a game-based learning approach in their classrooms. The findings from this study suggest that trainee teachers are keen to experiment, adopt and develop new game-based pedagogies for learning with their pupils. They are keen to become change agents and support pedagogical shift in their schools but inevitably barriers are met and must be overcome for this to be successful. This research investigation will benefit both pre-service and in-service teachers who are interested in using video games as a means to enhance learning in their classrooms.
Student Teachers' Game Preferences, Game Habits, and Attitudes Towards Games as Learning Tools
ECGBL 2020 14th European Conference on Game-Based Learning, 2020
Our aim in this study is to examine the gaming habits and game preferences of university students / pre-service teachers. Teachers' confidence to use and attitudes towards technology, and their experience with digital games seem to be some of the most critical factors determining the use of digital games in the classroom. Furthermore, personal game preferences are important factors for motivation and engagement in game play and the educational effectiveness of games. By examining the gaming experience and preferences of future teachers, we can better design relevant courses and curricula for supporting student teachers and prepare them to use game-based learning and teaching in their future classrooms. Data were collected through an online survey. Our sample (N=274) includes students from different universities, different university departments, and different academic years of study. This allows us to gain a more holistic view of the topic, based on the perceptions of student teachers from different disciplines and backgrounds. Trying to address the complexity of game classification for identifying preferences, a typology of games based on two main axes is proposed: a) the format of the game, the mechanics, and gameplay (e.g. simulation, action, strategy, puzzle, role-playing) and b) the content of the game and the narrative context (e.g. story oriented, fantasy world, sports, science fiction). We mapped the participants' preferences based on this typology. We further collected and analysed data on their game-playing frequency and preferred gaming device. Their intention to use games in their classrooms, and their perceptions on the educational value of digital games were further examined. Findings suggest that perceptions on the learning potential of games are linked to their intention to use them in the classroom; also, players who prefer games such as role-playing, open world and exploration, set in a fantasy or science fiction world, assessed the learning potential of games and their intention to use them in the classroom higher. The findings allows us to gain a better insight on current trends in attitudes, experiences, and preferences of student teachers in various disciplines, as well as to identify possible ways to support them in their studies.
TechTrends, 2016
Researchers have investigated how gameplay and other related activities influence teachers' attitudes toward and perceptions of games or game-based learning. Taking one step further, this study was conducted to investigate how game design experience influences teachers' attitudes toward and perceptions of the use of digital games in the classroom and teacher involvement in educational game design. Fifty teachers participated in the study. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from pre-and post-surveys. The results revealed that the game design experience had a positive influence on the participants' attitudes, self-efficacy, and perceptions regarding the use of digital games in the classroom. They realized that digital games could help students develop higher-order thinking skills and 21st century skills beyond making learning fun and engaging. After the game design experience, all participants believed that teachers should be involved in the process of educational game design.