Title: Digital Game-Based Learning Can Develop Students Learning and Engagement
Author Name: A’Jala Butts
Selected Case (Published Article): Digital Game-Based Learning Can Develop Students’ Literacy Skills and Meet Learning Standards in the US.
1. Introduction
In a universe where technology reigns supreme across every discipline, education isn’t standing idly by—it’s diving headfirst into the digital revolution. In the current educational revolution, one dynamic force propels learning into the future: Game-Based Learning (GBL). As the digital tide reshapes the education landscape, GBL emerges as a powerful and captivating tool, rapidly incorporating its way into classrooms worldwide. Beyond mere entertainment, GBL harnesses the inherent engagement of games to cultivate a rich and immersive learning experience. GBL explores the terrain where education meets gaming, unlocking the potential of interactive and innovative approaches to foster a generation of enthusiastic, knowledgeable learners.
I want to base my project on the article Digital Game-Based Learning Can Develop Students’ Literacy Skills and Meet Learning Standards in the US. While reading the article, I learned the difference between gamification and game-based learning and how both provide different learning outcomes for the students. Game-based learning, or GBL, is a teaching method that uses the power of games to define and support learning outcomes (prodigygame.com). Through experience, I have seen how GBL can change the trajectory of a learning environment. My selection of the game-based learning topic stems from a personal affinity for kinesthetic learning, recognizing its potential to cultivate a community of astute learners. By delving into this subject, I aim to explore and emphasize the impact of interactive, hands-on educational approaches in shaping a generation of intellectually adept individuals.
2. Overview of the Case
The article Digital Game-Based Learning Can Develop Students’ Literacy Skills and Meet Learning Standards in the US. Focuses on how the world-renowned game Minecraft has helped students between the ages of 7-16 improve their literacy skills by using the GBL practices with the Minecraft platform. Learning with Minecraft Education “prepares students for the future, building future-ready skills like creativity, problem-solving, and systems thinking and nurturing a passion for play” Minecraft (2023). Furthermore, the study demonstrated how using DGBL could support students in learning and mastering the learning standards, which could also translate to excelling in standardized tests and creating student-centered learning environments rather than teacher-led ones. During the study, the writers followed a Minecraft writing camp in 2018 located in Arizona. The camp was created for students to develop literacy and technology skills simultaneously. The data of this study was collected from the summer of 2018 through the spring of 2020. The camp was Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Each week, the teachers would introduce a new topic to the students, requiring them to research different regions in the world and historical periods.
At the end of the camp, the goal was for students to create an e-book via Canva based on their research and build a 3-D drawing in Minecraft based on what they have read and researched. The student’s topic was choosing a significant monument in Rome to study and rebuild in their way via the Minecraft platform. During the process of creating their rough drafts, the students were able to work together to communicate effectively for support and feedback. The authors stated that during the creation of each building phase in Minecraft, GBL fostered an environment where the students could be teachers—some students were more efficient in building in Minecraft than others. By doing so, this enabled a collaborative learning environment. When the students were not building their impressions of Rome, they wrote in different genres, such as expository, creative, and persuasive. Reading, researching, and gamifing brought great pleasure to the students and their eagerness to learn and continue with the summer camp.
3. Solutions Implemented
At the culmination of the camp, the educators presented an insightful overview illustrating how the integration of Minecraft into the curriculum has adeptly addressed the requirements and standards set forth by the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (CCSS ELA). For example, the standard CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.7 states that students should be able to “Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge by investigating different aspects of a topic.” The students used Google Earth to explore the architecture of Rome. Doing so allowed students to see Rome visually in real-time and translate that to the GBL platform of Minecraft for building their prototypes. The teachers also ask that the students write out ten interesting facts about what they saw during their exploration on Google Earth. The students wrote their thoughts down to go back later and compile it all together to create their final project, a complete book on Rome via Canva and a visual representation of Rome by building it through Minecraft.
4. Outcomes
At the end of the camp, the students’ storytelling skills had improved, the literacy learning standards had been met by 90% of students, and the instructional design of the project developed the students’ collaborative, communication, and negotiation skills.
5. Implications
The strategic combination of Google Earth for Rome research and its subsequent integration into Minecraft cultivates a thinking-centered learning environment and facilitates the development of fluent expression in students. Incorporating Game-Based Learning (GBL) principles, this innovative approach encourages active engagement and comprehension through visualization and creation. Simultaneously, it proves instrumental in mastering learning standards and literacy skills by providing a dynamic platform for students to explore historical content and articulate their understanding effectively, enhancing memorization and overall learning outcomes. The study suggests that formal education educators should consider incorporating GBL in their learning environments to increase engagement and learning concerning all subjects.
I wholeheartedly agree that incorporating Game-Based Learning (GBL) into formal education across all subjects is highly advantageous. GBL can enrich engagement and foster more profound knowledge in diverse academic disciplines. In mathematics, for instance, it can make abstract concepts more tangible through interactive simulations and challenges. Similarly, GBL can promote literacy skills in language arts by immersing students in interactive narratives and language-rich gaming scenarios. Furthermore, GBL’s hands-on and exploratory nature in science can bring complex scientific principles to life, making them more comprehensible. Overall, GBL is an adaptable and sufficient tool that intrigues students’ interests and strengthens critical concepts across the educational spectrum.
References
Digital Game-Based Learning Can Develop Students’ Literacy Skills and Meet Learning Standards in the US.
https://www.prodigygame.com/main-en/blog/game-based-learning/