Characteristics of Good Classroom Games
Games can be a great way to engage learners in the material you are covering in class! On the other hand, you don't want to waste any of your precious classroom time. So, here are some characteristics of good classroom games that I've come up with to help me create and select games for my classes:
1. Simple - You should be able to explain the instructions for your games in less than one minute. Two at the most, if the game is otherwise really awesome.
- Why should you care? If a game takes longer than one or two minutes to explain, you'll spend most of your time repeating instructions, instead of actually using the game to go over material. The game may be really fun and educational, but if you only get to play it actively for 10 minutes, it's probably not worth it.
- Why should you care? If a game takes longer than one or two minutes to explain, you'll spend most of your time repeating instructions, instead of actually using the game to go over material. The game may be really fun and educational, but if you only get to play it actively for 10 minutes, it's probably not worth it.
2. Easy - The mechanics of playing the game should be straightforward. If you have to have more than one tab open on each computer, or if you have to bring in a lot of extra hardware, then the game is probably just too darn messy.
- Why should you care? Games that have a lot of stuff going on have a lot more opportunities for failure, confusion, and frustration. Hardware and software issues happen, but you can minimize their probability if you minimize how many pieces there are that can fail.
- Why should you care? Games that have a lot of stuff going on have a lot more opportunities for failure, confusion, and frustration. Hardware and software issues happen, but you can minimize their probability if you minimize how many pieces there are that can fail.
3. Useful - The game should require learners to use what they are learning in order to succeed in the game. Some games have the target content provided as "fun" on-the-side information, but learners can ignore it and succeed just fine at the game. You don't want that.
- Why should you care? In general, learners will take the path of least resistance to the level of success they want. So, if they don't need to pay attention to the educational part of the game in order to win the game, they won't. And you have just wasted class time.
4. Ceaseless - The game should require students to pay attention constantly. Learners should not be able to be successful if they let their minds wander from the game for extended amounts of time. Games should never focus in on just one group (or, heaven forbid, one student) at a time.
- Why should you care? If only one group/student needs to pay attention on their turn, it is extremely likely that none of the others will do so. (Remember, path of least resistance.) You may think that they'll want to pay attention on other students' turns so that they can be better prepared for their turn, but they won't. Remember, in general our students' goal is not to learn the material, but to get the grade. We need to make those the same thing.
5. Engaging - The game and its consequences need to motivate learners to do well. They need to care about saving the princess, getting the highest score, finishing the maze, etc. Usually this is achieved by having the game provide feedback (e.g. sounds, points, levels, etc.) and by having success in the game lead to a reward outside the game (e.g. when you get 1000 points you can take a nap.)
- Why should you care? If doing well at the game doesn't give the learners some feeling of accomplishment (e.g. sounds, points, etc.) and doesn't lead to any reward outside of the game, then the learners are not likely to try hard.
Remember, games can be great learning tools! But that doesn't mean that all games are great learning tools. Hopefully these characteristics of good classroom games will help you identify / create the types of games that will help your learners master the material you are teaching them.
- Why should you care? In general, learners will take the path of least resistance to the level of success they want. So, if they don't need to pay attention to the educational part of the game in order to win the game, they won't. And you have just wasted class time.
4. Ceaseless - The game should require students to pay attention constantly. Learners should not be able to be successful if they let their minds wander from the game for extended amounts of time. Games should never focus in on just one group (or, heaven forbid, one student) at a time.
- Why should you care? If only one group/student needs to pay attention on their turn, it is extremely likely that none of the others will do so. (Remember, path of least resistance.) You may think that they'll want to pay attention on other students' turns so that they can be better prepared for their turn, but they won't. Remember, in general our students' goal is not to learn the material, but to get the grade. We need to make those the same thing.
5. Engaging - The game and its consequences need to motivate learners to do well. They need to care about saving the princess, getting the highest score, finishing the maze, etc. Usually this is achieved by having the game provide feedback (e.g. sounds, points, levels, etc.) and by having success in the game lead to a reward outside the game (e.g. when you get 1000 points you can take a nap.)
- Why should you care? If doing well at the game doesn't give the learners some feeling of accomplishment (e.g. sounds, points, etc.) and doesn't lead to any reward outside of the game, then the learners are not likely to try hard.
Remember, games can be great learning tools! But that doesn't mean that all games are great learning tools. Hopefully these characteristics of good classroom games will help you identify / create the types of games that will help your learners master the material you are teaching them.
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