Games for Learning

Andy Griffith

Outline for the session Can we explore: 1. The importance of play in learning?

2. Different types of games?

3. Managing students before, during and after games?

4. Unpicking the learning from games?

5. Build your confidence in the using, adapting and devising games?

Hopes Analysis - Speed Dating

Games for different personalities!

P e r s o n a l i t y T y p e s

Characteristics of a Game?

• Learning goal • Competition between participants • High degree of interaction • Opens up discussion and/or reflection • There is a definite end or point of closure; • In most cases there is a definite outcome (winners, losers, payoffs).

Types of Games • Creative thinking games • Problem-solving games • Strategy Games • Mystery games • Decision making games • Communication games • Energising games • Story games • Question games • Concentration games • Observation games • Language games • Number games • Memory games

Emotionally mature people are:

•AUTHENTIC •VIVACIOUS •PLAYFUL

Affluenza

by Oliver James

Features of Independent learning

Social Factors: 1.

Collaborative Groupwork 2.

3.

Co-operative Groupwork Individual Responsibility Critical Disposition: 4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Pupil-designed Tasks Pupil-designed Assessment Pupil-negotiated Deadlines Pupil-initiated Research Reflexivity Wider Factors: 9. Pupil-use of a range of ICT 10.Community Involvement and use of the Environment 11. A sense of Audience 12. Presentation in Different Forms

Can’t Play; Won’t Play

Who won’t play and why?

Motivational Styles/Deficits

Learned Helplessness

(Seligman, 1975)

High self-worth concern and the threatened sense of self

(Covington, 1984):

“What’s the point? I’m going to fail ANYWAY.” “I’m not doing this, it’s rubbish”

Students do not persist or take chances.

Fear being seen as incompetent.

When they fail they Personalise it, think it will be Pervasive, and think it will be Permanent.

Prefer to be seen as rude and abusive rather than having their ability called into question.

Playing Games

First: CONTAIN Then: ENTERTAIN Then: EXPLAIN

Games for Ideas “If at first, the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it.” Albert Einstein

Known to the Unknown

• Level 1 – start off with something they know and can make a positive association with.

“Celebrate Stuckness”

Professor Guy Claxton

M A L I T Facts in Five FOOD DRINK BOOK SINGER MEN

Using Bloom’s Taxonomy EVALUATION SYNTHESIS ANALYSIS APPLICATION COMPREHENSION KNOWLEDGE

Making judgements. Assessing the value of something against a set of criteria (Judge, Recommend, Evaluate, Prioritise, Give opinions) Using old ideas to create something new. Relate knowledge from different sources (Design, Compose, Create, Hypothesise, Re arrange) Seeing patterns, Understanding how parts relate to the whole. Recognising structure (Investigate, Classify, Compare, Contrast) Using knowledge to solve problems (Make, Build, Demonstrate, Map, Draw) Understanding information. Grasping meaning (Give examples, Explain, Show) Observing and recalling information. (Tell, Recite, Make a list, What …?)

Known to the Unknown

• Level 1 – start off with something they know and can make a positive association with.

• Level 2 – teacher applies this to a topic.

Motivational Triggers (why people want to learn) • Choice • Challenge • Curiosity • Competency • Positive expectations • Fun • Fantasy • Relationships • Relevance • Fear/Thrill

Known to the Unknown • Level 1 – start off with something they know and can make a positive association with.

• Level 2 – teacher applies this to a topic.

• Level 3 – ?

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Facts in Five

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The Magic of Small Games “3 Minute Motivators”

PIMP YOUR LESSON

Before After

3 Minute Motivators - Steps:

1. Cue to gain attention.

2. Explain why motivator being used.

3. Explain the activity.

4. Remind students to begin and freeze on cue.

5. Cue to begin.

6. Present the 3 Minute Motivator.

7. Cue to Stop.

8. Conclude and refocus by summarising what was done and why.

Step 2

Explain why the motivator is being used: “I have lost you…” “You seem restless…” “I can see you need a break…” “You seem to need some talk time…”

Step 8

Conclude and refocus by summarising what was done and why:

“We were all a bit restless so we just played _______. Now that you’ve used up a bit of energy its time to return to…” “You seemed sleepy and many of you were losing attention so we played _______. Now that you’re awake…” “I felt we needed a quick break so we played _______. Okay now back to …”

3 Minute Motivators - examples • Questions only • Physical ‘jerks’ • Personal Best • Verbal Tennis • Shared pen and Double pen games • Box me in!

• Karate Maths • Story Games • Get Shirty • Chinese Whispers • Silent Maths • Syllables • Charade Challenge • X-Factor • Beat the Teacher • Speed Dating • Back to back • Continuum • Rapidough • Unusual images • Pictionary

Who’s the odd one out?

THINKING GAMES THINKING ABCs MORAL DILEMMAS VENN DIAGRAMS MYSTERY GAMES

Learning ‘Noises’ • HA HA… • Blah blah • AHA… • Errr?

• MMMMMM… • Applause

1 2 3 4 BRAVERY COWARDICE

Some Ground rules, maybe?

• “We encourage everyone to contribute ideas.” • “We give reasons for our ideas and opinions.” • “We can disagree with others but we treat other people’s ideas with respect.” • “We are prepared to change our minds but we don’t have to.” • “We work with our group members and teachers to learn.”

Contracts

• Group and Individual • Example:

ABCDEF

A

sk Questions

B

e Open

C

ommunicate

D

o Your best

E

njoy yourself (and let others enjoy themselves)

F

reeze on command!

Sign _______________

Can you spot the fake?

Mindsets

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FIXED:

Ability is fixed and not open to change. People are either intelligent, sporty, arts, good at maths etc. or they are not.

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GROWTH:

Ability and many personal characteristics are malleable. With enough motivation, effort and good teaching, people can become better at almost anything.

Professor Carol Dweck

Feedback Tips

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Feedback should be offered, but can be refused. Feedback should refer to

specific behaviours

possible in particular situations.

where The attitude of the person giving feedback must be positive towards the recipient.

Feedback should describe a behaviour rather than evaluate it “When you raised your voice….. rather than “When you got all angry…”.

“I liked it best when …. Because …. I didn’t like it when …because …Next time you might …” are good openings for feedback.

Feedback should be checked with the receiver and by others present.

More wisdom than professors!

“It ain’t what you do; it’s the way that you do it results.” – that’s what gets

Bananarama