As a child, you may remember eating the famous snack, Cracker Jack. Maybe you selected this snack because you enjoy the molasses-flavored, caramel-coated peanut popcorn. Or maybe even more than the food itself, it was the prize that you would so eagerly retrieve from the bottom of the cracker jack box that made you choose this snack in the first place.
Regardless, some may say that back in 1912 with the creation of the American Cracker Jack snack, gamification also came to life. While Cracker Jack may not be gamified in its modern sense, the use of fun and a prize entices people to buy (play, complete, engage, etc.), which is what gamification is all about.
How did gamification continue to rise from the start of its creation, and why is gamification a very suitable educational technology trend?
The Rise of the Gamification in Education
The American Cracker Jack snack provided buyers with the incentive to not only enjoy a delicious snack, but with the purchase of any box you also gained a hidden treasure.
In the same era, but with a slightly different format, 1908 Boy Scouts of America also exhibited an example of gamification when they adopted their badge system. With the badge system, Boy Scouts earn badges over time as they progress through various areas of knowledge.
They wear these badges on their uniform to showcase their accomplishments. The motivation of seeing other fellow scouts obtain and display badges was encouragement for others to work towards the same goals.
Both Cracker Jacks and Boy Scouts are early examples of gamification. When the gamification entered the educational scene, it was seen in similar ways. Students would earn toys or stickers for the completion of work. Other classrooms use visual badges (sticker, star, etc.) to represent students’ hard work. Transforming into this day and age, gamification often involves technology.
There are hundreds (dare I say thousands) of apps and programs that incentivize students with digital coins, stars, or virtual stores where they can buy pretend objects upon completion of their assignments. For many students, gamification is the tool they need to engage, excite, and spark interest in their learnings.
So why is gamification such a suitable ed tech trend, how can it be used in classrooms, and why is it particularly intriguing post-pandemic?
Gamification is an Extremely Valuable Ed Tech Trend
Gamification is a classroom tool that continues to trend all over the world. Students love that they can earn various items as they progress through levels.
Teachers also love using gamification because it encourages students to stick with the material being taught and, in turn, further solidify the content at hand. There are many ways gamification can be used in classrooms through education games, and more.
Ways to Increase Gamification in Education
Below we will explore several ways to gamify your classroom activities that are user-friendly, easy to implement, and sure to be favorites for your students.
Goose Chase
Students love a good scavenger hunt. With GooseChase you can mix the fun of a traditional hunt with technology to gamify your planned activity.
How it works is that teachers build scavenger hunts from the “Game Manager” portion of the website. You can then add missions that students complete by submitting photos, videos, text responses, or check-in points, or simply as an engaging classroom game.
This is a fun way to review for a test:
- “Find an example of a liquid and take a photo of it.”
Get to know a new space:
- “Find the poster of our class rules and record yourself reading one of them.”
Kahoot!
Kahoot! is another great way to add some gamification to your classroom. If you are not familiar with this very popular tool, here is your push to try it out.
This game-based learning platform lets students race against each other as they answer questions created by their teacher. Educators can create questions as a unit introduction, as a review for a test, or as a get-to-know-you activity.
There is also a library of pre-made games that cover a variety of topics, so you are likely to be able to find just what you are looking for without taking the time to generate your own quiz. This is a fan favorite for many and will likely be for your students as well!
Classcraft
Classcraft is a free, online educational tool that links teachers with their students to monitor and motivate behavior. Students can level up, work in teams, and earn various powers as they work to follow expected behavior.
Students feel motivated by the custom avatars and enjoy receiving feedback from their peers and teachers. Through reviews, many educators are saying that Classcraft has helped them revive their classrooms as they get back into a “normal” school year, post-pandemic.
Breakout EDU
Breakout EDU is another excellent way to gamify learning and engage students of all levels. The standards-aligned games challenge players as they apply their content knowledge in collaborative ways.
Students uncover clues alongside their peers as they set off on an enriching adventure to unlock the mission. Whether you as a teacher are looking for a five-minute daily activity or enter a full-on immersive experience, Breakout EDU is worth a second look.
Whether or not you were a member of the Boy Scouts or have tried Cracker Jacks, you probably have been motivated one way or another with some incentive. Gamification has combined playing games with obtaining prizes. In education, gamification has become a phenomenon that helps redesign and supercharge learning through classroom games.
Adding a competitive edge with games like Kahoot!, creating engaging activities with GooseChase, or simply assigning a fun BreakoutEDU puzzle can help reignite and revamp learning.
Interested in educational technology and want to expand your knowledge? Check out our available educational technology graduate programs and get started today!
