Research Meets Gamification With A Google A Day. As with any skill, research takes practice.
The more students search, the better they will become at finding what they need online. I use A Google a Day to “gamify” research in my classroom. After I present tips for searching smarter, I want students to have ample opportunities to practice those tips and strategies. A Google a Day is a free game offered by Google that presents 6 trivia questions each day. If students opt to play the “basic game,” there is no sign in required and they can access the first three questions. Students are timed and receive points based on how long it takes them to correctly answer each question. Tips for getting the most out of A Google a Day: Put students into “teams” or groups as they play.
For more on teaching students how to evaluate digital resources, check out my blog “Common Core: Evaluating The Credibility of Digital Sources.” The Science Behind Foldit. Foldit is a revolutionary new computer game enabling you to contribute to important scientific research.
This page describes the science behind Foldit and how your playing can help. What is a protein? Proteins are the workhorses in every cell of every living thing. Your body is made up of trillions of cells, of all different kinds: muscle cells, brain cells, blood cells, and more. Inside those cells, proteins are allowing your body to do what it does: break down food to power your muscles, send signals through your brain that control the body, and transport nutrients through your blood. What are amino acids? What shape will a protein fold into? Why is shape important? What do proteins do? Proteins are present in all living things, even plants, bacteria, and viruses. Photosystem I is a collection of proteins in plants that captures sunlight for photosynthesis.Luciferase catalyzes the chemical reaction that makes fireflies glow.Hemagglutinin helps the influenza virus invade our cells. SimCityEDU: Using Games for Formative Assessment. Big Ideas Digital Tools Teaching Strategies SimCity As game-based learning gains momentum in education circles, teachers increasingly want substantive proof that games are helpful for learning.
The game-makers at the non-profit GlassLab are hoping to do this with the popular video game SimCity. GlassLab is working with commercial game companies, assessment experts, and those versed in digital classrooms to build SimCityEDU, a downloadable game designed for sixth graders. Scheduled to be be released in the fall of 2013, it builds on SimCity’s city management theme, but provides specific challenges to players in the subject of STEM. “The big pain point we’ve heard from teachers is that they cannot entertain their kids to the level that they are being entertained outside of the classroom,” said Jessica Lindl, general manager of GlassLab. “None of the other games are trying to do formative assessment to the level we are. “These kids are fascinated by the environment,” Lindl said. Related. The Radix Endeavor. The Radix Endeavor is a multiplayer online game for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) learning in high school.
The game is funded by the Gates Foundation, and under development at the MIT Education Arcade in collaboration with Filament Games. The initial phase will cover topics in biology, algebra, geometry, probability, and statistics, providing students with a collaborative, social experience in a systems-based game world where they can explore how the world works and discover important scientific concepts. Play The Radix Endeavor! To learn more about the project and how you can get involved, complete the subscription form to receive Radix Updates.Participate in our upcoming daylong professional development session, Using Games in the High School Classroom, featuring The Radix Endeavor.
Interested in participating in the research pilot? Game Experience Benefits of an MMO Curriculum Assessment & Teacher Tools Research Getting Involved. Game Linking Codes - Novel Games for Business. Gamification and Flipped Instruction in Education" by Philip Vinogradov.