I gave up video games in 1993, just after I completed the original Super Mario Brothers from Nintendo – passing all 8 worlds - 32 boards without warping – on one man. I figured after conquering such an amazing feat, I would excuse myself from the world of electronics and give others a chance to shine, as I faded into legend :). Now I am old, balding, and realized I should have stuck around the world of technology a bit more than I did.  

Gamification in education is intriguing. I see both young and old (at least older) being drawn to, and investing time in gaming. Last week I was teaching a lesson on World War I, and a student piped up to say that this sounds just like a story line from the popular game, Assassin’s Creed. It would be great if just a fraction of that enthusiasm for gaming could be put towards learning valuable skills. “Gamification in E-Learning - Are you really learning?”, by Craig Weiss, clarified the direction gaming is headed and what it needs to include for real educational value.

Weiss used the subtitle, “We Don’t Need No Stinking Badges,” to illustrate that it’s not about the points one accrues, but what the learner takes away in applicable knowledge. (It is also a great subtitle because of the reference to the movie UHF). He also was sure to stress the element of fun, thus the whole attraction to games. If learners are to be engaged in the experience, it needs to be fun. As a teacher, that would be the combination to look for - something to provide a learning experience, yet fun enough to keep my students engaged. I checked out a few different games and would recommend a round of CODE FRED to see a balance of the both fun and good learning experience. 

In all honesty, until now I have been thinking of gaming only in the world of computers and technology. Board games really did not cross my mind until I came across Scott Nicholson’s video on board games. It is well worth watching.