Gamification - Intelligence Games and Brain Teasers  in the Classroom

games

Preparation:

The course organisers will send to the participants a list of materials related to the course topic that they can read in order to prepare for the course. The organisers will assist the participants if they need information related to the accommodation, plane tickets or other necessary details.

Course description

This course focuses on active and engaging learning; learning based on games, not on memorising. According to Bloom’s taxonomy, there are many levels of learning: from remembering to creating.  Remembering is at the very bottom of the learning pyramid, and it is the most present in schools of today. On this course we will pay great attention on how to use activities in the classroom that are game-based. Participants will learn how to organise their lesson in more active and engaging way, primarily focusing on learning by doing, and learning through playing. We will compare traditional learning to alternative learning methods. Participants will be actively involved in performing problem and project-based activities. More creative and engaging approach in the classroom means more innovation; students have to end the lesson with the result, concrete product of their active learning.

 Methodology:

Methodological approach involves:

  • Ice-breaking sessions
  • Warm-ups and energisers
  • Brainstorming
  • Debates
  • Lateral  thinking puzzles
  • Six Hats method
  • Problem – solving activities
  • Project – solving activities
  • Questioning
  • Action – based strategies;

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, participants will be able to:
  • Learn about gamification in the classroom;
  • Learn about teaching thorough lateral puzzles in the classroom;
  • Critical thinking in practice; how to encourage students to think critically through engaging lessons;
  • Learning about designed thinking; solving problems in innovative way;
  • Applying lateral thinking: how to think outside the box;
  • Learn how to gamify grading;
  • Project – based learning in practice; every lesson can be a project;
  • Learning how to encourage students to be innovative as a part of gamification in the classroom;
  • Development of tools and techniques for innovative problem solving
Follow-up

Trainees will be given soft and hard copies of all lesson materials, which they can present to their colleagues in their own organizations to generate interest in project writing. In addition, a mailing list of participants will be created in order to exchange ideas/experiences. At the end of the course the participants will fill in a questionnaire in order to get a detailed feedback for the effectiveness of the training event.

Programme of training activities day-by-day:

Day 1 – MONDAY

  • Welcome and registration
  • Introduction to the concept of gamification in the classroom
  • Games as the excellent vehicle for learning
  • Ways of bringing gamification of educatin to your classroom

Day 2 – TUESDAY

  • What is lateral thinking; How to encourage your students to think in a different way
  • Project – based learning in practice; how you can organise project – based classroom in different subjects
  • Practical exercises that develop students' critical thinking skills

Day 3 – WEDNESDAY

  • Ice – breaking activities; The benefits of warm – ups, ice – breakers and energisers
  • What are Mental blocks
  • Problem solving; Six hats method
  • Brainstorming activities; Any idea matters
  • Increasing students' motivation; discussion

Day 4 – THURSDAY

  • Multiple intelligence theory; every students needs different approach
  • Project – based teaching: My 6 months' plan for implementing task – based classroom
  • Using practical resources for creating innovative classroom
  • Examples of good practices of gamification from some European schools; discussion

Day 5 – FRIDAY

  • Game – based activities; Learning through playing
  • Designing classroom activities in a way that will stimulate every student
  • Improving learning and language skills through task – based activities

Days 6/7 – SATURDAY and SUNDAY Workshops and Cultural/Sightseeing Activities

Day 8 – Monday

  • Real – world activities; Preparing students for the outside world
  • Using technology to gamify your lessons
  • Gamification: increasing motivation through engagement
  • The most popular intelligence games

Day 9 – Tuesday

  • Integrating educational video games into the curriculum
  • How to gamify grading in the classroom
  • Gamification and competition

Day 10 – Wednesday

  • Feedback, Course Evaluation and Dissemination Focus
  • Awarding certificates of attendance