1. Game On: Action Research in a Game-Based Classroom
Presented by: Kelli Stair, MEd. Integrating Technology
@gamemasterstair

2. My Classes: Freshman Academy
Who we are: ISTEP, grades, and teacher recommendations Demographics: High ESL and Spec Ed Small classes/ English, Reading, Algebra, and Biology Teachers share all students Motivation as a Key Component to Success

3. Experience Game-Based Learning

4. Key Takeaways from Research: Fall 2015
1. Student motivation increased.
76% of students felt an increase in
motivation, with 29% expressing a big
increase in motivation. The other 24%
indicated the same or neutral responses.
NOT ONE STUDENT INDICATED A DECREASE IN MOTIVATION AS A RESULT OF THIS FORMAT.

5. Key Takeaways from Research
2. Game-based features influence student motivation to do work.
Most Important Feature for Student Motivation
Game-Based Feature
% Students
Game-Winning Goal
28%
Leaderboard/ Competition
XP (Experience Points)
22%
Choice of Quests/ Pace
15%
Badges/ Awards 7%

6. Key Takeaways from Research
3. Many students worked harder than they otherwise would have.
71/78 students won the game with 3500XP. [29/78 had a D or F in 8th grade LA.]
4 of the 7 who did not win were within 500XP.
All students achieved at least 61% of 3500XP.
26/78 students had 4000XP or more, 14% more work than winning required.
6 students reached UBERWIN goal of 5000XP: 42% more work

7. Key Takeaways from Research
4. Progress and Growth Mindset
Weekly levels and rank level-ups= small goals towards an overall Game-Winning Goal.
No averages of grades; nothing counts against, only for more XP.
No zeroes or low scores to take from previous success.
Mastery grading, returned quests, mandatory quest--personal narrative.
XP, level-ups, mastery grading all contribute to developing growth mindset.

8. Key Takeaways from Research
5. Failures/mistakes become an acceptable step in learning.
37% of students in 8th grade had a D or F in English.
CONTROL was the biggest factor in student attitudes about overall  failure: When teachers had all the control, students weren’t concerned about failing.
Mastery Learning= Student Control
How much XP, which quests, how much time on quests (at home/ bonus)
Returned Quests

9. Main Ideas for Implementation
Reframe class as a game
Dave Burgess: Power of Reframing
No homework, no essays, no tests, no assignments, no due dates
Students must have Choice
Jane McGonigal: No choice= no game
Play how YOU want; I offer strategies if needed
Universal Design for Learning (Backwards Design)
Focus and Organization
Prerequisites, badges, show vs no show: clutter
Advantage: Many Players
English (readers & writers) (advantage over each other and content)
Gamers, hard workers, team players/collaborators, strategizers
Advantage over the game

10. Final Results:
Grades
8th Grade
9B (2015-6) A 5 45 B 18 9 C 20 3
D/F 29
Uber Wins: 1st-6 2nd-8 3rd-5 1: all 3 4: 2 of 3 7: 1 of /5000XP!!!
Lab Grades
2015 (78)
2016 (52/70 DNP)18
UBER: 5000XP 6
A: 3500 XP 65 46
C: 3000XP 4 10 D 3
F: <2100XP 2

11. Action Research Document: HERE
Please feel free to contact me with questions, inspirations, comments, or if you’d like to know more about how to create your own game-based class: 3D Game Lab Software: REZZLY.COM [great tutorials through the software]