Both children and adults love to play video games. Can games make learning fun, too? On Saturday in Oregon 204, Dr. John Hendron of Educators Rising will be leading a 4 p.m. breakout session highlighting the powerful psychology behind games. He’ll introduce why we like to play games and how businesses have hijacked the fun derived from games to drive engagement with customers. The burning question: Can we hijack this same psychology for engaging learners in the classroom? And if so, how might we do it?
Games are a long-standing human construct that some believe are necessarily for a fulfilling life. It’s not surprising that the industry around gaming makes more money annually than the movie industry. The factors keeping you engaged with a game are the same whether your favorite game is on a court, involves playing cards, or requires a controller and high-refresh-rate screen.
Hendron will share an AI coach he developed to help practicing educators and pre-educators to design gamified learning experiences. Attendees will have a stronger understanding of gamification and how to apply game techniques to instructional design.
