Gamification includes using elements of board games, video games, and social games in the classroom to motivate and engage students in learning.
Jan 20
Following my four-step Minecraft Education classroom integration plan, we just completed step 3, the build competitions! Here’s how to access the Build Battle Binary Builders world: Here’s how the game looks in class: While the two teams were competing, I had the rest of the class working on an individual game. I chose the Investigators …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2025/01/20/minecraft-education-build-competitions/
Dec 26
On our last day of 2024, the Friday before winter break, we ended each period with a Zen-like activity where students got to build a place that makes them happy in Minecraft Education. Students were already familiar with using Minecraft Education after participating in a few games during Computer Science Education Week. We started with …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2024/12/26/minecraft-education-free-build-activity-gbl/
Dec 26
If you use Pear Deck or Pear Assessment or Pear Tutor, you have got to try Pear Practice (formerly Giant Steps)! With Pear Practice you can take any quiz and turn it into an exciting game. Unlike Kahoot, Quizizz, Gimkit, Blooket, and other quiz-like games Pear Practice does its gaming differently. It begins by assigning …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2024/12/26/pear-practice-is-so-much-fun-gamification/
Oct 07
When I saw Eduguardians share this Jr. Eduguardians book on Twitter (x) I had to do it! After having to revamp my gamification plan for this year, I needed ways for students to engage more with their D&D style Star Trek characters from the Modiphius Star Trek adventures Tabletop rpg and this was a great …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2024/10/07/our-class-starship/
Sep 22
The 24-25 school year is under way and with the shutdown of Classcraft I am re-creating the gamification portion of my classes to continue to provide a layer of gameplay that can make the mundane more fun for kids. This is my 34th year teaching and there is never a dull moment when the new …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2024/09/22/gamification-sans-classcraft/
Jul 22
Earlier this year in February we were informed by HMH that as part of their purchase of the gamification learning management system (LMS), Classcraft, they were taking it down completely by June 30. To those of us who have been using Classcraft that announcement was a crushing blow. I wrote about it here. For the …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2024/07/22/classcraft-finally-taken-down/
Feb 22
David Mueller started a petition to let HMH know that there are those of us who would benefit and whose students would benefit if they could keep their current form of Classcraft running for us when they start their new version. Please take a moment to help us and sign this petition: Click Here It …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2024/02/22/the-end-of-the-best-student-engagement-gamification-tool-ive-ever-seen/
Mar 08
The amazing Cassondra Smith, EdTech Coordinator from Battle Ground Public Schools here in WA state, has a podcast for teachers who want to learn more about EdTech and integrating technology. For her most recent podcast she invited my presenting partner Tammie Schrader and me to talk about gamification and game-based learning (GBL)! Click on the …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2023/03/08/intro-to-gamification-and-game-based-learning-gbl-podcast/
Dec 04
Thursday, December 1, I had the honor of being invited to present at one of our state’s Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee meetings! Thanks to my WEA workshop partner, Tammie Schrader, who introduced me to the Senate Committee chair, Senator Lisa Wellman, and recommended me to speak and share I got to speak …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2022/12/04/senate-committee-session-on-gamification/
Jul 24
I was very fortunate to have been invited to speak in an esports panel for this year’s Serious Play 2022 Conference by Educational Consultant and Games in Learning Adviser Bron Stuckey (@BronSt). Luckily, I had to pre-recorded my intro and my responses to some questions and send them to Bron because now I have those …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2022/07/24/chimacum-esports-program-explained/
I'm a Curipod Ambassador! :)
I've presented at NCCE
2016, 2017, 2019, 2022,
2023, 2024, and 2025!
I presented at WSTA 2015!
