Games Based Learning

During the module we have experienced tools which could implement games based learning within the curriculum. Guitar Hero, Samba and the Wii bike all use interactive technology to enhance learning. We then concentrated on the guitar hero in a group, discussed and recorded in a google doc how we could use this as a context throughout the curriculum. I liked the idea of using it as a tool for engagement and building the subject areas around a band/character the pupils can design.
I feel that my first impressions of games based learning were that it may be fun but failed to see the real educational benefit pupil's would get from the game itself. Throughout the input I realised that I needed to look past the immediate short term benefits of the game e.g hand eye co-ordination and look further.
Guitar Hero in the classroom is not specific to music teaching, it can be expanded to every subject area, creating a gig, selling tickets, pricing venues, designing logos, etc are all related to the starting point of the game. I realised this, not only when we were making our google doc and discussing how we could use this in the classroom but also when I was playing the game, I was engaged immediately as the pupils would also be, I wanted to pick the outfit and guitar for my character and choose my favourite song, I realised that if pupils were making these elements of the game themselves whilst designing costumes and writing songs the level of engagement would increase rapidly.
An interesting question raised by Sharon is how often would the game be played. I felt that it would need to be the introduction but could be used throughout for inspiration or to maintain enthusiasm for the project.

I feel that the stimulus of this particular games based learning tool meets the Curriculum for Excellence principles of Challenge and Enjoyment, Personalisation and Choice and Coherence.

I feel that the game is engaging for the pupils the activities created from the different areas of the curriculum provide scope for appropriate challenge and a sense of achievement in the final product
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Challenge and enjoyment
'Children and young people should find their learning challenging, engaging and motivating. The curriculum should encourage high aspirations and ambitions for all.
At all stages, learners of all aptitudes and abilities should experience an appropriate level of challenge, to enable each individual to achieve his or her potential. They should be active in their learning and have opportunities to develop and demonstrate their creativity. There should be support to enable children and young people to sustain their effort.'

The fact that pupils can create their own style in every aspect of the project from their character to the song they play creates massive opportunities for personalisation and choice and pupil's will feel a sense of ownership in their work.

Personalisation and choice
'The curriculum should respond to individual needs and support particular aptitudes and talents. It should give each child and young person increasing opportunities for exercising responsible personal choice as they move through their school career.
Once they have achieved suitable levels of attainment across a wide range of areas of learning, the choice should become as open as possible. There should be safeguards to ensure that choices are soundly based and lead to successful outcomes.'

The project is drawing in many aspects of the curriculum and linking pupil's experiences together simply using the one stimulus.

Coherence
'Taken as a whole, children and young people's learning activities should combine to form a coherent experience. There should be clear links between the different aspects of children and young people's learning, including opportunities for extended activities which draw different strands of learning together.'

Another example of games based learning is the Sony PSP which provides support as well as stimulus for learning.