7 Ways Games Reward the Brain

My initial thoughts:

Honestly, I am not a video games fan. I never really have been. My brother, on the other hand, was the gamer in my household. So, I couldn’t relate at first to the whole video game perspective of this video. However, as the speaker, Tom Chatfield, went on to discuss the seven ways that games can reward the brain, I became intrigued. I knew of some games that were used in classrooms, and I have always tried to find educational apps for my stepdaughters to use to help them with certain subjects in school. I do feel that these seven ways help that Chatfield discuss are on point with assisting students in the classroom. I related a lot to the game we are playing in our classroom currently on the Rezzly website. I have noticed a totally different approach towards school work on my part. I can see how the rewards and short/long term activities help me achieve goals and prevent feeling burned out. This is something I would like to incorporate within my classroom (when I become a teacher).

Below is a list of the seven lessons he discussed as well as an explanation of how they will help in the classroom.

#1 – Experience bars measuring progress. This is a “simple idea” as Chatfield put it. He states that instead of an instructor grading a student in little bits, the instructor should create an avatar which grows in little bits. This is a way of building something of their own.

#2 – Multiple long and short-term aims. Basically, this action involves giving students long and short-term goals to keep the students engaged in the classroom.

 #3 – Reward effort. This lesson is great if you involve games in the classroom for students to achieve rewards. This also helps build confidence.

#4 – Feedback. Chatfield states that modeling things for people will give them a chance to feel a lesson. This, in turn, will help a student to understand a problem better.

#5 – The element of uncertainty. Rewards are great in the classroom when playing an educational game. However, a reward that a student isn’t sure about or was unaware of is even more exciting. This also gets the student even more engaged and excited about a subject.

#6 – Windows of enhanced attention. This lesson is considered those “Oh, now I get it!” moments that a student experiences. When a teacher has the opportunity to witness this moment, this is considered the window of enhanced attention in the classroom.

#7 – Other people. Engagement is a very important factor in the classroom (and within some of the lessons Chatfield pointed out). Students can learn from their peers and from their teacher when playing other games. Learning from one another and about a subject is a great way to truly grasp information.