Game Based Learning (GBL) Faculty Interest Group (FIG) – Notes from Meeting

Wednesday, March 27, 2019, 11:30am, M391

Grace Axler-DiPerte, Facilitator

Participants:    Grace Axler-DiPerte, Karen Colombo, Loretta Brancaccio-Taras, Azure Faucette,

Jocelyn Figueroa, Elizabeth Mulligan, Mary Ortiz, Michael Ortiz, Raluca Toscano,

Isaac Vicci, Joan M. Zaloom

1. Grace welcomed everyone.
2. There were new people so we introduced ourselves (name, dept, use of games in class).
3. Grace provided background on the GBL FIG; spoke of modifying games we know to for our classes.
4. Mike told of his game. Pairs of students must find a match for their definitions on paper.  Then there is a bonus question for extra credit on a quiz.  He awards prizes (pens with his name on them).  The website he orders from is Amsterdam.com.
5. Grace used something similar in BIO50 and spoke a little about inexpensive prizes.
6. Beth spoke about A&P1. Tissues is a topic students hate because it is dry.  She may try Mike’s idea.  She and Azure build an organism with different tissues.  Grace has used “Pictionary” for tissues.
7. Grace spoke of the 2019 CUNY Games Festival and shared a game from the festival. It’s a quick game for math called Mad Libs.  You can use it in Microbiology for diseases or Surg Tech for terms.
8. Grace shared JoeBisz.com of Joe Bisz (BMCC), and shared a new game he created. She shared the multi-sided dice used in the games he created.  They are nice because they add randomness games.
9. Grace shared rapid-fire games to see who can finish first or who can answer the most questions in a specified time. If light-hearted, healthy rivalry between teams is good.  Candy can be good prizes.
10. For Math, you can cut up questions and answers and have to find each other.
11. Grace shared “Superfight”, a competition/debate game. You make superheroes to see who will win in a fight.  Can play in pairs or groups of 3 or 4.  This is basically a debate team.  Pick your best superhero and challenge another to a fight.  Battle and pick a winner.  There are character and attribute cards.  It can be used in music with musician and instrument/genre cards.  You can have students make cards.  There can be critical thinking with deeper mechanics.  Example: use this in Surg Tech with diseases or in Sociology with cultural factors.  If students make the cards, it’s student driven content. Example: virulence factors or “build the deadliest microbe”.  Game is simple. All you need are the cards and judging.  You do need good cards, though.  Azure and Jocelyn played a round.
12. Think about what your dry or difficult lessons are. Some of the group said that in BIO12 (A&P2), acid/base/electrolyte balance is tough for students.  Mary mentioned using case scenarios where you give test results and the students have to figure out what the problem is, why, and then how to treat it.
13. There was some discussion about multi-sided dice. Cheap multi-sided dice are available on Amazon.
14. Mary said the discussions gave her an idea for re-enforcing the criteria for a Binomial Probability Distribution in Biostatistics. She will try this and get back to the group.
15. Beth discussed “Pandemic”. It deals with the spread of disease.  Complicated to learn, but easy to play once you do.
16. Grace shared a game on the spread of a rumor.
17. Nursing faculty present asked about games for memorizing definitions/values. Suggestions: Concentration, puzzles.
18. At the next meeting we will try playing “Snake Oil”.
19. Next meeting: April before spring break, 11:30am, M391 (hopefully). Grace will send out a notice.
20. Meeting ended at 12:40pm.

Notes respectfully submitted by Mary Theresa Ortiz

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