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

Wednesday, Nov 20, 2019, 12:40pm, M391

Grace Axler-DiPerte, Facilitator

Participants:    Grace Axler-DiPerte (BIO), Maria Bartolomeo (BEH), Erik Conte (BEH),

Daniel Kane (TAH), Beth Mulligan (BIO), Mary Ortiz (BIO)

Meeting began at 12:40pm.

1. Grace welcomed everyone.
2. Mary shared what she did in BIO21 (Comparative Anatomy) with creating a vertebrate that could live in space. Each lab group had to design a vertebrate that could survive in the void of outer space.  It went well.
3. Beth shared she did Mind Mapping on the topic of immunity in Microbiology class (BIO51). She discussed how students could use this map to study.  Discussion on how to gamify this followed.
4. Eric shared what he did in his EDC91 student teaching class with two groups of five each. He had the students pass sheets around on how to solve student issues (ex. crying student).  He did this in another class as well – Psych 24 with Autism.  For Autism, the topic was Differentiated Instruction (ex. Resource Room, Push-in).  Discussion took place.
5. We discussed how we can “swap” groups if one group is floundering. For example, we can say, “Ok, switch groups” so we do not single out a particular group.  We discussed different ways to form groups (ex. random, count-off 1, 2, 1 ,2, …)
6. Grace presented and explained how “If At” scratch-off cards work.
7. Beth explained what POGIL (Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning) is. Each person has a role (ex. presenter, manager, recorder, etc.).  You can do this with a concept the students have not gone over yet.  Use leading questions.  She did this with the topic of lateral gene transfer in transformation in BIO51. Grace Googled POGIL for Psychology and Immunity and shared the sheets she found.
8. Maria tried Brain Writing with the topic of Learning with positive and negative reinforcement in her psychology class. She created a scenario – how can a parent get a child to eat broccoli? (If they eat it, they get M&Ms.  If they do not eat it, then no TV.)  The students passed a sheet around and added to the ideas already on the sheet.  Maria said it went well and was fun, and the students were engaged.  She discussed “Memory” and positive and negative reinforcement.
9. We discussed the “Head Band” and “Cut-Ups” games.
10. Mary shared what she did in BIO/MAT91 Biostatistics last semester with the topic of the criteria for a Binomial Distribution. She had sets of four different colored index cards, asked each student to select one card of each color, and decide if their set of cards met the criteria for a binomial distribution.  All the cards were different, so each student had a different scenario.
11. We discussed rewards. Stickers are fun.  Be careful of high stakes rewards.
12. Daniel shared Level-Up Your Character using Habitica. He also mentioned Learning Gamification and Gamify Your Life.  You can make the whole class a game.
13. There was discussion about Dojo, a tool used in elementary schools to let parents know how their child is doing in class.
14. We decided to look at on-line tools and submit ideas or tools for discussion next semester.
15. Next meeting: Grace will send out a Doodle next semester for our first spring meeting of 2020.

Meeting ended at 1:40pm.   Notes respectfully submitted by Mary Theresa Ortiz

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