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

Wednesday, November 28, 2018, 12:40pm, M391

Grace Axler-DiPerte, Facilitator

Participants:    Grace Axler-DiPerte, Lilja Nielsen, Mary Ortiz, Michael Ortiz

1. Grace announced the CUNY Games Conference V5.0 on 1/182019 at BMCC. This year it is a one-day conference.  There will be workshops, a poster session and game demos.  Registration opens 12/2/2018.  Go on Peatix to register (about $40 to register).  For anyone interested, abstract submission for poster or presentation sessions is still open.
2. Jeopardy Labs – Michael shared that there are already over 2 million templates for different fields (ex. psych, bio, soc) available, or you can make your own. He has tried it with 2 teams.  It works with points; you can modify them.  The web site is:  jeopardylabs.com.  Michael will use it for review this semester.
3. Grace shared she had her BIO50 (Micro) class play the game she and Mary developed. She did it with diseases of the skin and the respiratory system.  The students enjoyed it so much they asked if they could stay after class to complete it, but another class was coming into the room so they could not do that.  Grace showed the group our disease cards.
4. Michael shared he orders custom pens from Amsterdam.com for prizes. He got the idea from a previous GBL FIG meeting.  He feels prizes are better for the spirit of playing rather than points.
5. Grace showed us the Vaccines card game she ordered from Australia.
6. Michael has also used Pictionary and Charades in his classes.
7. Grace told us about a game she uses in Micro class called, “Who would you talk to?” For example, one answer focused on Joseph Lister.  There is also a time line where you can put discoveries in order.  She also used riddles.
8. Grace has used games in 2 ways: give the lecture then do the game, and do the game then give the lecture. She also uses IF AT KEYS cards, where students have to come up with the questions (ex. metabolism).
9. Grace shared game cards from the CUNY Games Conference, “Complex Mechanic Games Cards”, by JoeBisz.com. She also talked about using, “What’s Your Game Plan?” to create a game.
10. Mary may try doing a game with labeling the photos in BIO21 – Comparative Anatomy. She also discussed the OER she did for BIO21.
11. Also discussed: Nerve Conduction Games, Bingo, “Go find the student with the matching word”.
12. Mary shared her use of a skeleton puzzle in BIO11.
13. We plan to meet again next semester to continue our discussions.
14. Meeting ended at 1:40pm.

Notes respectfully submitted by Mary Theresa Ortiz

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

Wednesday, October 25, 2018, 11:30AM, KCTL Conference Room

Grace Axler-DiPerte, Facilitator

Participants:    Grace Axler-DiPerte, Michael Ortiz, Eric Conte

1. Grace announced the CUNY Games Conference V5.0 on Jan 18, 2019, at BMCC. This year it is a one-day conference.  There will be workshops, a poster session and game demos.  Registration TBA.
2. Grace provided background on the GBL group.
3. We received a detailed update from Michael on his use of Pictionary game-mechanics in his Sociology lecture:
   1. Students drew cards and then had to draw out various aspects of the lecture topic for classmates to guess
   2. As an additional challenge students had to place the “clues” of the Pictionary cards within the context of the overall lecture topic. A great use of leveling the challenges of the game.
   3. Students were engaged and receptive to participating, and were also able to successfully meet the lesson goal. Overall a success.
   4. Michael intends to continue, and expand this activity to other lessons.
4. We discussed Jeopardy!-like games as a useful review tool
   1. Teams seem to work better than allowing students to compete individually.
      1. Allows for strategy (“Which category do we pick?”) and meta-cognition (“What are my strong points?”)
   2. Michael and Eric both use “Jeopardy Labs” a web-based template to make their games. There are also pre-existing games made by other teachers. https://jeopardylabs.com/
      1. We discussed this tool as an opportunity for students to co-design a game by submitting their questions to the template.
   3. We briefly discussed Bingo game mechanics for use as ice-breakers in Eric’s teaching classes.
      1. He adds a role-playing element to simulate students with challenges to increase the topical relevance to the course.
   4. We then moved on to using tools available at JoeBisz.com, “What’s Your Game Plan?”, and complex mechanic game cards to brainstorm a game that introduces students to the primary research literature concerning formative vs. summative assessment.
      1. Eric would like to try this game with an upcoming class and report on it at a future meeting.
   5. Grace had an IF-AT (Immediate Feedback and Assessment Test) scratch off card and demonstrated it’s use.
   6. Michael showed us some great prizes he ordered for his in-class games. Personalized pens ordered online.  Prizes can be great motivators to energize a game!

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

Wednesday, September 26, 2018, 12:40pm, M378

Grace Axler-DiPerte, Facilitator

Participants:    Grace Axler-DiPerte, Azure Faucette, Mary Ortiz

1. Grace announced the CUNY Games Conference V5.0 on Jan 18, 2019, at BMCC. This year it is a one-day conference.  There will be workshops, a poster session and game demos.  Registration TBA.
2. Grace provided background on the GBL group.
3. We shared our experiences with using game-based activities in our classes:
   11. Mary shared using “A&P Feud” in BIO11.
   12. Azure shared using a form of charades in BIO12 with function cards for 2 points extra credit on quizzes. It is a good way to review.  Grace and Azure suggested using this type of charades game in BIO21 to compare vertebrates (ex. lamprey and shark).
   13. Azure shared using her bead activity for RBCs and WBCs. It is a simulation to learn about blood.
   14. Grace shared using riddles in BIO51 where the question is asked, “What bacterial structure is it?”
   15. Azure spoke about using “scratch off” quizzes.
4. We discussed the level of games and problems when working with games (ex. student walked away).
5. We discussed design projects and using physiology to explain superheroes powers.
6. Grace will post a Doodle for our next meeting in October. We will use “What’s Your Game Plan” to work on an acid/base idea for BIO12.
7. Meeting ended at 1:40pm.

Notes respectfully submitted by Mary Theresa Ortiz