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

Wednesday, Oct 23, 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), Michael Ortiz (BEH)

Meeting began at 12:40pm.

1. Grace welcomed everyone.
2. Beth shared feedback from using her game with nucleotides and proteins. The game was well received by her class.
3. Daniel led us all in Mind Mapping and Brain Writing
   1. Mind Mapping
      1. Daniel uses this game in his Tourism Entrepreneur class when he teaches about setting up a business in the industry.
      2. We started with “T&H” on the board in a circle. Then, Daniel asked us to name businesses associated with T&H.  We said: Airline, Cruise, Bar, etc.  These were placed in circles connected to the original T&H circle by lines.

• Then, we selected one business, “Bar”, and named things we needed to establish a bar, such as Staff, Drinks, Licenses, Glassware, Entertainment, etc.

1. With something like this, students can compete, where each could set up their own bar and then have them pick the “best” bar.
2. Daniel shared a Mind Map for Mitosis and one for Sociological Theories.
3. Post Its could be used with this.

• This works well with sub-categories.
• You could have groups each do a part of the map.

1. This gives student generated content. It is a type of brainstorming.

1. Brain Writing
   1. This activity helps to curb dominating or shy students.
   2. This is based on three foundations:
      1. Works with groups of 4-5 or 6 people.
      2. Each person comes up with 1 or 3 ideas and puts it/them on paper.
      3. Pass the paper every 5 minutes.

• If you do 3 ideas, you can get 108 ideas relatively quickly.

1. Present a problem and ask the students to write an answer. For example, we answered the following, “We all work for a travel agency.  How can we generate more sales?”
2. Purposely be a little vague or more specific with your question.
3. There were 6 of us. We each wrote an idea down and then passed our sheet to the next person for them to add to it.  You eventually get your sheet back.  This is better to do with one idea per sheet.

• You could read each groups’ idea, or let the group read it.
• The students could vote on the best idea.

1. Even if ideas are unrealistic, you can bring it back to a meaningful discussion.
2. We all shared ideas in our fields (ex. Psychology, Biology)
3. We will try this and report back at our next meeting.

4. Next meeting: Wed, Nov 20, 2019 at 12:40pm in M391. Grace will send out a notice.

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

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

Wednesday, Sep 25, 2019, 12:40pm, M391

Grace Axler-DiPerte, Facilitator

Participants:    Grace Axler-DiPerte (BIO), Daniel Kane(TAT) , Beth Mulligan (BIO),

Mary Ortiz (BIO), Michael Ortiz (BEH)

Meeting began at 12:40pm.

1. Grace welcomed everyone.
2. Beth shared ZOOBs (Zoology, Ontology, Ornithology, Botany) with the group. She had used them to make DNA molecules.  Now she is using them to have students make protein models.  Beth ordered the ZOOBs from Alex Toys.  You can get bins of 500 inexpensively.  Beth led us all in making proteins.  Each of us got a bag of ZOOBs.  We each made a protein with 10 red pieces in the middle of the chain.  The ZOOBs are used to show primary, secondary and tertiary protein structure and denaturing.  Beth demonstrated how this is done.  Much discussion and sharing occurred.  Beth mentioned she wished the ZOOBs came in more colors.  She mentioned maybe marking them with tape to create more varieties.  Mary will bring in thin, colored, electrical tape for her to try this.
3. Daniel spoke about an airport operations simulation game that integrates fun applied to learning. We also spoke about Jeopardy Labs.com.
4. Grace provided a short history of how our group got started.
5. Grace spoke about Taleblazer (from MIT Labs), a free app where you can create games.
6. We discussed using chips for ATP molecules. We could also use trivia questions to earn ATP.
7. We discussed prizes – pens, erasers, etc. These can be purchased inexpensively.
8. We all Googled ZOOB Toy.
9. Grace mentioned that Michael’s gives educator discounts.
10. Daniel shared The Game Crafter and Ali Express for ordering chips, toys, etc. They are very inexpensive, but may take 4-5 weeks for delivery.
11. Michael discussed Pictionary and shared categories for the natural and social sciences. We discussed having students categorize the cards.  Students can also make/design cards.
12. We discussed fears of students when they don’t recognize or know what they have to do with game materials.
13. At our next meeting Daniel will show us Mind Map and Brain Writing. We may use big post-its.
14. Next meeting: A Wed in Oct, 12:40am, M391 (hopefully). Grace will send out a notice.

Meeting ended at 1:40pm.

Notes respectfully submitted by Mary Theresa Ortiz