EDUCAUSE To Feature Session on Game Design Strategies

At EDUCAUSE 2015, attendees will be able to sit in on the session “It Begins with a Dream: Game Storming and Game Design.”

This session will enables attendees to “game-storm” different strategies from the idea phases to completed game design documentation.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to design an educational game document from a template provided at the session, piece through game development strategies and discuss the strengths of each with industry experts.

Mike Broderick, CEO of Turning Technologies says gaming is a fast-growing trend in higher education, and an important tool in today’s college classrooms.

“Ten years ago, gaming was probably thought of more as being in primary education,” he says. “But in secondary, post-secondary today, more and more of this data coming out says you can engage [students] in a competitive environment [with gaming]. You’re involving so much more of their attention and focus than a traditional classroom environment might.”

Gaming solutions for the classroom

Broderick also says different gaming solutions are available for higher educators, including clickers.

Clickers can be dispersed to students during class, and can encourage them to be interactive in the classroom.

Broderick says clickers keep students engaged and invested in lessons.

“I think what clickers bring to gaming is that dynamic where every individual participates in the gaming event,” he says. “For example, within our software, we have the ability to break up groups by team to do things like “see who can answer questions the quickest.” I can play a Jeopardy theme or a T.V. theme – anything I can think of that involves everybody in the audience.”

Broderick also says clicker learning enables educators to recycle content for future lessons.

“I can also use those gaming questions throughout my presentations and classes that students have to be alert and awake for when they participate and get some sort of recognition,” he says.

Broderick says the biggest benefit in implementing gaming technology in college classrooms is “the ability to involve every participant through the entire event,” and that colleges should aim to use gaming technology for work rather than play.

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