Technology has increasingly become utilized in classroom settings in order to allow students to enhance their experiences and understanding. Among such technologies that are being implemented into course work are game-based learning programs. Introducing game-based learning into the classroom can help to improve students’ communication and teamwork skills and build more meaningful connections to the subject matter. While this growing field has numerous benefits for education at all levels, it is important to understand and acknowledge the current best practices of gamification and game-based learning and better learn how they are correctly implemented in all areas of education. The Research Anthology on Developments in Gamification and Game-Based Learning is a comprehensive reference source that considers all aspects of gamification and game-based learning in an educational context including the benefits, difficulties, opportunities, and future directions. Covering a wide range of topics including game concepts, mobile learning, educational games, and learning processes, it is an ideal resource for academicians, researchers, curricula developers, instructional designers, technologists, IT specialists, education professionals, administrators, software designers, students, and stakeholders in all levels of education.

Jam-packed with classroom-tested, hands-on activities such as wondercircles, fan-fold books, paper-chain timelines, and more mapping and report writing ideas!

Despite the growing number of books designed to radically reconsider the educational value of video games as powerful learning tools, there are very few practical guidelines conveniently available for prospective history and social studies teachers who actually want to use these teaching and learning tools in their classes. As the games and learning field continues to grow in importance, Gaming the Past provides social studies teachers and teacher educators help in implementing this unique and engaging new pedagogy. This book focuses on specific examples to help social studies educators effectively use computer simulation games to teach critical thinking and historical analysis. Chapters cover the core parts of conceiving, planning, designing, and implementing simulation based lessons. Additional topics covered include: Talking to colleagues, administrators, parents, and students about the theoretical and practical educational value of using historical simulation games. Selecting simulation games that are aligned to curricular goals Determining hardware and software requirements, purchasing software, and preparing a learning environment incorporating simulations Planning lessons and implementing instructional strategies Identifying and avoiding common pitfalls Developing activities and assessments for use with simulation games that facilitate the interpretation and creation of established and new media Also included are sample unit and lesson plans and worksheets as well as suggestions for further reading. The book ends with brief profiles of the majority of historical simulation games currently available from commercial vendors and freely on the Internet.

"Social studies games contains 28 card games related to such topics as geography, history, exploration, and government"--Introduction

Making learning fun and interactive is a surefire way to excite your social studies students. This book includes game-formatted activities for major historical topics. While the goal of these activities is to create excitement and to spark interest in further study, they are also standards based and include grading rubrics and ideas for assessment. Encouraging teamwork, creativity, intelligent reflection, and decision making, the games of Hands-on History Activities will help you take an active approach to teaching while inspiring your students to make their own explorations of history.

Developed by an acclaimed history teacher in Iowa, this popular resource includes 14 simulations, debates, quiz games and strategy games. It covers key topics from the first explorers to the 2000 presidential elections. Convene a constitutional convention, re-fight the Civil War, relive the Crash of ’29, and much more. Use this ingenious text to reinvigorate your history classes.