If you want to make learning not only easy, but fun, don't miss out on how games help students learn faster and easier. It's all about the brain!
It about Dopamine baby!
You can think of dopamine as the feel good hormone. It's involved with falling in love, winning a prize, and eating your favorite food. Here's the key....it's also a major compont of learning. Why? Dopamine is a neurotransmitter. That means it carries information between different parts of the brain. What does that mean? It means dopamine cocnverts newly learned information into long-term memory. No dopamine, much less memory.
If students are stressed, or unhappy during learning, that learning has a very hard time making it into long-term memory. Dopamine levels increase when we learn new and pleasureable information. In fact, research shows that Dopamine levels increase motivation and goal-directed behavior. Happy students equal better learning.
That implies that the goal of education, before any education can take place, is to increase dopamine levels!
How do games increase dopamine levels?
Games make kids happy. They get to socialize (which we all love), and they are constantly hit with dopamine every time they get a question right, or solve a problem. In fact, in a game-based learning environment kids grow to crave that rewarding moment when they solve a challenging problem. That builds the motivation to persevere, and seek out that pleasurable problem solving situation again. That's the golden ticket of education!
Does This Actually Work in the Classroom?
A new study from Vanderbilt University shows that students who played educational games outperformed their peers on standardized tests. Teachers in the study said:
1. Content games helped to foster in-depth learning, developed critical thinking and problem solving skills
2. Quiz-style games reinforced lessons and helped review material
3. Different types of game play stimulated interest and engagement, particularly in students prone to being off-task
4. Games prompted student-led discussions, collaboration and the sharing of knowledge
5. Simple and complex games increased confidence and content mastery
6. Teachers reported increased engagement
7. Improved attention spans: students who normally were off-task became more focused on learning
92% of teachers who used educational games said they would do it again because of the impact on student performance and engagement. To me, number 3 is the key.
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TIME FOR A FREEBIE
So! To get you started I have four free board games for you. They are designed to use with any task cards you may already have for reading and math, or with your own questions. Just add dice or a spinner and you're good to go. I use a dime and a nickel as place holders. Click on the picture below to get your freebie!
To get 65 full color game boards with themes from the curriculum, holidays and sports, plus 71 black and white boards check out the resource below by clicking on the picture.
