As a Learning Design Lead, Maija develops exciting digital products for English language learning and assessment at Cambridge Assessment English. She holds an MA in Applied Linguistics and a PgC in Digital Education. She’s interested in the impact of technology on education and how gamification and design choices affect learning.
1 September | 12:15 p.m. | Zoom
Gamification VS Games-based learning: what’s the difference and why bother? How new digital initiatives can support teachers and learners.
Gamification and games-based learning are two concepts that are frequently used interchangeably. While similar in the cognitive responses that they evoke, gamification and games-based learning in are very distinct in their impact and approach to the design of digital tools for learning. This talk, while exploring the similarities and the differences, will focus on the benefits of gamification and immersive games for learning by presenting both research and application on what makes a good game in ELT. This will be demonstrated in the context of Cambridge English Kahoots! and Exam Lift (both quiz style English language activities), and Cambridge Adventures in English – an English language learning experience in Minecraft developed by Cambridge Assessment English to support both independent and teacher facilitated learning in the motivational context of an immersive video game. In addition to experiencing some of the gamification principles in action through the demonstrated Cambridge English products, participants will take away practical recommendations for evaluating games-based tools for learning, and a clear understanding of how to make informed decisions about employing such tools in their classroom, or when designing games-based activities themselves. They will also have an opportunity to access some free digital resources for use with their learners.
