Well, I did it. I jumped in and made my class a game. I wrote the game to my theme of an FBI type agency that is over scientific investigations. It is called the OBSI, Oramous’ Bureau of Scientific Investigations. The game levels are based on the leveling system of moving through the ranks from police academy to Police Chief. My class website where my options for students are found is obureauofsi.weebly.com.
It has been one week and so far so good. It is a lot of extra planning because you have to come up with more options from which to choose. But my students are reporting high levels of engagement (aka WORTH IT). I do still have room for a lesson in the form of a Daily Briefing. It fits the theme, the first thing a cop or agent does is get a briefing of what went on before they arrived…so I can update my students on topics I need to clarify.
The grading is proving a little stressful. I have to grade to keep the leaderboards current but you can’t just sit down and grade a set of papers because they don’t all do the same thing. Also I have changed my policy on how they turn in work. They can choose any format they choose, which makes it more likely for them to turn in their work but means I have stuff to grade in multiple places. But if my students are being successful I am willing to navigate the grading.
Well, I am off to update the leaderboards. Hope this keeps going well.
O's Bureau of Scientific Investigations 