Video Game Secrets

The implications of the various pieces to designing and playing games in a learning environment can be positive or negative. I am going to focus on the positive implications because as I was reading the article I could see things that were comparable to how the learning environment I teach in is set up. The self determination theory stood out to me in that "gamer's need to own their worlds in order to be happy". The school that I teach at is solely project based learning. Our learners are leaders of their own learning. They take ownership of their learning and really enjoy having voice and choice vs. a traditional learning environment. The self determination theory goes hand in hand with autonomy. In the gaming world autonomy is when games tap into our need to have control. Our learning environment allows the learners to have control with guidance along the way to help direct their learning path. The major thought that I got out of this article in comparison to my school learning environment and I agree wholeheartedly is that people need to feel free to try thing and to learn without being judged or penalized. We have a lot of choice in how we work through standards via projects and being standards based if a learner doesn't get it the first time they can reassess and keep trying until they get it right without being penalized.