Serious Gaming

There are so many definitions to this term: serious gaming.  It could be a technology resource that creates simulations for hands-on experience for our students.  It could be a game that kids can work through to still learn information, but in a game type setting.  However, in music, there are not a lot of simulations or games that are strictly for music, especially music in an instrumental ensemble setting.  Therefore, as an orchestra teacher, I have to think outside the box in order to implement this strategy that can be extremely motivating to students.

I have used resources, such as www.MusicTheory.net, in order to play note naming games and key signature games with my students to help practice their knowledge and identification skills through a fun, interactive method.  However, since this website calls them exercises, they don't increase in difficulty unless you change the specific settings.  It does not have levels or set goals for you.  I will definitely continue to use this in my classroom, and have my students set their own goals and evaluate if they reach those goals, but I would also like to expand how I use the concept of serious gaming in my content area.

At the elementary level, music teachers often use a gaming system to teach recorders.  They have beads or ribbons that kids can earn as they progress on the recorder.  I would like to use a system like this in my classroom.  This way, I can use the resources that I already use, but add a gaming aspect to it.  As I have started thinking about this, I thought I'd use a point system that the kids could keep track of in the classroom.  They would receive points as they did theory skills, practicing, as well as doing the exercises in MusicTheory.net.  They can reach different levels as they earn more points.  There could be prizes along the way or more difficult content as they progress.  They can "beat" the game when they've reached the highest level (although, you can create it so they only beat the game at the end of the year!).  Then the next version of the game comes out the next school year. 

This could keep my students engaged, and get to the point where the end goal is not perfection, but constant learning.  I will go back to Candy Crush for weeks trying to pass the same level, but when I do, it is very exciting.  That feeling becomes addictive, and I continue to the next level.  This is what learning and education should be about.  The feeling of success for learning something or perfecting something becoming addictive, so our students want to continue learning more and more.  With an added level of serious gaming in our classrooms, learning could be just that. 

Serious gaming can be expensive, I'm sure, but it can also be completely free.  If you find the right resources and work a little to create that environment, this strategy is completely free.  It could use technology, it could be all hands-on; it all depends on how you want to implement it and how you want it to look in your classroom.