Integrating Games in Classroom Instruction: A Professional Development Module

Student motivation and engagement in the classroom is a challenge for any educator especially when teaching difficult concepts. Many ideas have emerged as to how educators can promote engagement thus motivating learners. One approach is through playing games. Many studies have been conducted regarding the effectiveness of using games as vehicles of learning. Despite the known benefits of games, it is hardly incorporated into student learning. One reason is that many educators find it challenging to incorporate games into their instruction. To help address this challenge, a game-based online instructional module was developed to increase educators’ confidence in incorporating games into their instruction. The instructional module measured changes in the cognitive and affective domains of learning through a usability study and a learning assessment. Analysis of data from the usability study indicated that educators (n = 3) were satisfied with the ease of use of the online course. Results from the learning assessment conducted with educators (n = 12) demonstrated an increase in knowledge and overall confidence in integrating games in classroom instruction. For this reason, it is recommended that educators use this professional development module as a guide to implementing games in the classroom to increase student engagement. Recommendations for future development include evaluating this module with a larger sample size and measuring educator success in implementing games in the classroom.