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A32 FEATURE
Thursday 16 January 2020
Why U.S. classrooms are starting to resemble arcades

By MICHAEL MELIA sue the rewards. "Part of life
Associated Press is figuring out how to learn
WALLINGFORD, Conn. to love things and how to
(AP) — It's 1 o'clock on a persevere in things even
Wednesday afternoon in when it's not extrinsically
Wallingford, Connecticut, motivated," said Christo-
and about 20 children are pher Devers, an education
watching a screen at the researcher at Johns Hop-
front of the room as they kins who said his review of
take turns navigating chal- the evidence suggests that
lenges and collecting virtu- on balance, games-based
al currency to unlock pow- approaches tend to influ-
ers, outfits and pets for their ence students in negative
characters. ways.
The game they're playing One of the better known
has some similarities to the programs, DreamBox,
online battle game "Fort- teaches math by offer-
nite." But the kids aren't ing a series of problems
fighting one another — that can grow increasingly
they're racking up points challenging as the student
for participation and good enters correct answers. The
behavior in their class- program, which began as
room at Dag Hammarsk- an app for consumers, en-
jold Middle School, where In this Sept. 20, 2018 photo, fifth grade teacher Heather Dalton, center, works with students Julian tered the school market in
their teacher is presenting Ryno, left, and Ma'Kenley Burns, doing math problems on the DreamBox system at Charles Bar- 2011 and last year had 2.6
num Elementary School in Groton, Conn.
a home economics lesson Associated Press million student users. The
with help from Classcraft, company charges a fee of
a fantasy-themed educa- rapid-fire questioning. With who told a classmate to percent citywide, and 29 $7,500 per school building
tional program. each correct answer, cho- "shut up." percent of its students met per year.
"It's actually a lot of fun," sen from multiple choices A middle school in New state standards on the state DreamBox CEO Jessie
said 13-year-old Caiden on the screen, students York City, Quest to Learn, math test, compared to 33 Woolley-Wilson said the
McManus. "The pets — gained points that could was the first public school to percent citywide. But ad- program is intended as an
that's my favorite thing to be used for avatar up- fully embrace game-based vocates say standardized aid for teachers who can't
do. To train the pets, you grades, privileges like lis- learning when it opened testing alone does not tell be expected to personal-
gain as many gold pieces tening to music in class, nearly a decade ago. The the story. Outside studies ize learning for two dozen
as possible so you can get and a competition against Manhattan school, devel- have shown growth in soft students simultaneously.
the new outfits and stuff." other classrooms. The avail- oped by game theorists skills such as collaboration, "Let's figure out a way to
Peek inside your average able characters -- warriors, with the Institute of Play, creative thinking and em- support a way to deliver
classroom these days, and mages and healers -- each has been closely followed pathy, according to Ross the best teaching, and al-
you're likely to see teachers have different powers and since by researchers hop- Flatt, director of programs low the learning guardian
using apps, websites and must collaborate to suc- ing for hard evidence of and partnerships for the In- to get back to art of teach-
software that borrow ele- ceed. results from technology-in- stitute of Play, a nonprofit ing," she said. "Technol-
ments from video games to Points are awarded for spired gamification. studio that uses game de- ogy can deliver that math
connect with students living class participation as well In the last school year, 43 sign principles to develop personalization in a way
technology-infused lives. By as good behavior, but the percent of Quest to Learn's new learning experiences. that can give the learning
all accounts, they're fun kids can also be penalized, students were up to state To help educators iden- guardian actionable in-
to use, and studies have as was the case for one of standards on the state Eng- tify programs with promise, sights."
found that some can be Gurga's seventh-graders lish test, compared to 41 the Johns Hopkins Univer- In Groton, Connecticut,
effective. But there is also sity Center for Research early users of DreamBox
skepticism about how of- and Reform in Education reported anecdotal evi-
ten students who use them launched a website that dence of improved out-
are better educated, or just rates math and learning comes and schools are
better entertained. programs based on how now using it district-wide. In
Dag Hammarskjold con- they meet evidence stan- Heather Dalton's fifth-grade
sumer sciences teacher dards for effectiveness un- classroom at the Charles
Gianna Gurga said she der federal education law. Barnum Elementary School,
had been looking for a The center's director, Rob- students spent the first half
way to get more out of her ert Slavin, said there are of a recent class working
students. Students have some programs that have individually on DreamBox
been more motivated and shown positive impacts but with headphones on. In-
performed better in her on average improvements formation about their level
classes since she began are small. of mastery of fractions was
using Classcraft in spring "When people talk about sent to Dalton's laptop, but
2017, she said, and she has technology transforming the students were most ex-
signed up a handful of oth- everything, it may in the fu- cited about the short vid-
er teachers in the school. ture, but it's not there yet," eo-game rewards they re-
"My kids are so addicted to Slavin said. ceived between levels and
it in the best way possible," In this May 23, 2018 photo, teacher Gianna Gurga, left, speaks Some question whether the coins they gathered for
Gurga said. to students Faith Broadway, center, and Maisha Chowdhury Ja- the graphics, videos and upgrades to their avatars.
In one session, the class- bia, right, as she leads a class on financial literacy at Dag Ham- sounds in so many pro- "There's a lot of learning,"
room filled with suspense- marskjold Middle School in Wallingford, Conn. grams are doing harm by Dalton said, "but it feels like
ful music as Gurga began Associated Press teaching students to pur- a game to the kids."q