GBL in the Classroom

New Century Energy (NCE), developed by Tietronix, Inc. for the HISD, is an immersive, micromanagement computer game providing GBL for secondary students. NCE combines strategy and construction and management game aspects requiring players to build energy companies to meet the needs of cities throughout the US over the next 50 years. Teams of players compete across three levels of difficulty. Variations in difficulty are incorporated into lessons students must master to open options in the game. Answers to questions from each lesson affect plant efficiencies and team scores. Lessons, questions, and unexpected events push players to seek out content knowledge to advance, making the experience PBL. This makes NCE a transformative approach. The success of NCE provides the model necessary for integrating GBL into STEM curricula, effectively integrating smart games into the classroom, and propelling STEM education into the future.

The Pedagogy behind the New Century Energy Game: The Potential for Transformative PBL, TEDxHISD, Chaves High School, HISD, 9/25/2010.

Hoge, B. (2014). GBL as PBL: Guidelines for Game-Based Learning in the Classroom and Informal Science Centers. In Z. Yang, H. Yang, D. Wu, & S. Liu (Eds.) Transforming K-12 Classrooms with Digital Technology (pp. 58-82). Hershey, PA. doi:10.4018/978-1-4666-4538-7.ch004

Hoge, B. (2013). Authentic Learning through GBL: Using Inquiry and PBL Strategies to Accomplish Specific Learning Outcomes through Smart Games in Formal and Informal Settings. In Demetrios G. Sampson, J. Michael Spector, Dirk Ifenthaler and Pedro Isaías (Eds.) Proceedings of the IADIS International Conference Cognition and Exploratory Learning in Digital Age (pp. 363-366). 2013 International Conference, Fort Worth, TX. ISBN: 978-989-8533-18-0.

Hoge, B., Hughes, F., and Myers, J. (2012), The Future of Game-Based Learning as Project-Based Learning in the Classroom, Proceedings of the Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education 2012 International Conference, (in press), Austin, TX, AACE.

Hoge, B. and Hughes, F., 2010, The Pedagogy behind the New Century Energy Game: The Potential for Tranformative PBL, Journal of Technology in the Classroom, Volume 2, Number 3.

The University of Houston – Downtown (UHD) Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program prepares science majors for teaching careers at the secondary level. Scholars complete a science degree and the requirements for teaching certification within the UHD Noyce program. The program also requires scholars to participate in undergraduate research. The Natural Science Department (NS) at UHD strongly believes this experience is essential for both a complete science education, and to prepare scholars to effectively teach for science literacy. Scholars conduct research with NS faculty mentors during the year and participate in a Research-Based Learning (RBL) workshop with secondary school teachers and high school students over the summer. The workshop guides teams of Noyce Scholars, teachers, and students through research projects on real world problems to generate and analyze data. Through the workshop, the act of research becomes RBL. Noyce scholars then work with the teachers to write lesson plans based on their experiences for use in secondary school classrooms. Noyce scholars are also required to present their research at the UHD Student Research Conference. RBL is more than PBL (Project-Based Learning) since it requires practicing the entire scientific method and forces students to confront the difficulty of teaching for true science literacy. RBL gives Noyce scholars the tools to teach science as science is done, because they can see the benefits of content knowledge as tools for inquiry rather than the lesson outcome. A rubric for developing RBL lesson plans was developed during the 2014 summer workshop that is now available for general use.

Hoge, B. and Beebe, R. (in press). It’s Time for RBL: A New Paradigm for Research-Based Learning. Global Education Review.

Game play statistics collected from NCE showed that the design of the game promoted authentic learning through both Project-Based and Problem-Based Learning (PBL). Statistics from REEEF will allow us to track player strategies and experiences, including the number of lessons explored, number of questions answered, questions answered correctly, and number of different game strategies used. Data collection tools will be built into the game that will store game statistics in a MySQL database. Every aspect of game play will be recorded so that research questions that arise during formative assessment can be addressed. Lessons and questions within the game will be aligned with national benchmarks and standards which will allow summative assessment to provide evaluation of 8th, 9th, and 10th grade curriculum benchmark assessments (CBA). Questions studied will include: How long can/will players engage in game play within an informal science environment? What delivery method is best for player engagement and learning? Can/will players take the game home? Will game mobility encourage return visits? Can the game be effective for school visits? How will players learn through different styles of game delivery? At what level? Will they learn what we want them to? How can we measure content learning and mastery from game data? Can we assess higher level cognitive benefits? How can the museum space work as a “meta-site?” Will players use the online meta-site allow players to continue games started at the HMNS? How can the travelling exhibit most effectively incorporate aspects of the WEH to support game.

Hoge, B., Hughes, F., and Myers, J. (2012), The Future of Game-Based Learning as Project-Based Learning in the Classroom, Proceedings of the Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education 2012 International Conference, (in press), Austin, TX, AACE.