Gamification Tool Kit: Breaking down the work

The first section of my tool kit will deal with breaking down the existing materials into their tasks and finding out which game elements should be used to gamify them. The teacher will separate out the sessions tasks using the narrative mapping method below and placing them into the supplied sheet to give a firm base for the task itself. Teachers will then decide if they fit into either cognitive or affective domains. To do this I have compiled a combination of characteristics for each area as well as examples.

Below is my first draught for the Breaking Down Lessons section of the tool kit.


Task Mapping

First of all take the lessons planned tasks and place them one by one into the mapping chart. Then one at a time take a look at the task and try to answer the following three questions, placing the answer in the corresponding box

• How does this allow the student to experience Mastery?
• A way in which a student can measure and improve such as accuracy
• How can the student be Autonomous?
• Can they choose what items to measure for example
• What is the Purpose of this activity? What are the learning outcomes?

Once you have done this, again one at a time, take each task and decide if it falls into the Cognitive Domain, the Affective Domain, or neither. A brief guide to these domains is listed below with some examples. If you are unsure then consider it to not fit either and move on to the general gamification elements section.

Cognitive Domain

Most traditional education such as maths and science fall into this category. This domain focuses on the following areas.

• The acquisition of knowledge
• Learning definitive facts such as rules or constants 
• The acquisition of mental skills
• Problem solving and application of gained knowledge to evaluate
• Comprehension of a given subject matter or new problem
• Learning how to assess and apply learned knowledge to find solutions to previously unmet challenges

Examples of cognitive tasks would be: 

• Learning the rules of forces and how they apply in the real world.
• Learning the multiplication table
• Learning the recipe to bake bread pudding

If your task fits into this category proceed to the cognitive domain breakdown. If not then continue to affective domain.

Affective Domain

The affective domain focuses more on teaching behaviours, attitudes, and values. While these may seem abstract many tasks will fall into this domain. Focuses of this domain are as follows:

• Receiving or awareness
• Attention to details, observing changes etc.
• Responding 
• To observations or the ability to pose questions in response to stimuli
• Valuing - learning to appreciate something or learning of its importance
• Organization
• Of thoughts, values, or beliefs
•  Characterization
• Forming structures from the organized knowledge and values.

Some examples of these types of tasks are:

• Discussing what will happen if jump at different running speeds
• Learning the importance of taking accurate measurements
• Sorting random data and forming conclusions from them

If your task falls into this category then proceed to Affective Domain Breakdown. If you do not feel your task fits into either of these two categories then proceed straight to the general gamification elements section.