Game-Based Learning (GBL)

I recently came across a fascinating post via NPR about game-based learning. This is definitely one of those holy grail ideas in ed tech. "If we turn the learning into a game, they won't even realize they're learning!"

(click image to reach source and another post about GBL)

I think the reality is probably slightly more complex. Like anything in education (or life), there is no silver bullet. There's no avoiding the "art" of teaching, no matter what science we apply to the profession. Game-based learning is just another tool in the toolbox for today's classrooms. Sometimes, it's a great approach to introducing a complex topic--in the linked article, examples include creative writing, indigenous peoples, and WWI. Other times, it's like what many of us remember about playing Oregon Trail in the middle school computer lab: a lot of fun, but no lasting impact. For me, it always comes back to making mindful decisions about how and why you incorporate technology into the curriculum.