Here is the Backside of #Gamification

Well into the the Quest to become Calculus Gods, its time to show how things are working behind the scenes…Most of this information can be found here: http://haselcalc.wikispaces.com/

Over the summer I tried really hard to come up with different things for the students to purchase.  Here is a list of those items as they are right now:

I have asked the students to give me their ideas as they think of cool stuff they would want to buy.  There have been a couple of good ideas – they need to be fleshed out a bit before being added – but they are on the burner.  I am trying to make a market where the students can buy things they would want and also have a cost that is fair depending on the item.

Students have some choices on how to earn credits to use to buy the above listed items:

I am having a little bit of difficulty getting the students to step off into the list on their own.  When I have set up class time to accomplish some of these items – they dig in!  But when they are in that space waiting for a Boss Fight or a Checkpoint and could be doing this, they do not see it yet.  That comes back on me – so my efforts need to increase in this space.  Once the kids have finished one of these items they fill out a Google Form:

http://goo.gl/ZC5cr6

After filling out this information for me, there is a Google Sheet that gets populated and with the help of a good friend who is a spreadsheet whiz, I was able to set up a place to sort out all of this info:  Master Credit Tracking Sheet.  It only takes a few short minutes each week to update the information and share with students.  As you look through the tracking sheet – hover on the top lines to see the formulas that I am using.  Feel free to borrow or suggest an improvement!  The best thing is the Pivot Table choice which sorts all of this information into an easily readable form:

The last thing to do is add a formula to track when students spend credits.  Since there have not been very many purchases yet (only one) I have not sorted this out yet – but it should be as simple as adding a formula on the student total sheet.  This is a separate sheet where I copy and past the pivot table.  It shows the students only what they need to see – they don’t need to see all of the magic on my master sheet.

Finally as they move through a couple of checkpoints and quest boss fights, the students will earn badges and points.  The points are different from the credits – points will allow students to level up and choose the way they want to learn.  I use Edmodo for the badge creating/tracking, it already has a built in package for this and my students are already there.  The points and badges can be used to choose from the three different paths:

1. Newbie Calc Student
2. Calc Recon – Requires 8 skill points and 6 badges. Able to recon different learning strategies by creating one video lesson this will count as completing the assignment for that section.
3. Calc Spy – Requires 8 skill points and 13 badges, and Recon for one level. Able to spy the teacher and direct own learning (readings, special task, watching videos and practice problems optional). Must continue to master at 80%.
4. Calculus Master – Requires 12 skill points and 10 Badges and {Recon, Doodler, or Genie} for two levels or {Spy, Fixer, or Guiding Spirit} for one level. The Calculus Master directs own learning and may develop alternative ways to demonstrate mastery of learning objectives. No longer needs to take quizzes. Must maintain 80% mastery.

1. Newbie Calc Student
2. Calc Doodler – Requires 8 skill points and 6 badges. Able to doodle for different learning strategies by using the SMARTboard weekly to demonstrate knowledge of a section. This will count as completing that section of homework.
3. Calc Fixer – Requires 8 skill points and 13 badges, and Doodler for one level. Able to fix their own learning (readings, special task, watching videos and practice problems optional). Must continue to master at 80%.
4. Calculus Master – Requires 12 skill points and 10 Badges and {Recon, Doodler, or Genie} for two levels or {Spy, Fixer, or Guiding Spirit} for one level. The Calculus Master directs own learning and may develop alternative ways to demonstrate mastery of learning objectives. No longer needs to take quizzes. Must maintain 80% mastery.

1. Newbie Calc Student
2. Calc Genie – Requires 8 skill points and 6 badges. Able to answer questions (coach) others ask in mastering concepts and skills. Must document coaching with assignment tasks. This will count as completing the assignment for that section.
3. Calc Guiding Spirit – Requires 8 skill points and 13 badges, and Genie for one level. Able to guide their own learning (readings, special task, watching videos and practice problems optional). Must continue to master at 80%.
4. Calculus Master – Requires 12 skill points and 10 Badges and {Recon, Doodler, or Genie} for two levels or {Spy, Fixer, or Guiding Spirit} for one level. The Calculus Master directs own learning and may develop alternative ways to demonstrate mastery of learning objectives. No longer needs to take quizzes. Must maintain 80% mastery.

These items I will be able to keep up with in the gradebook, so no forms or fancy spreadsheets are necessary.  These have been organized for students to level up after they have successfully completed two quests.  I haven’t talked with the students about this part yet – they haven’t reached it.  But the time is coming to allow them the opportunity to start learning in a way that best works for them…