Video Games Seduction Secrets

Keith Stuart discussed a few different topics that are important to game designers and players. He explained how the "magic circle" is important because the rules of the real world do not apply and you are not judged on failure.  He also discussed autonomy and how people like to be in control, for example in the opening level things progress quickly so that the player feels like they are progressing quickly.  Another tool that is relevant to gamers is a surprise or unexpected reward for completing something in the game.  All of these things allow the user to feel in control or like they have escaped from the real world.


I think that using some of these tools that are important in gaming in the classroom will lead to students being more engaged and excited about learning. If I told my students that we use some of the techniques used to intrigue them while playing a game, they would laugh at me. But little do they know I do and I didn't realize it until after reading this article!   In my classroom, I tell my students that being wrong and failing is okay because that is how you learn and grow and we do not make fun of people when they are wrong. I also try to incorporate unexpected rewards in my classroom.  If a student does well on their open-ended response, I may give them bonus points, or if they have their vocabulary written down on test day, I will give them bonus points.  Now, if teachers could just let go a little bit, myself included, and let the students have some control over their learning we would be in good shape!  In the end our intrinsic needs need to be fulfilled and gaming does that for our students.  If we can allow these ideas to spill over in our classroooms the possibilites would be endless.