#2: What is gamification of learning, really? with Dr. Jon McFarland

Dr. Jon McFarland (a.k.a. “Dr. Mac”) is originally from Hawaii where he earned his B.Ed. and M.A. from the University of Hawaii, Manoa. He received his doctorate in Educational Leadership from California Lutheran University. With almost three decades of teaching experience, he has taught at multiple levels of education including working 16 years at the same Title I comprehensive high school in Ventura County in southern California. Dr. McFarland is currently an Assistant Professor of Teacher Education, the Co-Coordinator of the Single Subject Credential Program, as well as the Bilingual Authorization (BILA) Coordinator at California State University, Stanislaus. He regularly teaches courses on working with English language learners, general methods courses, and supervises teacher candidates in the field. His research interests include the utilization of gamification in academic settings, issues of student motivation and engagement, effective uses of educational technology, and matters of equity and diversity in secondary schools. In our conversation I reference Universal Design for Learning, UDL, a concept originating in the 1980s, largely attributable to research by Dr. Ann Meyer and Dr. David Rose. More recent books on the topic have been authored by authors such as Katie Novak.

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Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:02 What is Gamification? 07:37 Example 1: Middle School Social Studies 09:35 Safe Failure 12:56 Digital Literacy and Digital Natives 21:58 Example 2: Fantasy French 29:10 Building Community in a Gamified System 30:57 Incentives, Engagement and Motivation 38:13 Building Intrinsic Motivation via Extrinsic Incentives 42:20 Self-Motivated Extension Accessing Student Funds of Knowledge 48:00 Learning Can Be Fun: Tips for Gamification 55:36 Control, Responsibility, Self-Advocacy 01:00:58 Teacher Fun, Student Metacognition, and More to Learn 01:04:08 Cognitive Aspects of Gamification 01:14:54 Why does school stop being fun? 01:18:26 Example 3: U.S. Government Simulations 01:21:59 College and Career Readiness and Transferable Skills 01:26:00 First Steps for Gamifying 01:39:29 Closing