Kate Michaelson

While there is no universal definition of gamification, it can be described simply as using gaming mechanics and ways of thinking in non-game settings, such as when teachers use a quiz-bowl format to award points while reviewing material for a test. In educational settings, gaming can promote student engagement through competition, instant feedback, and visible progression. Educational Applications One way that these elements have been translated into educational settings is through the use of badges to reward achievement and competencies. The complexity of badging systems can range from giving simple rewards to elementary-age students for reading a book to using digital badges to track and incentivize continuing education for teachers (Johnson, Adams, Estrada, & Freeman, 2014). Other forms of gaming, such as quizzing games like Kahoot and Socrative Student , allow students to review material and practices skills in a competitive setting. As an added bonus, these games allow ...

Computational thinking (CT) references a way of thinking about problems by systematically breaking them apart into smaller components, looking for patterns, and creating algorithms to address issues. While definitions are still emerging, in a review of CT, Voogt, et al., (2015) define it as "thought processes that are involved when solving complex problems and generalizing and transferring this problem solving process to a wide variety of problems." While computational thinking may involve coding or programming, the two are not synonymous. Much of the excitement surrounding CT stems from the fact that it can be integrated into non-technical education across a variety of disciplines. Computational Thinking Skill Sets Source: Ohio Department of Education Why is it so important for students to be exposed to coding and learn computational thinking? The Google Course Computational Thinking for Educators describes a variety of skills that computational thinking can teach ...