Gamification is a popular buzzword in the world of education. It can be used to describe small review games using technology like Kahoot (among many other similar digital game-quiz programs). But gamification can go far beyond the occasional plug in for a test review. Here's an overview of what you can learn about in this post:
Kagan & Color Group Challenge
Class behavior management
Student motivation
Cooperative learning group work
Kagan modifications
Bonus: TikTok dances & sing-along competitions
Kagan Cooperative Learning: Tried and True Methodology
Kagan Cooperative Learning has been around for quite some time. Most teachers have been exposed to bits and pieces of it, even if they have never been to a dedicated Kagan training.
Some of the most popular Kagan structures are Rally Coach, Timed Pair Share, and Round/ Rally Robin, just to name a few. To learn more about Kagan and this cooperative learning system for your classroom, please check out their website: https://www.kaganonline.com/
In my classroom, I use a modified Kagan approach to classroom management and group activities through adding gamification and classroom competition elements, which helps increase student motivation and classroom engagement.
The Color Group Challenge: What it is and How to use it
My very first year of student-teaching, I had a mentor teacher who suffered a severe stroke and had to re-teach her body how to do everything from speak to walk. It was during her time re-learning how to do these basic functions that she realized she could count on the students to do a LOT more of the daily "chores" of the classroom (passing out papers, providing copies of notes, cleaning up tables, etc.) that she had previously been doing herself, she just had to provide some incentive and motivation. This is how the Color Group Challenge was born.
Think of Hogwarts houses. The class is divided into groups that will compete for a unit of study or a semester, depending on what works for your class. Each group is given a different color and they come up with team names (you can also do posters, handshakes, chants, etc.) to help them bond and work together for the unit. See this video for an example...
Much like Kagan, the class is divided into small groups (4 students in a group is ideal) with a variety of learning levels and styles, while also trying to separate clicks and some of your more rowdy students into different groups. Each student is given a letter or number (A/1-->D/4) within the group. Groups are given various tasks throughout the class, some academic, some just for fun, and all groups are in a standing competition with each other.
I personally use little colored strips of paper to act as points. The physical act of handing a student a point can be very powerful, as can taking one away. I also give out points when students have stand-out curricular accomplishments (like winning a debate or soccer tournament), which is a great way to get to know the students on a more personal level.
Each time a member of the group does something positive, they earn points, while negative behavior can lose the group points. This is a much lower-stakes way to address and redirect behavior than a write-up. However! If a particular student is constantly losing points for their team, I will make modifications to be fair to the group.
I also have another strategy for "attention-seeking students" called the x-factor; check out this video to learn more about seating modifications and how to arrange abnormal number teams:
Points are also awarded to entire groups as they do various tasks. Some tasks earn points depending on which group "wins" and other times points are given on the basis of effort and focus.
Daily class activities and games become epic competitions with this overlay of the color group challenge, but they stay structured through the Kagan learning techniques. At the end of the unit or 9 weeks, we have a small celebration and the group with the most points wins a prize (like homework passes or class pizza party, etc.).
Digital Gamification: Classcraft
Is your class in a computer lab or abnormal layout where color groups may not work for you? There's probably a way to still make it work (see my video above), but there are also other great online platforms and ways to "gamify" your classroom and increase collaborative learning.
One of my favorite discoveries is Classcraft. Watch this video to see how I used Classcraft in my Final Student Choice project to differentiate learning:
I hope you try out some of these classroom grouping and competition systems to really make learning come to life!
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