This document discusses gamifying education to make learning more engaging through play. It argues that play and learning can be successfully integrated if the education has clear academic goals, is active and joyful, and empowers students. Effective play-based learning distills assignments into enjoyable activities that simplify lessons while incorporating dynamic rewards systems and lasting motivation. It is not a passive or solely reward-driven model. Historically, play has facilitated learning through stories, games, and other activities. When implemented properly with a balanced mission statement, gamifying education can provide a focused, meaningful learning experience for students.

1. Gaming the
system
Edutainment , playful
learning, and
gamifying ESL
education

2. Education of Educators
Educate the community on real learning and
playing assimilation.
 What entertainment is not
 Why it is valuable
 Goals of an effective play learning plan
 Keeping it simple
 Historical perspective
 Evidence of play as learning

3. What it is Not!
 Its is not a simple reward system
 not a motivation only method
 Not a passive learning model
Content based, skills based, practicum
Active, joy oriented, empowering mode of
learning
It is actually

4. Entertainment Has Value
 Reward system
 Responsible for
 Incentive salience like
desires and wants
 Pleasure or hedonic value
 Positive reinforcement
 Motivation
 Foster and sustain
 Methods and Tactics
 Passive Learning Model
 Wrong Dynamics
 Education = bitter medicine
vs Entertainment=fun stuff
 Learners are
recipients of
knowledge

5. Basic premise: Play and learning
can be successfully integrated
 Success signs
 Content based & skills based
 Active & joy oriented
 Empowering mode of learning
 Examples
 Children’s museum and science museums
 Field trips
 School projects
 Thematic lessons

6. Condensed Experience
Distilled teaching
Miniaturize bulky assignments into one activity
Simplify the experience into essential components
lesson component
Enjoyable component
 A dynamic rewards system
 A lasting motivation
 Students participate in their learning
Multiple applications

7. Focused Purpose
Examples of focus
 Content based application of skills in practice
 Embrace hedonistic form of learning
Basic premise: Play and learning are more
effective together
Provide a balanced mission statement
Share the outline of specific academic goals
 Constantly!

8. Not New
Evidence in all societies
 stories
 Playground games
 Songs
 Nursery rhymes
Modern day evidence
 Audio and video
 Film and television
 Video Games
 Radio
 Toys

9. Fundamental differences
Classical education movement
 Grammar, Logic, Rhetoric
 Rote learning
 Small to big (i.e.
numbers>counting>addition/subtraction>multiplication/division>etc.)
 Big to small (i.e. Universe>
planets>Earth>ecosystems>animals>jungles>etc.)
Personal experience
 Flexibility above all
Alternative learning techniques
Meaningful learning
Associative learning
Active learning

10. Condensed Practicum
Experience
 Regardless of test scores
 Legitimate role play
 Always return to the
mission statement
 Explain the outline
 But aim for specific academic
goals
Teaching to the test is not
a crime