WHAT DO ARGUING, TRADING, INVADING, BUILDING, EXPLORING,
ludere ad discendum urbs
TAXING, ROLE-PLAYING, AND MANAGING RESOURCES HAVE TO DO WITH LEARNING LATIN? IF YOU ARE A SIXTHTO-EIGHTH GRADE STUDENT OF WILL HARVARD AT THE PECK SCHOOL, THEN JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING.
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FOR THE past two years, Will Harvard has been applying game dynamics such as competition, collaboration, point systems, and scoreboards into his middle school Latin classes. The outcomes are fascinating. Students still experience all the hallmarks of an ancient language education. They absorb vocabulary, conjugate Latin verbs, and brush up on the classics. The twist, however, is that the lion’s share of what they learn takes place almost imperceptibly. They are immersed in an epic adventure.
The technology-enabled “City Simulation” in Mr. Harvard’s classroom requires students to build, manage, and defend their own ancient empires during the peak of Roman civilization.
Students begin with five Feature Choice Points that allow them to select from a list of natural resources that will eventually form the financial cornerstones of their new societies. With a set of strict financial rules and a list of commodity prices, students are tasked with gradually building their cities, growing their populations, dealing with war and immigration issues, and cultivating a happy civil society as measured in the collection of Contentment Points. As students research ancient Rome and the architectural features of the time, they can propose the construction of city infrastructure. If they have the budget and can explain the functionality of a particular structure—such as an aqueduct or a
coliseum—they literally construct a scale model of the building using one of Peck’s 3D printers. (And it’s not like the architectural blueprints for such structures are immediately available, either. Students first research their models using textbooks and Google Earth before rendering in Tinkercad to 3D print the structure.) “Building active interest is one of the top priorities of this project,” explains Mr. Harvard. “When you are immersed in something your interest level is up, and your work ethic is up. Your memory is going to kick in at a higher level and you will retain more.” As the students’ ancient cities begin to take shape, both literally and figuratively, they are also creating their 15
own myths, developing a history of their city, developing a coat of arms, and describing the family lives and characteristics of their citizens. All of this role-playing on a cosmopolitan scale engenders a great deal of Latin reading, writing and comprehension. They are constantly using Latin, without really knowing it.
"THE JOURNEY IS
“Kids enjoy tangents,” says Mr. Harvard. “Tangents are fun for teachers to go on also, when they are well planned and aligned.” The tangent, of course, is the “gamification” of what was once a traditional Latin classroom.
EXPERIENCE."
Gamification is not a new concept. In 2011, the term made the short list in Oxford Dictionary’s “word of the year,” which defines gamification as “the application of typical elements of game playing to other areas of activity.”
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TO BUILD MASTERY... THE BETTER WAY TO GAMIFY IS TO PUT STUDENTS IN AN INQUIRY-BASED OR PROJECT-LEARNING
The earliest adopters of gamification in the classroom simply applied game-based reward systems to their lesson plan to motivate students throughout an assignment. Teachers promoted progress by awarding “badges” or creating special “status points.” Badges and stickers were a novelty, but over time, they lost their motivational impact. Matthew Farber, author of, Gamify Your Classroom: A Field Guide to Game-Based Learning, takes the notion to a whole deeper level. What is missing, he says, from the rewards-based approach is the narrative structure provided by the best of games; one that places participants on a “journey.” “The journey is to build mastery,” Farber says. “The better way to gamify is to put students in an inquiry-based or project-based learning
experience. Or give them a task in a narrative frame.” (1) By the time Mr. Harvard’s sixth grade students have reached the end of their eighth grade Latin studies, they will have been participating in the City Simulation for three years. Because each class period symbolizes one year in ancient Rome, their virtual civilizations will have undergone centuries of setbacks and progress. They will be immersed in Latin studies throughout and will have incorporated a host of disciplines on their “journey” through Roman space and time. Does Will Harvard’s classroom still incorporate quizzes, assessments, and textbooks? Yes. But, as Mr. Harvard is quick to point out, “The textbook doesn’t always know what’s best for your kids.”
“Teaching is a generational thing,” says Mr. Harvard. “I want to improve on the Latin education methods of my childhood. I want to say, ‘What can I do that I didn’t have as a student that can make the experience of learning Latin a better one for this generation.’”
Will Harvard will be a featured presenter at the upcoming New York State Association of Independent School’s Teaching with Technology Conference on Monday, April 25, 2016. He will offer an innovation lab where participants will experience the use of Tinkercad and Google Earth as well as have the opportunity to create and brainstorm a lesson in 3D printing or a gamified lesson for their classroom. “Gamification in the Classroom: The Right or Wrong Way to Motivate Students,” [interview with Matthew Farber] by Tim Walker. Online article from neaToday. (1)
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