Googopoly: Gamified Professional Development for All Things Google
Description of the Context
For the last several years, professional development has been offered to teachers to enhance their skills using Google for Education apps. Training has been offered both in-person and through eCourses to enhance efficiency, transform lessons, and promote student engagement and learning. A wide-range of courses have been offered including single app courses and a Google Academy course, which covered the basics of the most popular G-Suite apps (Drive, Forms, Slides, Sites, Classroom, and Sheets). By gamifying the Google professional development, teachers can earn PD credit for things they already know and/or learn new skills using the format of their choice.
Description of the Original Activity/Task
Whether through in-person or eCourses, teachers earned PD credit for time spent on task. During in-person training sessions, facilitators walked participants through live-demos of each Google app and provided practice time for participants. During this time, participants could use the app to create a document, presentation, quiz, etc. for their classroom. If participants fulfilled the time requirement, they were granted full credit for the course, regardless of what they created during their practice time.
For eCourses, videos and quick reference guides were provided to show participants how to navigate and use each app. Participants had assessment checkpoints along the way that included quizzes, discussion posts, and/or product creation. In response to COVID-19, additional eCourses were offered for apps such as Google Meet, YouTube, and Google Jamboard. Although the original courses were popular with participants, the courses didn’t meet the needs of participants that had already mastered the basics of Google apps. By gamifying the PD, the educational technology department is better able to meet the needs of teachers by providing differentiated, personalized learning experiences.
Goal of Gamification
When working with adult learners, it is important to provide opportunities for learners to be involved with the planning and evaluation of their learning (Pappas, 2013). The goals of gamifying the Google professional development are to provide teachers with voice and choice in their learning, increase motivation, and promote Google certification programs. The Googopoly framework allows teachers to select the level of their professional development (beginner, intermediate, and/or advanced) and the products they create to demonstrate learning. When adults are provided learning opportunities that have immediate relevance and impact on their jobs and/or personal life, motivation increases (Pappas, 2013). Rather than traditional, sit and get PD, Googopoly offers teachers the opportunity to spend their time creating authentic artifacts that can be implemented into their classroom instruction immediately. As teachers work their way through the various levels of Googolpoly, they will gain the skills needed to become a Google Certified Educator, Trainer, and/or Innovator. More importantly, teachers will learn new skills to improve instruction and student learning.
Gamification Design
Googopoly is designed to provide differentiated, personalized professional development for teachers to help them implement Google for Education apps into their classroom instruction. Participants will receive a Googopoly digital board game, which will be used to chart the participant’s progress. Participants, aka players, begin by selecting a property on the Googopoly game board. Each app includes at least 3 properties or levels: Creator, Manager, and Collaborator. Players can earn up to 3 tokens for each property, which earns them a badge for that property. In addition, players can earn Techspert badges for each app by earning all 3 tokens for every property with a given app. Players have the option to work through one property at a time or to work on a specific level for multiple properties.
Participants, aka players, can start anywhere on the game board except the four corners. The four corners are reserved for Google Certification badges. Certification exams include Google Certified Educator Level 1 and 2, Google Certified Trainer, and Google Certified Innovator. Players can earn all level 1, 2, or 3 tokens by taking the appropriate Google Certification Exam for that level. Google Certified Trainer or Google Certified Innovator can be used for level 3.
Gamification Strategies
| Game Elements | Strategies | Rationale |
| Badging | Techspert badges are issued for each app once all tokens have been earned for every property/level within a specific Google app. Google Certification badges are awarded upon successful completion of the corresponding Google Certification Exam. | According to motivational theorists, learners like to have their efforts recognized by others (Bai et al., 2020). Badges can be used to recognize learners and celebrate their success, while providing extrinsic motivation to those who need it (Bai et al., 2020; An, 2020). Although extrinsic motivation can be overused (An, 2020), badges can be used to keeps players engaged over long periods of time (Bai et al., 2020). |
| Challenges | Each property/level includes leveled challenges that players must complete to earn points/tokens. Players self-assess and submit a product that demonstrates specific skills for each property and token level. Products are then assessed for points by EdTech coaches. | Research has shown that challenges are strong learning motivators (An, 2020). According to Knowles, adult learning should problem-centered, rather than content centered (Pappas, 2013). The challenges presented in Googopoly present players the opportunity to create products that are relevant and meaningful to their personal and/or professional lives, which increases motivation for adult learners (Pappas, 2013). |
| Leveling | Level 1 Properties: Creator Use Google apps to create products Level 2 Properties: Manager Use app settings to share, control, and manipulate products Level 3 Properties: Collaborators Effectively implement products and strategies that include contributions from multiple sources and users | It is important to add challenges at multiple levels to avoid frustrating players. In addition, by offering multiple points of entry into content, challenges can be used to personalize the learning experience (Kapp, 2016). |
| Tokens/Points | Each property has up to 3 tokens available. Tokens include single- and two-story houses as well as hotels. Each token has a point value. Points are earned as players complete challenges. A single-story house indicates mastery skills where the instructor can use tools at a personal and professional level for productivity. (25 points) A two-story house indicates that the teacher consistently implements teacher-led technology use and integration in instructional practices. (20 points) A hotel indicates the teacher consistently implements student-led technology integration in instructional practices. (15 points) | Points and tokens can be used to help players measure their progress (Bai et al., 2020). Furthermore, they provide continuous reinforcement as players learn new skills and take on challenges of increasing difficulty (Bai et al., 2020). Like badges, tokens can be used to provide recognition for player accomplishments. |
Technology Tools or Platforms
Googopoly features Google for Education Apps including Drive, Docs, Classroom, Forms, Keep, Slides, Sites, Classroom, Jamboard, Meet, Sheets, YouTube, Calendar, Mail, and Drawings.
Gameboard and digital badges will be created using Canva. Google Sites will be used to share information and collect product samples from participants. Participants will self-assess and submit product samples using Google Forms. Participants will have individual game boards and receive tokens and stamps via email once their products have been assessed. EdTech coaches will assess work samples and update participant progress using Google Sheets. Autocrat will be used to send results emails to participants.
Implementation
Prior to Launch
- Design gameboard and badges
- Create Google Site
- Develop challenges for each property and token level for each Google for Education app
- Create assessments using Google Forms
- Format results Sheet to send emails to participants with appropriate tokens/badges
After Launch
- Assess work samples
- Update participant progress
- Answer questions and provide feedback to participants
References
An, Y. (2020). Designing effective gamified learning experiences. International Journal of Technology in Education, 3(2), 62-69.
Bai, S., Hew, F., K., Huang, B. (2020). Does gamification improve student learning outcome? Evidence from a meta-analysis and synthesis of qualitative data in educational contexts. Educational Research Review, 30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2020.100322.
Kapp, K.M. (2016). Choose your level: Using games and gamification to create personalized instruction. In M. Murphy, S. Redding, & J. Twymand (Eds.), Handbook on personalized learning for states, districts, and schools (pp. 131-143). Philadelphia. PA: Temple University, Center on Innovations in Learning. Retrieved from www.centeril.org.
Pappas, C. (2013, May). The adult learning theory-andragogy- of Malcolm Knowles. eLearning Industry. https://elearningindustry.com/the-adult-learning-theory-andragogy-of-malcolm-knowles