In his opening quote for his article entitled Literacy and Intrinsic Motivation, Csikszentmihalyi promulgates:

“It seems increasingly clear that the chief impediment to learning are not cognitive in nature. It is not that students cannot learn; it is that they do not wish to learn”

Csikszentmihalyi, 1990, p.115

What is the significant moment of learning?

The prerequisite to being engaged and motivated remote learners and effective online teachers is contingent on the skillset of the ākonga and kaiako. So then, what kind of skillset do kaiako require to motivate ākonga to engage in their language learning online? What skillset do ākonga require to be motivated to engage in their language learning online? Reports and other literature would suggest that there is no one right answer to these questions, but there is one avenue I would like to explore – gamification.

How did I come to this moment of learning?

Lockdown has forced many educators to switch up their teaching game. One of the most persistent problems I have experienced, especially during lockdown, was a lack of student motivation and engagement. It was an issue in my physical class setting, but it has worsened in my online classes. Despite my best efforts, my ākonga are not engaging with the mahi I have set for them on their workspaces. Our ākonga were not prepared for the challenges that lockdown had impacted on their ability to be engaged and motivated independent learners.

Who is speaking in to this learning?

The Education Hub’s (2020) and the Education Review offices’ (2021) reports about the educational continuity during critical events, such as the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, provide insight into the challenges and solutions to learning in a remote online setting. Challenges to learning in an online setting included the lack of learner independence skills, knowledge and dispositions, as well as teacher preparedness.

The criteria for a successful remote learning experience mentioned in these reports remain within the traditional instruction framework. It is hardly surprising that whānau and ākonga have made these suggestions as they have had no other model or new experience of education to draw from. However, I deduced from these reports that the lockdown had exacerbated the inequalities of the current educational system, that is, the heavy reliance on the traditional structures of instructions. These structures have acted more as ‘support structures’ rather than ‘scaffolds’ for ākonga to build the necessary skills, foundation knowledge, and capacity to monitor and drive their learning in times of crisis. As a result, our ākonga and whānau were, and still are, ill-equipped to continue their learning in a remote environment. Kaiako, like myself, are still lacking the skills needed to facilitate ākonga’s online learning. What then is something that has not been explored, which may increase ākonga engagement and independent learning capacity in an online environment? The motivational power inherent in games has been largely untapped in the online world of education.

I seek to push beyond the boundaries of traditional instruction and into a ‘New World’ of immersive, dynamic, and relevant learning environments and methods for teaching and learning. This is what gamification can provide. According to Matera (2015), gamification is when you take your learning programme and layer over the top of it a gamified structure. Where do I start? What are some crucial factors that I must consider when creating this gamified experience? Kapp (2012) and Matera (ibid) warn educators to tread lightly and to carefully consider their learners’ skillset, the learning programme, and effective teaching and learning theories when creating the elements of the gamified structure. Matera (ibid) speaks about the Three Cs of successful gamification, including:

• Content – curriculum and required standards (NZC, TAAM, & NCEA)
• Choice – open-ended game model invites students to explore unique, individual paths to content acquisition (differentiation and scaffolding theories)
• Challenge – unknown twists and turns that keep the learner engaged throughout the unit (ZPD and flow theories)

Laden throughout this gamified experience are extrinsic motivators, such as badges, leaderboards, currency, and experience points, which are necessary if the activity is one that students do not find inherently interesting or valuable (Kapp, 2012, 124). Ākonga have expressed the importance of te reo Māori, but have also expressed their lack of urgency or inherent interest to learn it. Therefore, I intend to leverage the motivational power inherent in games to engage my ākonga, to motivate action, to promote learning, and more importantly, make learning te reo Māori enjoyable.

Intrinsic motivation is where the genuine enjoyment of learning happens. Gamification can provide the conditions that promote intrinsic motivation. For Csikszentmihalyi (1990), intrinsic motivation can unlock student potential and enable them to build meaningful experiences within and with the learning content. When students are immersed in their learning, they are in what Csikszentmihalyi (ibid) calls a state of flow. Flow theory refers to an optimal psychological experience of enjoyment, focus, and complete immersion in an activity, comparable to feeling like one is being carried away by a current and going with its flow (p.127). This is the aspect of gamification that I hope to tap into. Csikszentmihalyi, however, warns against excessive concern for (extrinsic) rewards and competition prevalent in gamification, being too controlling, placing too much emphasis on evaluation, and making ākonga feel self-conscious, as these can all endanger that flow.

So then, what conditions are necessary to sustain this flow experience? Csikszentmihalyi stipulates three criterion:

1. A matching of challenges and skills – the challenge cannot be greater than the skills possessed by the ākonga, nor should the skills of the ākonga be greater than the challenge (1970, p.128). This conjures Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) theory. ZPD is defined by Vygotsky (1978) as “the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem-solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers” (p.86). Being in a state of flow is the optimal Goldilocks zone of the student’s ZPD, where the challenge is not too hard, but pushed just enough for the student to expand their learning.
2. Clear goals – setting goals throughout the learning process is important. Without goals there is no feedback, and without knowing whether they are doing well or not, ākonga will find it difficult to maintain engagement (p.129). There is evidence to suggest that affording students opportunities to experience success feeds back into their self-efficacy and self-regulatory skills (Gibbs & Piskott, 2010), which are necessary ingredients to enhancing student engagement (especially in an online environment), and therefore achievement.
3. Feedback – there is immediate and regular feedback about the ākonga’s learning.

What does a good gamified classroom look like? For Matera, a gamified classroom is a social and collaborative process. This aligns with the social constructivist theories that knowledge is socially negotiated and constituted (Vygotsky, 1978; Dewey, 1938). It is the ultimate goal of gamified classrooms to “support student’s exploration of personal skills and interests that they may not yet be aware they possess. Students will gain new skill sets, tackle difficult challenges, and ultimately become life-long explorers, discovering both the answers they seek along with their passions” (Matera, 2015, p.18).

Why does this matter as a teacher of social justice?

It is the kaiako’s responsibility to ensure that their ākonga are motivated and stay motivated. It is not enough to bewail the fact that our ākonga lack motivation and engagement. Yes it is also true that it does not make sense to expect ākonga to be interested in learning subjects for which they do not see any likely use. They are a pragmatic lot after all. We as, kaiako, cannot force ākonga to be motivated to learn, just as a man cannot force a horse to drink water from the stream. However, we can create the optimal conditions for ākonga to give it a go and gamification can provide this for them. Why does engagement and motivation matter to me as a kaiako of social justice? If we are not equipping our ākonga with the self-regulating and life-long learner skills needed to drive their own learning at home and beyond, then we continue to perpetuate an education system that continues to underserve our already underprepared rangatahi.

How will this look in my practice moving forward?

I am venturing into uncharted waters, beyond my zone of comfort. I am not a gamer, but I have read so many positive testimonies from teachers who are not gamers like me around the world raving about how this has transformed their classrooms with stories of nearly 100% attendance and phenomenal engagement success. It almost sounds too good to be true, but it is definitely worth a try.

At best, good games are engaging and fun.  They can motivate people to keep trying until they succeed.  Players are immersed and become invested in imaginative worlds with rich narratives.

So how do I channel this motivation and engagement in my classroom settings? 

The short answer is, very carefully. I do not propose to get it right on the first try. It may take a few failed attempts. After a few adjustments and modifications, I hope to eventually create a game where ALL students feel they can participate and succeed, where ALL students feel safe to take risks, to venture into uncharted waters.  This is what Matera meant in his book Explore like a Pirate when he addressed the game-designer:

“Your goal as a good game designer is to provide a rich game world that includes something for everyone”

Michael Matera, Explore Like a Pirate, 2015

Certain learning objectives and activities could always be “de-gamified” for particular learners if necessary. Some students may even opt not to participate at all, which is also fine. The latter may wish to join later on in the game whereupon I will provide them with short-cut or perilous route challenges or quests to complete in order to catch-up. I am also anticipating students who may be disinterested in the narrative and only wants to be given their next mission or destination.

Gamifying my classroom and learning content will be hard work, but the pros outweigh the cons. Gamification allows me to also hit a few other birds with one stone, and those are differentiation and learner independence which are two of my ongoing pedagogical work-ons I have been aspiring towards. Like any other teaching strategy, educators must differentiate and personalise instruction based upon student interests, stregnths, goals, and needs. Getting to know our learners is essential before any new pedagogical undertaking. Gamification is no different.

Learner independence and autonomy is one of the many benefits of gamification that really stands out. Gamification has the potential to empower students in a learning environment that requires them to take on more responsibility for their own learning. This is where the real learning happens. Students are able to make mistakes, learn from these mistakes and then fix them before ultimately demonstrating mastery of particular skills and content. No one simply fails and gets pushed along. FAIL = First Attempt in Learning. Challenging activities help students build the resilience and confidence needed in an unpredictable and fast-paced world.

Gamification’s real charm, however, is it’s potential to enhance and elevate my ākonga’s learning. Yes I gravitated to this approach because of its ability to increase engagement and motivation. However, gamification can help spark the motivation and engagement, which are necessary to learn most effectively.

The Planning Process

NGĀ TOHUTORO

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Literacy and Intrinsic Motivation. Daedalus, 119(2), 115–140. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20025303

Dewey, J. (1938) Experience and Education. New York: Collier Books.

Bartle, R. (1996, August 28). Richard A. Bartle: Players Who Suit MUDs. Mud. Retrieved August 28, 2021, from https://mud.co.uk/richard/hcds.htm

Education Review Office. (2021, January). Learning in a COVID-19 World: Supporting Secondary School Engagement. https://ero.govt.nz/our-research/learning-in-a-covid-19-world-supporting-secondary-school-engagement

Ellis, R. (2005). Instructed Second Language Acquisition: A Literature Review.Ministry of Education. https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/schooling/5163

Gibbs, R., & Poskitt, J. M. (2010). Student Engagement in the Middle Years of Schooling (years 7–10). Ministry of Education. https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/schooling/introduction

Hume, A., & Coll, R. K. (2009). Assessment of learning, for learning, and as learning: New Zealand case studies. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 16(3), 269–290. https://doi.org/10.1080/09695940903319661

Kapp, K. M. (2012). The Gamification of Learning and Instruction: Game-based Methods and Strategies for Training and Education (1st ed.). Pfeiffer.

Matera, M. (2015). Explore Like a Pirate: Gamification and Game-Inspired Course Design to Engage, Enrich and Elevate Your Learners. Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc.

The Education Hub. (2020, August). Learning from lockdown: What the experiences of teachers, students and parents can tell us about what happened and where to next for New Zealand’s school system. https://theeducationhub.org.nz/learning-from-lockdown/

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Standards for the Teaching Profession

STANDARD	ELABORATION
Standard 4: Learning-focused culture Develop a culture that is focused on learning, and is characterised by respect, inclusion, empathy, collaboration and safety.	• Develop learning-focused relationships with learners, enabling them to be active participants in the process of learning, sharing ownership and responsibility for learning. • Foster trust, respect and cooperation with and among learners so that they experience an environment in which it is safe to take risks. • Demonstrate high expectations for the learning outcomes of all learners, including for those learners with disabilities or learning support needs. • Manage the learning setting to ensure access to learning for all and to maximise learners’ physical, social, cultural and emotional safety. • Create an environment where learners can be confident in their identities, languages, cultures and abilities. • Develop an environment where the diversity and uniqueness of all learners are accepted and valued. • Meet relevant regulatory, statutory and professional requirements.
Standard 5: Design for learning  Design learning based on curriculum and pedagogical knowledge, assessment information and an understanding of each learner’s strengths, interests, needs, identities, languages and cultures.	• Select teaching approaches, resources, and learning and assessment activities based on a thorough knowledge of curriculum content, pedagogy, progressions in learning and the learners.  • Gather, analyse and use appropriate assessment information, identifying progress and needs of learners to design clear next steps in learning and to identify additional supports or adaptations that may be required.  • Harness the rich capital that learners bring by providing culturally responsive and engaging contexts for learners.  • Design learning that is informed by national policies and priorities.
Standard 6: Teaching  Teach and respond to learners in a knowledgeable and adaptive way to progress their learning at an appropriate depth and pace.	• Teach in ways that ensure all learners are making sufficient progress, and monitor the extent and pace of learning, focusing on equity and excellence for all.  • Use an increasing repertoire of teaching strategies, approaches, learning activities, technologies and assessment for learning strategies and modify these in response to the needs of individuals and groups of learners.  • Provide opportunities and support for learners to engage with, practise and apply learning to different contexts and make connections with prior learning.  • Teach in ways that enable learners to learn from one another, to collaborate, to self-regulate and to develop agency over their learning.  • Ensure learners receive ongoing feedback and assessment information and support them to use this information to guide further learning.

Tātaiako

COMPETENCY	CERTIFICATED
Wānanga: Communication, problem solver, innovation Participates with learners and communities in robust dialogue for the benefit of Māori learners’ achievement.	Engages with Māori learners, whānau, hapū, iwi and Māori communities in open dialogue about teaching and learning.
Ako: Practice in the classroom and beyond. Takes responsibility for their own learning and that of Māori learners.	• Recognises the need to raise Māori learner academic achievement levels. • Is willing to learn about the importance of identity, language and culture (cultural locatedness) for themselves and others. • Can explain their understanding of lifelong learning and what it means for them. • Positions themselves as a learner.

Tapasā

TURU

ELABORATION

Turu 3: Effective Pacific pedagogies Implements pedagogical approaches that are effective for Pacific learners.

3.1 Recognises that all learners including Pacific are motivated to engage, learn and achieve. 3.2 Knows the importance of Pacific cultural values and approaches in teaching and learning. 3.3 Understands that Pacific learners learn differently from each other, and from their non-Pacific peers. 3.4 Understands the aspirations of Pacific learners, their parents, families and communities for their future and sets high expectations.