Gamified Classroom

This semester I have tried "Gamifying" one of the classes I teach. I watched a video from the guys at Extra Credits on the gamification of the classroom, and I thought "why not?" I decided to apply this process to my Computer Science AP class, as it is my smallest class and the fewest number of students would be affected if this completely failed. Additionally, I created a FAQ that I both sent home and posted on my website. I have included it below.

Welcome to Mr. Barrett's Gamified Class!

What is a gamified class? 

In traditional education, students start the year with a 100 and a set of assignments they are forced to do. If they do the assignments well enough the grade will not drop too much, and hopefully the grade will stay above a 70 to receive credit at the end of the semester. A gamified classroom is modeled after a video game. In a gamified class, students start the grading period with a 0 and earn points from assignment they choose to complete. Students will be asked to earn 500 points per three weeks (that's 1500 points for the nine-weeks) if they want the full 100 for the course. 

How do students earn points?

Students will be presented with quests (aka assignments) as opportunities to earn the points. Students do not have to complete any one quest, but rather the quest board serves as a menu of tasks students may complete. Students may complete tasks that fit their learning style and strengths and still get assessed on information covered in class. Additionally, a class as a whole can earn achievements to boost their grade. With achievements (unless otherwise noted) the class works together to complete a higher goal. When an achievement is completed every student will receive points 

Won't this alter the progress report grade at the three-week grade check?

No. Each three-weeks, the expected maximum will increase by 500 points. This means that a progress check at 2 weeks might lead to a concerning grade, but the three-week check will be true to the traditional model. For example, a student with 200 points after the first week of class would have a 40 for the progress report. But this is actually a great grade for if he keeps up this pace, he will have a 600 at the three-week grade check?

Why do this?

Student engagement. Plain and simple. The hope is that students will feel a sense of progress as they watch their grade climb knowing that grade will not fall lower than it currently is. Students thrive when given choices on how to succeed, so students will be given a wide variety of options as to how to earn their grade. Furthermore, class achievements will create an environment of cooperative learning where students want to see others succeed in their endeavors.

Explain grouping methods. (PUGs, Guilds, etc.)

Guilds are groups created by the teacher. They change every nine-weeks, and sometimes a quest will be available to an entire guild. If they choose to tackle this task, students must work in the groups created for them by the teacher. A PUG stands for a Pick Up Group. A quest that is available to PUGs means that students may choose who they would like to work with. Often in PUG assignments, the group sizes are left to the discretion of the students. Therefore, points would be awarded to the student in light of how many people worked on the assignment. For example, a PUG quest worth 200 points would award a single student 200 points if he worked alone. However, if he worked with a partner, both partners would receive 100 points each. And if a group of 4 completes the assignment, each member would receive 50 points.

What about late work?

Quests have expiration dates and cannot be turned in after the expiration dates. (No exceptions). There are no late grades. But rest assured, there will be at least 1000 points available at the last day of the 9-weeks so a missed assignment can be made up. Only, a student may not like the assignment that is available at the end of the term.