Gamifying Your Classroom: A Discussion with Chad Collins
Welcome to the Modern Classrooms Project Podcast. Each week we bring you discussions with educators on how they use blended, self-paced, and mastery-based learning to better serve their learners. In this episode, Zach Diamond is joined by Chad Collins, an innovative educator who has transformed his classroom through gamification.
Chad shares his journey of integrating game elements into teaching, highlighting the collaborative and feedback-driven nature of the process.
Here are three key takeaways from this podcast episode:
Gamifying education encourages a continuous dialogue between students and teachers, fostering an environment of mutual learning.
Constructive feedback, focused on strengths and areas for improvement, is instrumental in refining teaching methods and enhancing student engagement.
Beta-testing educational strategies enables rapid iteration and refinement, leading to improved learning outcomes and sustained student interest.
Reflecting on the experience of gamifying his classroom, Collins emphasizes, "I was just so into the idea of it being a dialogue." He also underscores the transformative potential of AI integration in education, facilitating quick experimentation with new teaching strategies. The conversation underscores the importance of viewing gamification not as an all-or-nothing approach but as an opportunity for meaningful dialogue with students and continuous improvement of your instruction.
Discussion questions for PLC and PD:
How can educators foster a culture of dialogue in their classrooms, similar to Chad Collins' approach to gamification, where feedback is constructive and focused on both strengths and areas for improvement?
Reflecting on Chad Collins' experience, how might educators leverage beta testing and rapid iteration to enhance their teaching methods and sustain student engagement over time?
Considering the transformative potential of AI integration in education, how can educators effectively leverage AI tools to experiment with new teaching strategies and adapt to the diverse learning needs of their students?
Our Host
Zach Diamond studied Music History and Theory at Oberlin College and received a Masters of Music in Music Education from Boston University. He taught music for five years in Lima, Peru, and is currently a Middle School music teacher at DC International School, a language-immersion school where he teaches in Spanish. He began implementing the Modern Classrooms Model in the 19-20 School Year and enthusiastically continues his work with the organization as a mentor and podcast producer.
Our Guest
My name is Chad Collins, and I've enjoyed working at Spencer County Middle School as a language arts and academic team teacher for the previous ten years. In January, I switched positions to working as an elementary and middle school Gifted and Talented teacher, and I'm enjoying building programs and teaching classes for students ranging from 4th-8th grade.
I'm extremely interested in making learning for this age group engaging and accessible. I enjoy using technology tools to make learning fun for students, and have recently re-tooled a class to have a game-based structure tied in-with MCP.
If you like what you hear in this episode, share it with a friend or subscribe to get updates when new podcasts are published.