Learning by playing

  • Teacher:  Jan Sommer Vind
  • Denmark, Vejle Midtbyskole
Introduction What is it about:

The pupils are supposed to make a boardgame, which gives them knowledge about the Danish language.

 

Who is it for (age group):

13-14 years old

 

Short outline of what will happen during the course/project (teaser):

This project is about making the students aware about witch things they find challenging in the Danish language, it’s also applicable in other contexts.

 

The way the students work with this is by inventing their own board game. There are demands towards the design, were they have to use technologies like 3D print and laser cutter.

Besides getting knowledge in what they find challenging in the language, the students will be working with transforming ideas on paper into tangible objects like the pieces for the game, and also the actual board itself. They have to use software to shape their ideas and gain knowledge about the materials they use in the different machines.

 

All of this is only possible, if the group can agree on making compromises and join their innovative skills into one idea about how to play the game. Among other things, they have to examine different board games to learn how different the game play can be, this will take place in what’s called the field study. Later on, in the process they will be forced to get a lot of ideas about how to play the game in different ways, so the group have original ideas to build their own game on. They then have to turn their ideas into tangible objects with digital technology.

 

Link to other subjects: Danish, crafts and design, math
Pre-knowledge

 

 knowledge of different board games, as well as own challenges in relation to the Danish language.

 
Learning goals

·         Soft skills (21st century skills?)

·         Knowledge (theoretical skills)

·         Practical skills

 

  

 
Time 18 lessons of 45 minutes
Assessment ·         How is their 3D product and their product with the laser-cutter?

·         What professional knowledge from Danish did they use to make the board game?

·         How did their cooperation work, did they create something new, and how did they communicate about their product and process?
Resources ·         Teacher Danish language

·         Teacher/lab assistant
Materials/machines  

We used laser cutter and 3d printer. It could also be made without the use of technologies.

 

 

 

Lesson 1

Introduction

Brief description of what the lesson is about

 Examining the task, which keywords and input are there, and who is affected by the problem?

 
Time

Amount of lessen + minutes per lesson (i.e. 2 lessons of 50 minutes)

 45 minutes
Phase of the DBL model Design brief
Lesson goals/design output

What will the students have achieved after this lesson?  For instance: the student will have 12 new ideas

 Develop analysis capabilities. Analyze what the task is about, who it is about, and who benefits from a solution.

 
Activity

Description of what the students will be doing

 Individual and shared analysis work over the assignment. identify keywords in the task, find the target group, what do we know about this group, is there others who influence a solution.

 
Materials

Overview of what materials needed (also think about powerpoints etc)

 

 ·         Paper

·         pen

·         Design brief on paper

·         post’its
Learning goals

·         Soft skills (21st century skills?)

·         Knowledge (theoretical skills)

·         Practical skills

 ·         Develop analysis capabilities

·         Cooperation

·         planning
Extra

Challenges and help you can provide students with who are either faster or slower than average

  
Tips from an expert

 

  

Lesson 2-3

Introduction

Brief description of what the lesson is about

 What knowledge should be provided in order to become wiser on a solution.

 
Time

Amount of lessen + minutes per lesson (i.e. 2 lessons of 50 minutes)

 1-2 lessons
Phase of the DBL model Fieldstudy
Lesson goals/design output

What will the students have achieved after this lesson?  For instance: the student will have 12 new ideas

 ·         Identify challenges in the Danish language.

·         Gain knowledge of how different board games work.

·         Understand, that exact questions are required for specific answers.

·         Present your knowledge

 
Activity

Description of what the students will be doing

 What can be challenging in the Danish language?

Check at least three different board games Examine what is a good question in a game and how do you know if you are given a correct answer?

Present your knowledge

 
Materials

Overview of what materials needed (also think about powerpoints etc)

 

 ·         Various boardgames eg. ludo, partners, monopoly, chess, and checkers.

·         post’its

·         pen and paper

·         Q and A material for games and education

 
Learning goals

·         Soft skills (21st century skills?)

·         Knowledge (theoretical skills)

·         Practical skills

 

 ·         Develop analysis capabilities

·         Develop communication skills

 
Extra

Challenges and help you can provide students with who are either faster or slower than average

  
Tips from an expert

 

 If you got the time, spend it on playing different boardgames, the students might not have the knowlegde off how they are played.

Lesson 4-6

Introduction

Brief description of what the lesson is about

 Find ideas on how to play the game:

part 1 – the game play,

part 2 – the questions

part 3 – the prieces

 

 
Time

Amount of lessen + minutes per lesson (i.e. 2 lessons of 50 minutes)

 2-3 lessons
Phase of the DBL model Ideation
Lesson goals/design output

What will the students have achieved after this lesson?  For instance: the student will have 12 new ideas

 At the end each group should now have 2 game ideas

 
Activity

Description of what the students will be doing

 Three phases, where independent work is done, later to be collect in the group for selection of the best ideas in the group. Starts up with working on the game plan, then with what types of questions there can be made, and finally with the design and meaning of the pieces for the game.

 
Materials

Overview of what materials needed (also think about powerpoints etc)

 

 ·         Paper

·         Different colors of felt markers
Learning goals

·         Soft skills (21st century skills?)

·         Knowledge (theoretical skills)

·         Practical skills

 

 ·         Develop ideas

·         Analyze the value of different elements of a game for the experience of playing it.

·         write Danish-language questions

·         Working in groups

 
Extra

Challenges and help you can provide students with who are either faster or slower than average

  
Tips from an expert

 

  

Lesson 7

Introduction

Brief description of what the lesson is about

 Making a pitch about their choises for their solution to the given design brief.

 

 
Time

Amount of lessen + minutes per lesson (i.e. 2 lessons of 50 minutes)

 1 lesson
Phase of the DBL model Argumentation/fabrication
Lesson goals/design output

What will the students have achieved after this lesson?  For instance: the student will have 12 new ideas

 ·         Argue for your own choices,

·         practice it to present,

·         speak English to be understood by others

 
Activity

Description of what the students will be doing

 Find out why their designs have ended as it is. Divide a presentation into the group, and translate their speech into English.

 
Materials

Overview of what materials needed (also think about powerpoints etc)

 

 ·         Computer

·         Video/phone to record

·         Drawings etc of their idea

 
Learning goals

·         Soft skills (21st century skills?)

·         Knowledge (theoretical skills)

·         Practical skills

 

 ·         Presentation

·         Collaboration

·         English

 
Extra

Challenges and help you can provide students with who are either faster or slower than average

  
Tips from an expert

 

  

Lesson 8-11

Introduction

Brief description of what the lesson is about

 During these lessons the students will make the first prototype of their game

 
Time

Amount of lessen + minutes per lesson (i.e. 2 lessons of 50 minutes)

 4 lessons
Phase of the DBL model Ideation/fabrication
Lesson goals/design output

What will the students have achieved after this lesson?  For instance: the student will have 12 new ideas

 ·         Made all the pieces to the game

·         Made a prototype of the board

·         A short manual for the game

 
Activity

Description of what the students will be doing

 Using software for 3D printer and laser cutters, students must make their boards and pieces for the game. The pieces are made in filament while the board is made in cardboard until the students have tried the game a few times. Then they will make the questions for their game, possibly with the help of their class.

 
Materials

Overview of what materials needed (also think about powerpoints etc)

 

 ·         Software for 3D printing

·         Software for laser cutting

·         3D and laser machines

·         Word or google doc to make questions

·         Printer

 
Learning goals

·         Soft skills (21st century skills?)

·         Knowledge (theoretical skills)

·         Practical skills

 

 ·         Knowledge about 3D modeling and printing

·         Knowledge about 2D modeling and cuting

·         collaboration

 
Extra

Challenges and help you can provide students with who are either faster or slower than average

  
Tips from an expert

 

  

 

Lesson 12-14

Introduction

Brief description of what the lesson is about

 During these lessons the students will check if their design/prototype fits the task set in the design brief phase

 
Time

Amount of lessen + minutes per lesson (i.e. 2 lessons of 50 minutes)

 3 lessons
Phase of the DBL model reflection/fabrication
Lesson goals/design output

What will the students have achieved after this lesson?  For instance: the student will have 12 new ideas

 After these lessons the students will have a final idea for their boardgame

 
Activity

Description of what the students will be doing

 Play the game, and let other play the game, listen for adjustments

 
Materials

Overview of what materials needed (also think about powerpoints etc)

 

 ·         Their board games

·         paper or make a video interwiev

 
Learning goals

·         Soft skills (21st century skills?)

·         Knowledge (theoretical skills)

·         Practical skills

 ·         listen and adjust instead of explaining

·         collaboration

 
Extra

Challenges and help you can provide students with who are either faster or slower than average

  
Tips from an expert

 

 This can be a wery hard task for some students, just to listen and not explaning. But their manual to the game should say it all.

 

 

 

Lesson 14-17

Introduction

Brief description of what the lesson is about

 During these lessons the students will make their final design into a working prototype

 
Time

Amount of lessen + minutes per lesson (i.e. 2 lessons of 50 minutes)

 3 lessons
Phase of the DBL model Fabrication/argumentation
Lesson goals/design output

What will the students have achieved after this lesson?  For instance: the student will have 12 new ideas

 After these lessons the students will have their final board game

After these lessons the students will be able to reason why their game fits the design brief

 
Activity

Description of what the students will be doing

 Making the last adjustments to the manual, board, piceses, or more questions.

Making the final sales pitch.

 
Materials

Overview of what materials needed (also think about powerpoints etc)

 

 ·         3D printer and lasercutter computer programes to adjust whats needed

·         Overview of what materials needed (also think about powerpoints etc)

·         video/phone to make final sales pitch

 
Learning goals

·         Soft skills (21st century skills?)

·         Knowledge (theoretical skills)

·         Practical skills

 ·         argumentation

·         presentation

·         knowledge of 3D printing and laser cutting

 
Extra

Challenges and help you can provide students with who are either faster or slower than average

  
Tips from an expert

 

  

 

Lesson 18

Introduction

Brief description of what the lesson is about

 This lesson is about reflection. The students have to think about what they have learned and what they can use for the next time

 
Time

Amount of lessen + minutes per lesson (i.e. 2 lessons of 50 minutes)

 1 lesson
Phase of the DBL model Reflection
Lesson goals/design output

What will the students have achieved after this lesson?  For instance: the student will have 12 new ideas

 Think of what the student have learnt in this project, what will they do next time, they are making a similar project, or a new design?

 
Activity

Description of what the students will be doing

 ·         Individually and subsequently in the group talk about what they have learned from this task.

·         What has been fun, educational and challenging?

·         Where can they feel that they have learned something new?

 
Materials

Overview of what materials needed (also think about powerpoints etc)

 

 ·         Photo of the process to help them

·         pen and paper/computer

 
Learning goals

·         Soft skills (21st century skills?)

·         Knowledge (theoretical skills)

·         Practical skills

 ·         Refelction

 
Extra

Challenges and help you can provide students with who are either faster or slower than average

  
Tips from an expert