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
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knowledge of different board games, as well as own challenges in relation to the Danish language.
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Learning goals
· Soft skills (21st century skills?) · Knowledge (theoretical skills) · Practical skills
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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.
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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?
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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.
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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.
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Materials
Overview of what materials needed (also think about powerpoints etc)
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· 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 |
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Tips from an expert
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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.
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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
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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
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Materials
Overview of what materials needed (also think about powerpoints etc)
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· Various boardgames eg. ludo, partners, monopoly, chess, and checkers.
· post’its · pen and paper · Q and A material for games and education
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Learning goals
· Soft skills (21st century skills?) · Knowledge (theoretical skills) · Practical skills
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· Develop analysis capabilities
· Develop communication skills
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Extra
Challenges and help you can provide students with who are either faster or slower than average |
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Tips from an expert
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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
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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
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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.
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Materials
Overview of what materials needed (also think about powerpoints etc)
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· Paper
· Different colors of felt markers |
Learning goals
· Soft skills (21st century skills?) · Knowledge (theoretical skills) · Practical skills
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· Develop ideas
· Analyze the value of different elements of a game for the experience of playing it. · write Danish-language questions · Working in groups
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Extra
Challenges and help you can provide students with who are either faster or slower than average |
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Tips from an expert
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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.
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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
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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.
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Materials
Overview of what materials needed (also think about powerpoints etc)
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· Computer
· Video/phone to record · Drawings etc of their idea
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Learning goals
· Soft skills (21st century skills?) · Knowledge (theoretical skills) · Practical skills
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· Presentation
· Collaboration · English
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Extra
Challenges and help you can provide students with who are either faster or slower than average |
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Tips from an expert
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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
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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
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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.
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Materials
Overview of what materials needed (also think about powerpoints etc)
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· Software for 3D printing
· Software for laser cutting · 3D and laser machines · Word or google doc to make questions · Printer
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Learning goals
· Soft skills (21st century skills?) · Knowledge (theoretical skills) · Practical skills
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· Knowledge about 3D modeling and printing
· Knowledge about 2D modeling and cuting · collaboration
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Extra
Challenges and help you can provide students with who are either faster or slower than average |
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Tips from an expert
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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
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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
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Activity
Description of what the students will be doing |
Play the game, and let other play the game, listen for adjustments
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Materials
Overview of what materials needed (also think about powerpoints etc)
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· Their board games
· paper or make a video interwiev
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Learning goals
· Soft skills (21st century skills?) · Knowledge (theoretical skills) · Practical skills |
· listen and adjust instead of explaining
· collaboration
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Extra
Challenges and help you can provide students with who are either faster or slower than average |
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Tips from an expert
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
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Materials
Overview of what materials needed (also think about powerpoints etc)
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· 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
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Learning goals
· Soft skills (21st century skills?) · Knowledge (theoretical skills) · Practical skills |
· argumentation
· presentation · knowledge of 3D printing and laser cutting
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Extra
Challenges and help you can provide students with who are either faster or slower than average |
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Tips from an expert
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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
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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?
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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?
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Materials
Overview of what materials needed (also think about powerpoints etc)
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· Photo of the process to help them
· pen and paper/computer
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Learning goals
· Soft skills (21st century skills?) · Knowledge (theoretical skills) · Practical skills |
· Refelction
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Extra
Challenges and help you can provide students with who are either faster or slower than average |
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Tips from an expert
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