7 Ways to Reward the Brain
The TED Talk “7 Ways Games Reward the Brain” presented by Tom Chatfield is an insightful look into how we are wired to feel a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction when we are rewarded for tasks we complete in a digital format. Chatfield highlights seven big picture suggestions that lend themselves to human engagement and fulfilling our evolutionary senses. They are detailed below.
1. Using an experience system. This is in reference to the same way that we are using 3DGameLab as a collaborative tool. Allow this tool to measure performance in a fun way as opposed to conventional manners that are not engaging.
2. Multiple long and short-term aims. Give goals that are broken up into long term and short term. Allot small rewards for short term and larger ones for long term. A reward is always achieved for a completed task and this keeps a heightened engagement level.
3. You reward for effort. Trying does matter and is rewarded. Failure should not be perceived negatively. Allow multiple attempts until the assessment is mastered.
4. User feedback. Learners should have clear objectives and the end result should be clearly defined as well as bound to said objective. It is irrelevant if the attempt is successful or not if the feedback does not relate back to the objective.
5. Uncertainty. This one is pretty simple - unexpected rewards make us the most happy. We are triggered at a neurological level when an unanticipated reward is presented and this keeps engagement levels high.
6. Windows of enhanced attention. Capitalizing on the moments when senses are raised and information is disseminated is key to ensuring the learning process is utilized to it’s fullest.
7. Other people. If rewards are the motivation for success and engagement, how we compare to others is what keeps us coming back for more. There is a tremendous amount of value in learning when there is a tangible goal that can be either collaborated with or made a competition with others.
It is not hard to see that this reward ideology can and should be applied to curriculum and learning. Chatfield’s assessment shows that these online games foster an environment meant to engage us and fulfill our evolutionary needs. He notes that the games are required to be fun. If they are not fun, the rewards gained are moot. This implies that when these principals are implemented into a learning environment, the content and presentation should be fun. I could see implementing these fundamentals into a classroom setting using the same technology and game format. My attention focuses mainly on the user feedback option. I find I work and understand best when I have a clear objective. Even if I am not successful in my first attempt, I like to know what I did wrong and how I can improve in the future. Finding an immersive and collaborative game format such as Rezzly could be setup and used as a stand-alone form of assessment or in addition to other forms of assessment. The reward system is proven to be increasingly popular as these types of online games have never been so popular. Adapting it to facilitate teaching and learning is a necessary measure to meet this generation’s learning styles.
1. Using an experience system. This is in reference to the same way that we are using 3DGameLab as a collaborative tool. Allow this tool to measure performance in a fun way as opposed to conventional manners that are not engaging.
2. Multiple long and short-term aims. Give goals that are broken up into long term and short term. Allot small rewards for short term and larger ones for long term. A reward is always achieved for a completed task and this keeps a heightened engagement level.
3. You reward for effort. Trying does matter and is rewarded. Failure should not be perceived negatively. Allow multiple attempts until the assessment is mastered.
4. User feedback. Learners should have clear objectives and the end result should be clearly defined as well as bound to said objective. It is irrelevant if the attempt is successful or not if the feedback does not relate back to the objective.
5. Uncertainty. This one is pretty simple - unexpected rewards make us the most happy. We are triggered at a neurological level when an unanticipated reward is presented and this keeps engagement levels high.
6. Windows of enhanced attention. Capitalizing on the moments when senses are raised and information is disseminated is key to ensuring the learning process is utilized to it’s fullest.
7. Other people. If rewards are the motivation for success and engagement, how we compare to others is what keeps us coming back for more. There is a tremendous amount of value in learning when there is a tangible goal that can be either collaborated with or made a competition with others.
It is not hard to see that this reward ideology can and should be applied to curriculum and learning. Chatfield’s assessment shows that these online games foster an environment meant to engage us and fulfill our evolutionary needs. He notes that the games are required to be fun. If they are not fun, the rewards gained are moot. This implies that when these principals are implemented into a learning environment, the content and presentation should be fun. I could see implementing these fundamentals into a classroom setting using the same technology and game format. My attention focuses mainly on the user feedback option. I find I work and understand best when I have a clear objective. Even if I am not successful in my first attempt, I like to know what I did wrong and how I can improve in the future. Finding an immersive and collaborative game format such as Rezzly could be setup and used as a stand-alone form of assessment or in addition to other forms of assessment. The reward system is proven to be increasingly popular as these types of online games have never been so popular. Adapting it to facilitate teaching and learning is a necessary measure to meet this generation’s learning styles.
Comments
Post a Comment