Professor of Education, School of Education
Leading Change: Go Beyond Gamification with Gameful Learning
What You'll Learn
- How gameful learning can help you create formal learning environments that are engaging for students
- How to design curriculum for gameful learning and support teachers in using gameful learning
- How to make a plan for creating gameful change in your school/institution and tracking progress towards success with gameful learning
- How the thoughtful use of technology can support learning
8 Modules
24 Hours
3 hrs per module (approx.)
About Leading Change: Go Beyond Gamification with Gameful Learning
“Leading Change: Go Beyond Gamification with Gameful Learning” instructs school leaders and teachers on tools and strategies to support gameful learning in schools.
Developed in partnership with Microsoft, this education course aims to transform teaching and learning at all levels through explorations of how the features that make video games great learning environments can be used in formal learning environments to increase learner engagement on a local, regional and global scale. By creating classroom learning environments that support learners’ senses of autonomy, competence and relatedness, school leaders are able to promote actively engaged and resilient learning.
Gameful learning is a new way to conceive curriculum and assessment that provides concrete support for personalizing learning for every student. You will learn to design gameful learning environments and apply a systematic framework that leads to enhanced intrinsic motivation and engagement for students.
This course has been funded by Microsoft and is part of the Microsoft K-12 Education Leadership initiative developed to provide resources to K-12 school leaders around the world as they address the unique needs of their schools in a changing educational and technology landscape.
Skills You'll Gain
- Educational Games
- Gamification
- Leadership
- Resilience
What You'll Earn
- Certificate of Completion:
- Certificates of completion acknowledge knowledge acquired upon completion of a non-credit course or program.
Welcome Message
Welcome to Leading Change: Go Beyond Gamification with Gameful Learning, a course focused on using motivation theory and game design principles to create engaging learning environments. Learners explore autonomy, competence, and belonging while designing gameful learning experiences that support meaningful change.
This abbreviated syllabus description was created with the help of AI tools and reviewed by staff. The full syllabus is available to those who enroll in the course.
Course Schedule
Module 1: Games as Learning Environments
- Introduction to the Course
- What’s Your Familiarity With Gameful Learning?
- Why “Good” Games are Great Learning Environments - Part 1
- Why “Good” Games are Great Learning Environments - Part 2
- Why “Good” Games are Great Learning Environments - Part 3
- Quiz: Ten Principles of Good Games (7 Questions)
- Three Ways to Think About Games and Learning in School
- Quiz: Three Ways to Think About Games (6 Questions)
- The Good & Bad of Learning Games with Rich Halverson
- Core 1 - Explore Further
- Core 1 - Course Map
Module 2: Motivation Theories
- Motivation, Learning, & Achievement Goal Theory
- Quiz: Motivation Theories (10 Questions)
- Self-Determination Theory
- Quiz: Self-Determination Theory (8 Questions)
- Grit & Mindset with Angela Duckworth
- Core 2 Forum Prompt (1 Question)
- Peer-Reviewed Short Reflection (1 Question)
- Core 2 - Explore Further
- Core 2 - Course Map
Option Modules (Choose at Least Three)
Option 1: Why School is Designed the Way it Is
- How School Evolved and the Future of School
- Quiz: The History of Schooling (8 Questions)
- Peer-Reviewed Short Reflection (1 Question)
- Option 1 - Explore Further
- Option 1 - Course Map
Option 2: Gameful Curriculum (Personalized Learning)
- Gameful Curricula as Personalized Learning
- Supporting Autonomy
- Supporting Belongingness
- Supporting Competence
- Option 2 Forum Prompt (1 Question)
- Option 2 - Course Map
Option 3: Learning Communities to Support Gameful Learning
- Learning Communities for Gameful Learning
- Option 3 Forum Prompt (1 Question)
- Option 3 - Course Map
Option 4: Design-Based Implementation Research and Infrastructuring
- Introduction to Design-Based Implementation Research
- Designing for & Assessing Organizational Change with Bill Penuel
- Quiz: Design-Based Implementation Research (10 Questions)
- Peer-Reviewed Assignment (1 Question)
- Option 4 - Course Map
Option 5: Connected Learning & Badges
- Introduction to Connected Learning with Mimi Ito
- How Badges Support Learning and Personalization with Dan Hickey
- Case study - Chicago City of Learning
- Casey study - Mouse.org
- Option 5 Forum Prompt (1 Question)
- Option 5 - Course Map
Final Module: Bringing it All Together
- Peer-Reviewed Capstone (1 Question)
- Bringing it All Together
- Microsoft Educator Community Badge
- Share Your Experience
Grading Policy
Learners must complete all required modules and at least three optional modules to pass. Assessment includes quizzes, peer-reviewed reflections, and a final capstone.
Director of the Gameful Learning Lab, Office of Academic Innovation
Course content developed by U-M faculty and managed by the university. Faculty titles and affiliations are updated periodically.
Beginner Level
No prior experience required
What Learners Are Saying
This has been an exceptional course. Primarily because I want to help my students. The course gave great ideas to do just that. Now I look ahead to an engaging online experience with students. The educational activities are designed in a way that there are successful t…
Smita Ghosh Learner in India
