The new technologies and the languages
Smartphones, tablets and smart watches, technology is developing in a very rapid phase and students love using them, even in the classroom when they are studying Spanish.
Learn with our Spanish language school in Malaga the classroom gamification for learning Spanish. It is possible to do this by using an online educational solution for your lessons and for your students.
OnSpain School is going to test if the mobile devices can be integrated in the classroom by using the online game called Classcraft. This will make it more fun for the students and more manageable by the Spanish teacher, as this programme is designed to act as another layer on the normal lessons. This game is going to be used while the students are having their Spanish intensive course. The main advantage of this programme is that there are real risks involved. It is possible to praise but also correct students by using this programme.
Using the Classcraft app, students can play the game on their smartphones, or tablets, whereas the teacher uses the computer to manage the game. There are 3 types of characters available that the students can be, namely a Mage, a Warrior and a Healer. Each character has its own unique abilities and they will have to work together in a team.
- How the game works
Classcraft Healer Warrior Mage
In addition, the characters also have Health points (HP), Action points (AP), Experience points (Exp) and virtual cash (GP). The HP indicate how the student is doing in the classroom, as the teacher can correct a student by subtracting HP from the student’s character. For example, the teacher can correct the student when he or she is late for class, when a student is disrupting the class, did not have the homework done, or any other reason for correcting a student. This is where the teamwork of the fellow students comes in, as the characters they play have the ability to shield or heal the person that is being corrected. For example, the Warrior can shield the fellow student and take some of the damage instead, whereas the healer can return the lost Health points. However, in order to do so, the characters have to use their Ability points, as each unique power drains AP, for which the Mage has his unique abilities to restore those. Moreover, when the team cannot protect the student anymore when he is about to lose all of his HP, the affected student gets penalised. This can consist of making extra homework, buy treats for the whole classroom, singing a Spanish song in front of the class, or any other penalty deemed necessary by the teacher.
- How to engage the student
Classcraft Praise Window
Besides the risk of being penalised, it is also possible to be awarded with Experience points. The teacher can do that by giving the student Exp when behaving very well in the class, helping other students with their work, handing in an assignment early, or any other reason for deserving praise by the teacher. By giving Exp, the student can “level up” and gain access to new abilities, which will motivate the students to pay attention and stay engaged during the lesson.
- Teacher tools
Apart from the characters, the teacher can also upload posts, exercises, videos, images and links, which the students can view at home, or in class. By doing so the teacher moves the (homework) assignments to an online environment and Exp is awarded when the students have finished the work.
- How to get there
Classcraft Homepage
In order to use Classcraft, you would have to sign up here on their website. Once you have signed up, it is possible to create a class, from which there are three types available, namely free, freemium or premium class. The difference between the 3 types is that the free and freemium are costless, whereas the premium costs money according to the total duration of the class and amount of students. The free version is limited to the computer, while the freemium version is playable on the apps. The premium and freemium versions only differ in the customised items the students can buy, because in the freemium version, the students have to pay with their own money if they want to gain access to customisable character content. As for the premium version, this is done with the virtual cash that is gained by completing exercises.
With the help of this game, OnSpain School is looking towards the future and is therefore continuously improving its teaching methods. Moreover, OnSpain School hopes that the game can be implemented in its current intensive Spanish courses in Spain.
If you want to read more about technological advancements, please check out our blog about New Trends of Technology in language education! Or check the website of Classcraft for more information about the online educational game.
OnSpain School, your door to learn Spanish!
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