Abstract:

Teachers find it hard to select good educational games, and to find out how they can integrate these games in learning activities in the classroom to optimize learning for all pupils (1). Via our research we want to facilitate the integration of digital games in the classroom by creating a Digital Guiding Tool (DGT) for teachers.

Our initial research phase, desk research and focus groups, shows that teachers experience four main limitations to integrate digital games in the lessons (2). The first one is the lack of information regarding existing games. Therefore teachers experience as second limitation the lack of time because they have no invest time on searching appropriate games. The third limitation is the lack of technological knowledge to use digital games. And, as fourth limitation, teachers report a lack of knowledge on how to, and when to integrate games in the lessons. With our DGT, we want to support teachers and diminish these four limitations.

To create our DGT, we experienced a challenge: there are already many websites (competitors) about ‘Games’ and ‘Game based learning’ for teachers. How could we offer something valuable? had become our key question.

We have dived into business literature and used a business methodology to discover what the added value of our DGT could be and so create our value proposition (3). We used the blue ocean strategy (4) as competitors analysis methodology. This methodology focuses on creating value proposition, and uncontested market spaces by creating, eliminating, reducing, or raising industry factors.

To find out our blue ocean strategy, we selected typical web/educational industry factors, and consequently scored those factors for several competitor websites known in Flanders. The factors and existing competitors were selected taking into account the results of the initial research phase (2) and the experiences learned from the co-design sessions with teachers in the second phase.

After a score was given for the selected factors, we noticed that most of the competitors focus on collecting digital games, lack informative content about the use of games in the classroom, and practical examples of how to use games in the classroom, specifically lesson sheets. Therefore we decided to eliminate the factor of collecting digital games; raise the factor of informing teachers and creating content that situates them better about the integration of digital games in the classroom; reduce complexity of the visual tool by going for a simple web design; and, create lessons sheets (online and offline), that are concrete lessons plans related to curriculum goals of primary education.

We realized offline materials are also beneficial for teachers who are taking their first steps into the digital world, and looking for inspiration.

References:
[1] Kennisnet (2015). Vier in Balans Monitor 2015. Zoetermeer: Stichting Kennisnet.
[2] De Latter, E.; De Weirdt, D. (2016). Gamification in het lager onderwijs: analyse cases en randvoorwaarden bij de implementatie’. Ghent: Arteveldehogeschool.
[3] Osterwalder, et at (2010). Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers. John Wiley & Sons. 288 pagina's.
[4] W. Chan Kim, Renée A. Mauborgne (2014), Blue Ocean Strategy, Expanded Edition: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant. Harvard Business Review Press, 320 pagina's.

Keywords:

Game-based learning, blue ocean, competitors analysis, guiding tool.