Rock Star Treatment.

Shelving Wars.

The Quest4Hope.

BUSter.

The Overdue Avengers.

These are just a handful of the games #LevelUpBC members created in our "Design a Game" Challenge. Level Up readers were asked to apply what we're reading in Kapp's The Gamification of Learning and Instruction in order to create a game out of commonplace work we usually consider mundane.

Descriptions of the games were submitted to our Level Up wiki and others are welcome to add ideas at any time. But for the time being it's time to select a new winner of a Week of the Rock Star Treatment on Twitter. We had a blast offering up fanfare for @SSedro all last week.

And the winner is...

Share praise, fanfare, and otherwise ridiculous acts of affection for @LibraryFanatic all this week. She deserves it! And thanks to everyone who contributed! We can't wait to put these games into action at our schools!

FAUXasis mod 4 (S2: Side Quest)

Directions: Within the following riddle are clues that will help you answer the question below. Using whatever means necessary, decode the clues and provide your answer to the question. If your name does not appear on the Leader Board within 12 hours time, you have answered incorrectly.

FAUXasis_mod_4 

Fourscore and... seven minutes ago... we, your forefathers, were brought forth upon a most excellent adventure conceived by our new friends, Bill... and [name omitted from FAUXasis module]. These two great gentlemen are dedicated to a proposition which was true in my time, just as it's true today. Be excellent to each other. And... PARTY ON, DUDES!

FAUXasis mod 3 (S2: Side Quest)

Directions: Within the following riddle are clues that will help you answer the question below. Using whatever means necessary, decode the clues and provide your answer to the question. If your name does not appear on the Leader Board within 12 hours time, you have answered incorrectly.

FAUXasis_mod_3

You stand behind the register and straighten a box of cat food as a man wearing a black leather jacket approaches the counter.

FAUXasis mod 2 (S2: Side Quest)

Directions: Within the following riddle are clues that will help you answer the question below. Using whatever means necessary, decode the clues and provide your answer to the question. If your name does not appear on the Leader Board within 12 hours time, you have answered incorrectly.

FAUXasis_mod_2

Beyond the Goblin City

Sarah spoke, "You have no power over me."
Is this word too obscure for thee?

George Lucas, there's a first time for everything.

Two Paths.

Two paths lie before you. Which will you choose?

The first continues on familiar ground, completing The Gamification of Learning and Instruction by Karl M. Kapp and participating in the task listed below (extended from last week).

The second leads into unfamiliar territory, enticing you deeper into 80's nostalgia and perplexing trivia on a side quest inspired by Ernest Cline's Ready Player One. Follow the clues and perhaps you'll win the PRIZE.

Of course, you could always do both. In Level Up you are certainly permitted to have your cake and eat it, too.

But the choice is yours. Feel free to continue posting Kapp quotes to Twitter and taking part in our discussion therein.

We will determine a date and time for our Twitter Chat about The Gamification of Learning and Instruction shortly. Until then, happy gaming!

Task 3:

WIKI CHALLENGE: "Design a Game"

Directions: As with any profession, working in education comes with its own arsenal of mundane and avoid-if-at-all-possible tasks. Review Kapp's response to the questions What is a game? (pg. 6), What is gamification? (pg. 9), and What gamification is not (pg. 12), then choose from one of the common school to-do's below and attempt to make a game of it.

a. Grading a stack of papers
b. One morning on bus duty
c. Increasing collaboration with classroom teachers
d. Decreasing overdue book statistics
e. FREE CHOICE - identify an otherwise mundane task in your workplace and create a game to accomplish the task in a more engaging, motivating way

Post the description of your game to our Level Up wiki for others to read and consider.

Reward: We're going to carry over the reward from last week because it is awesome and because it may be the kind of feel-good wonderfulness that you need amid this already stressful school year.

Since Twitter is our primary discussion space for #levelupbc, and since we'll be drawing an awful lot of attention to Kapp's excellent resource, the reward for this challenge will be One Week of Rock Star Treatment. That's right! For one whole week Jennifer and Matthew will tweet boastful, flattering, enthusiastic, mostly-true tweets about YOU which will inevitably cause the Twitterverse to swell with jealousy, your followers to shoot through the roof, and your social media cred to reach limitless heights. ...Or, at the very least, it could just make you feel really really good about yourself.

Deadline: 11:59pm Sunday, October 28th. Post a description of your game to our Level Up wikispace no later than Sunday by midnight.

FAUXasis mod 1 (S2: Side Quest).

Directions: Within the following riddle are clues that will help you answer the question below. Using whatever means necessary, decode the clues and provide your answer to the question. If your name does not appear on the Leader Board within 12 hours time, you have answered incorrectly.

FAUXasis_mod_1

Foreign AI with exterior sheen

Opting to stutter instead of to sing.

Selecting a preference is too challenging

When offered in vessels found balancing.

Am I dreaming? No. Where am I? In bed? Well, what am I doing? Oh. Talking to myself.

Welcome to the FAUXasis. (S2: Side Quest)

Welcome, PLAYER.

We have been alerted to your recent purchase, loan, or selection of Ready Player One by Ernest Cline and a copy of your records has been uploaded to the FAUXasis.

Your eligibility for the grand prize now hangs in the balance. Should you choose to pursue the PRIZE, you will encounter untold barriers, puzzles, and challenges, each testing your mind, skill, and ability to its fullest potential. If you select to ignore our invitation to the FAUXasis, your account will be frozen until such time as you choose to engage once more or until the PRIZE has been located.

PLAYERS who correctly solve each obstacle will appear on the FAUXasis Leader Board, located below. But only one PLAYER will win the PRIZE.

The first module will be posted shortly.

READY PLAYER ONE?

Am I dreaming? No. Where am I? In bed? Well, what am I doing? Oh. Talking to myself.

S2: Task 3: Design a Game.

Still reading. Still being inspired. Still thinking about how all of this will inform your future instruction.

We're slowing down the pace a little this week, giving #LevelUpBC members a chance to finish reading The Gamification of Learning and Instruction and some much needed time to wrap our brains around it all. Continue posting Kapp quotes to Twitter and taking part in our discussion therein.

But while you finish up our first read of Season 2 we've got another challenge for you!

Admit it... you've been there.

Task 3:

WIKI CHALLENGE: "Design a Game"

Directions: As with any profession, working in education comes with its own arsenal of mundane and avoid-if-at-all-possible tasks. Review Kapp's response to the questions What is a game? (pg. 6), What is gamification? (pg. 9), and What gamification is not (pg. 12), then choose from one of the common school to-do's below and attempt to make a game of it.

a. Grading a stack of papers
b. One morning on bus duty
c. Increasing collaboration with classroom teachers
d. Decreasing overdue book statistics
e. FREE CHOICE - identify an otherwise mundane task in your workplace and create a game to accomplish the task in a more engaging, motivating way

Post the description of your game to our Level Up wiki for others to read and consider.

Reward: We're going to carry over the reward from last week because it is awesome and because it may be the kind of feel-good wonderfulness that you need amid this already stressful school year.

Since Twitter is our primary discussion space for #levelupbc, and since we'll be drawing an awful lot of attention to Kapp's excellent resource, the reward for this challenge will be One Week of Rock Star Treatment. That's right! For one whole week Jennifer and Matthew will tweet boastful, flattering, enthusiastic, mostly-true tweets about YOU which will inevitably cause the Twitterverse to swell with jealousy, your followers to shoot through the roof, and your social media cred to reach limitless heights. ...Or, at the very least, it could just make you feel really really good about yourself.

Deadline: 11:59pm Sunday, October 21st. We have big plans for these games (in future challenges, that is), so make sure set time aside to post before midnight on Sunday.

S2: Side Quest

The journey will be difficult, but you don't have to travel alone.

The path is unwarranted, treacherous, and a diversion from the one you walk now. It is not necessary to reaching your goal, but not all those who wander are lost.

Untold treasures await those brave enough to venture on this quest. Are you ready?

Excellent. Step 1: Watch this video.


Essentials Understandings Before Questing:
1. This book does not replace or postpone our reading of The Gamification of Learning and Instruction by Karl M. Kapp.
2. Reading this book is not mandatory for Level Up readers, nor do you have to read the remaining Season 2 titles to be able to participate in this side quest.
3. This book is a work of fiction and will not directly benefit your professional growth or understanding of gamification, all though reading it may make you cooler.

Materials Needed for Sidequest: Delorean, Huey Lewis and the News cassette tape, Atari 2600, and a copy of Ready Player One by Ernest Cline.

Restrictions:
1. You may bring a companion to improve your chances of returning safely from this side quest, but all participating members must read (or have read) the book.
2. The side quest must be completed in its entirety before the conclusion of Season 2 (estimated November 30th) in order for you to earn credit.
3. You may not under any circumstances listen to "I Ran" by Flock of Seagulls at any point during your side quest. Failure to do so will result in immediate termination of accumulated credit.

Specifics regarding the side quest will be revealed on Saturday, October 20th at levelupbc.blogspot.com. Until then, find a copy of Ready Player One and buckle up.

And the S2: Task 1 Amazon Gift Card winner is...

We've got a stack of photos on our Level Up tumblr of new and returning members to the Level Up Book Club, but only one is walking away with a $15 Amazon.com gift card to use toward the next Level Up read or for some fancy socks, bulk erasers, or whatever it is you fancy to meet your online shopping needs.

And that winner is...

Becca Oxley! (@LibrariansFTW)

Congratulations!

While the gift card may be claimed, it's not too late to post your picture to our Tumblr page. Feel free to post so we can all "see" who's reading with us.

Speaking of reading, we hope you're really enjoying Kapp's The Gamification of Learning and Instruction. Post those quotes for some quick +1 levels. You may just take the top leader board position!