Game-Based Learning Ideas for Photography

Here are a few ideas of how you might incorporate game-based learning into your classroom. There are a ton of custom online game platforms, these are just a few I’ve found helpful.

Games

• Trivia, Jeopardy – test knowledge
• Scavenger Hunts – encourage exploration, problem-solving, and collaboration
• Bingo: Social Bingo (icebreaker), Photo Bingo (take pictures of ___ or with ___ conditions)
  • Ex. Photo Scavenger Hunt Bingo
• Find a game you enjoy and create your own version!
  • Tip: Start with index cards or paper printouts until you’ve playtested your game and worked out all the kinks.
  • Printplaygames.com and boardgamesmaker.com are two sources for professionally printed game components.

Online Games

• FunTrivia.com – has a lot of photo trivia sets ready to go. Single-player.
• Crowdpurr.com – create or play custom trivia games with multiple players.
• JeopardyLabs.com – create or play custom Jeopardy games.
• Kahoot.com – interactive or gamified content for education. *Requires a license.
• ProProfs.com | Photography Quizzes & Trivia

GAMIFY Your Class (only where it makes sense)

• Reframe assignments as challenges or organize material into quests/missions.
• Allow students to earn and redeem points for perks like leaving class early, turning an assignment in a day late, etc.
• Offer achievement badges or rewards for mastery and accomplishment.
• Encourage creativity and fun with game-like assignments such as:
  • 30-Day Challenges
  • Same Subject Different Ways
  • Shoot from the Hip
  • Recreate an Image or Style
  • Identify the Technique/Tools/Location/Etc
• Make progress visible to encourage friendly competition and motivation

#1 Tip:

Use social games as icebreakers at the beginning of term to help students feel more comfortable with one another.

Additional Reading & Ideas on Game-Based Learning

• Gamification and Game-Based Learning
• Understanding Game-Based Learning: Benefits, Potential Drawbacks and Where to Begin
• Gamification: 10 Techniques You Can Use Instantly
  • Super easy to understand. A must-read!
• How to Gamify Your Classroom
• Examples of Gamification in the Classroom
• When It Comes to Grading, Some of Us Have it Backwards (Reverse Grading)
• Games
  • Photography Challenges (15 Exciting Games to Play)
  • 9 Games You Can Play to Spice Up Your Photography
  • 12 Awesome Photography Games to Play
  • GuruShots – online challenge/exhibition
  • Actionbound – create mobile adventures and interactive guides

Misc

• There are a lot of video games that incorporate in-game photography. This could be a fun and easy way to explore composition.
  • 14 Best Photography Video Games
  • Learn Photography by Playing Video Games

Bonus

Here are a few documents I created for SPE South Central 2022. Feel free to download and share.

• Game-Based Learning Ideas Handout (pdf)
• Social Bingo for SPESC (pdf)