Introduction & Key Concepts (2 minutes)
The session begins with a quick overview of digital game-based learning and its impact on engagement, belonging, and deeper understanding. Participants will see where digital games align with the ISTE Standards and fit within the learning cycle and Depth of Knowledge (DOK) levels, and how intentional digital play supports both content mastery and classroom community.
Showcase of Digital Game Examples (20 minutes)
Participants will experience a fast-paced tour of more than 60 ready-to-use digital games, organized by instructional purpose and DOK depth. We’ll highlight games for Recall and Understanding, Application and Concept Practice, Metacognition and Reflection, Collaboration and Community Building, and Creative Synthesis. Each category will include live demos with QR codes to try sample games, quick notes on when and how to use them, and connections to CASEL SEL competencies and ISTE Standards.
Review Implementation Strategies (8 minutes)
We’ll close with actionable tips for making game-based learning sustainable and inclusive: how to adapt games for varied grades and content, weave in SEL reflection to build belonging, and use feedback to guide instruction. Participants will leave with the collection of games and strategies to integrate games smoothly into existing routines and LMS platforms.
After this session, participants will be able to: (1) identify where quick, digital games fit within the learning cycle and connect them to Depth of Knowledge (DOK) levels for deeper thinking; (2) create engaging, purposeful, and inclusive digital games that motivate students and foster connection; (3) integrate social-emotional learning (SEL) competencies from CASEL into game design and facilitation to strengthen classroom community and belonging; (4) implement and facilitate quick, digital games that provide immediate feedback, streamlining the process of gauging student understanding and engagement in real time; (5) use data and feedback from these games to make informed instructional decisions that improve student outcomes; and (6) adapt and differentiate game strategies to meet diverse learner needs across subject areas and grade levels.
Baker, Kate. “10 Creative Social Emotional Learning Activities to Use in Class.” BookWidgets Teacher Blog, 21 Apr. 2023, https://www.bookwidgets.com/blog/2023/04/10-creative-social-emotional-learning-activities-to-use-in-class
Baker, Kate. “How to Strengthen Social Emotional Learning with Daily Affirmation Routines.” BookWidgets Teacher Blog, 18 Aug. 2025, https://www.bookwidgets.com/blog/2025/08/how-to-strengthen-social-emotional-learning-with-daily-affirmation-routines
Boghian, Ioana, and Venera-Mihaela Cojocariu. "Using games to build social emotional learning skills." Revista Romaneasca Pentru Educatie Multidimensionala 15.1 (2023): 622-656. https://lumenpublishing.com/journals/index.php/rrem/article/view/5974
Hung, C. Y., Sun, J. C. Y., & Liu, J. Y. (2018). Effects of flipped classrooms integrated with MOOCs and game-based learning on the learning motivation and outcomes of students from different backgrounds. Interactive Learning Environments, 27(8), 1028–1046. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2018.1481103
“What Is the CASEL Framework?” CASEL, 2025, https://casel.org/fundamentals-of-sel/what-is-the-casel-framework/
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