The Educator’s Guide to Designing Games and Creative Active-Learning Exercises

Every educator’s imaginative instincts will be guided by this book’s practical design method, which harnesses the power of play for learning. Along with principles from game-based learning pedagogy, the book explores a framework of complex mechanic teaching templates, which help instructional activities cross the bridge into fully formed games.

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Every educator’s imaginative instincts will be guided by this book’s practical design method, which harnesses the power of play for student learning. Teachers from all disciplines and levels can create a full spectrum of engaging exercises through the authors’ six accessible ALLURE steps:


Ask where to apply the play.


List the mental moves.


Link the mental moves to the play.


Understand how the learning principles operate.


Run the activity-game.


Evaluate the learner experience.


Along with principles from game-based learning pedagogy, readers will explore a framework of original complex mechanic teaching templates that will help their fledgling instructional activities cross the bridge into fully formed games. Beginners and veterans will find multiple entry points, from adding a single playful element (student roles in discussions) to more elaborate designs (riddles and simulations). They will also learn different levels of producing physical tabletop components (cards, boards, plastic pieces) or light digital options (discussion board riddles, Google Slides games). Born from the authors’ extensive experiences running professional development workshops, this guide has been frequently requested by classroom teachers, college instructors, librarians, and instructional designers. While examples are all drawn from secondary and higher education environments, the ALLURE method is also being used in workshops with elementary-level teachers, including homeschool instructors; business trainers; and digital and analogue game designers.


Book Features:




Offers hands-on, practical advice about how to be more playful with your students, with a focus on nondigital activities and games.
Written in the language of instructional design, so advanced knowledge about games or technology is not required.
Provides creative instructional techniques that will boost student engagement for both in-person and online instruction.
Includes more than two dozen original illustrations and designs to aid understanding.
Addresses the need for accessible, inclusive learning environments.

To obtain a set of flashcards that summarize the book’s concepts, or to read about other resources, see the authors’ website: http://allureofplay.com.