Press Play! Integrating Gamified Tools into Web- based Formative Social Studies Assessments

In an increasingly technology-dependent world, middle school students are emergent experts in technology use although novices in content knowledge. Middle school social studies teachers have dual issues of relevance and rigor to balance in their instruction with students at this developmental level. To strengthen students’ historical reasoning skills, middle school social studies teachers can implement gamified learning in a variety of ways to make use of technology skills and interests of students while also meeting content standards. This research models integration of gamified assessment into a virtual learning environment featuring educational games from organizations such as iCivics and Next Gen Personal Finance. Gamified assessment in social studies can also be combined with culturally responsive pedagogy to more equitably meet diverse student interests and needs. Gamified learning meets the needs of middle school students as emergent experts in technology, but novices in content knowledge by bridging the gap between those roles in a rigorous and relevant way.