Cynthia Bullard

Bullard’s innovative teaching idea, “Gamified Science,” is focused on incorporating gamification into her classroom. Gamification builds on innate desires for socialization, learning, altruism, and a need for accomplishment, and grabs and keeps the interests of students. Students will play the role of the hero in the game of their choice, and will be free to choose different paths toward completing a learning goal — making for a self-directed learning experience. Students will learn at their own pace, choosing activities that appeal to them and receiving real-time assessments that provide immediate feedback and recognition of success.  Bullard believes this teaching strategy will create a learning environment that fosters student-designed lessons, student leadership, and student autonomy.