Grube Method of Instruction

The Grube Method of Instruction draws upon educational research to formulate its concepts of teaching and learning. Optimum instruction can be achieved by combining learn by doing activities with gaming and simulation.

The Grube Method of Instruction is a teaching and learning system for the acquisition and reinforcement of learned skills necessary for school success. Students research, design and play their own experiential-based simulation games.

The Grube Method of Instruction was first taught at The University of Michigan and was later refined in Michigan Public School Districts. This teaching and learning methodology has nine sequential, game design steps.

1. Assemble-A-Bibliography - Collect Game Resources

2. Write-A-Book - Identify Useful Information

3. Create-A-Deck - Design Playing Cards

4. Design-A-Gameboard - Create Artistic Work

5. Learn-A-Set - Evaluate Game Principles

6. Pen-A-Page - Write Game Questions

7. Master-A-Theory - Apply Experiential Learning

8. Play-A-Game - Test and Refine

9. Teach-A-Method - Master the Methodology

According to the writings of Eriksen (1976), Golick (1988), Grube (1984), and Werling (1981) twenty-one Essential Learned Skills must be mastered by age 12 to insure future school success!

1. A Sense of Direction - number and letter eye orientation as 6's and 9's in cribbage

2. Auditory Memory - hearing and recalling a cribbage card play sequence as 6, 4, 5, 6

3. Color Discrimination - to note color differences as in four cribbage jacks

4. Computation - ability to perform basic math functions as in cribbage counting

5. Concentration - to think by focusing upon the best discards to a crib

6. Comprehension - the ability to understand concepts such classic checker board formations

7. Fast Verbal Skills - ability to rapidly respond to another players move as in cribbage

8. Intellectual Skills - the process of learning to learn as in spacial relationships of face card design

9. Motivation - the art of using learning incentives to accomplish a task such as authoring a game.

10. Motor Skills - learning to shuffle, handle, and fan a deck of cribbage playing cards for finger-hand coordination

11. Number Concepts - learning to discriminate as 12 and five makes a 15 for two points in cribbage

12. Ordering - classifying information in logical arrangements allowing for memorization as 6, 6, 7, 7 cut 8 in cribbage

13. Reasoning - ability to draw conclusion such as discarding in cribbage.

14. Rhythm - orderly timing in physical activities as dealing playing cards in cribbage

15. Rote Memory - repetitive memorization such as 15-2, 15-4, 15-6 and a pair is eight in cribbage

16. Social Skills - positive interaction with other children as in youth tournament cribbage

17. Thinking - to engage the mind in solving problems such as deciding when to knight a checker

18. Verbal Skills - to acquire facility with the language as in addressing cribbage opponents

19. Visual Discrimination - visual eye tracking such as keeping track of cribbage cards played

20. Visual Memory - a picture in one's mind using visual recall such as cribbage card combinations.

21. Vocabulary - mastering words and definitions such as game point in cribbage

Reference: The Grube Method of Teaching & Learning as Applied to Simulation Gaming & Experiential Learning Theory 392 pages, © 1984, an unpublished research manuscript, Karl W. Grube, Ph.D., researcher/author, Ann Arbor.