Gamification of a Course Dr. Stephanie Powers and Nandini Sharma - - PDF document

Gamification of a Course Teaching and Learning Symposium 1 April 12, 2018

Gamification of a Course

• Dr. Stephanie Powers and Nandini Sharma

Gamification What is a gamified course?

Gamification of a Course Teaching and Learning Symposium 2 April 12, 2018

What is a gamified course?

A gamified course uses “game mechanics, dynamics and frameworks to promote desired behaviors." (McGonigal 2012) Gaming creates: 1) Urgent optimism, a desire to act immediately to tackle an obstacle 2) Bonds of trust and cooperation 3) A willingness to work hard all the time, if participants are given the right work 4) Epic meaning – Participants are engaged because they are attached to an awe­inspiring mission A gamified course “drops students into inquiry­based, complex problem spaces that are built to help players understand how they are doing, what they need to work on, and where to go next.” (Tekinbas 2010)

What is a gamified course?

“Students gain first exposure to new material outside of class, usually via reading or lecture videos, and then use class time to do the harder work

• f assimilating the knowledge,

perhaps through problem solving, discussion, or debates.”

Bloom's Taxonomy, Revised

Source: Flipping the Classroom, Vanderbuilt University Center for Teaching

Utilizes a flipped classroom concept

Gamification of a Course Teaching and Learning Symposium 3 April 12, 2018

How does it work?

• 1. Overarching narrative
• 2. Daily challenges earn experience points
• 3. Choice
• 4. Awards

How does it work?

• 1. Overarching narrative

Survive the zombie apocalypse Should Alberta become its

• wn country?

strategic planning project management location planning process design productivity forecasting capacity planning facility layout quality management supply chain JIT manufacturing inventory management Goals of an economy Measuring GDP Inflation Economic Growth Unemployment Aggregate Demand and Supply Money Monetary Policy Fiscal Policy Exchange Rates Trade

Gamification of a Course Teaching and Learning Symposium 4 April 12, 2018

How does it work?

• 2. Daily challenges earn experience points

Survive the zombie apocalypse Should Alberta become its own country?

Before Class:

• a. Watch Youtube videos or read textbook
• b. Complete worksheet (5XP)

In Class:

• c. Current events discussion
• d. Quiz over theory (15XP)
• e. Class activity to illustrate theory (5XP)
• f. Challenge: Application (30XP)
• g. Side Mission: Reflection (5XP)
• a. Watch Youtube videos or read textbook
• b. Complete worksheet (5XP)
• c. Quiz over theory (10XP)
• d. Activity (15XP)
• e. Challenge: Application (30XP)
• f. Side Mission (5XP)

[asynchronous online] [face­to­face]

How does it work?

• 3. Choice

Gamification of a Course Teaching and Learning Symposium 5 April 12, 2018

How does it work?

• 4. Awards

Survive the zombie apocalypse Should Alberta become its own country?

[asynchronous online] [face­to­face] Personalized video featuring the instructor, Associate Dean, and Dean

Gamification What impact does gamification have on the.... student

Gamification of a Course Teaching and Learning Symposium 6 April 12, 2018

Gamification

"The whole layout of the course was amazing. I felt like I was learning much more than I normally would in an online class. Having the worksheets to go through all the videos really forced you to pay attention, and then the challenges after really helped solidify the information." The concept of a gamified course that Dr. Powers introduced to me is one of the most innovative things I have experienced. I came into an online course with the notion it wasn't going to be engaging and I would have to learn the material on my

• wn. .. Her ECON 101 class was one of my favorite, solely

from the way she had it set up."

Impact on Student

When I heard this was a gamified course my response was...

Gamification of a Course Teaching and Learning Symposium 7 April 12, 2018

Impact on Student

I would recommend a gamified course to other students...

"I enjoy the class and how it's structured" "I enjoyed it, kept me engaged. Made class fun"

Impact on Student

A single over­arching narrative, like a zombie apocalypse, is helpful to learning...

"Make the narrative

• useful. Why Zombies?

I wish to learn about industries." "Would be nice to apply it to an actual business scenario, however the zombie idea was great."

Gamification of a Course Teaching and Learning Symposium 8 April 12, 2018

Impact on Student

A single over­arching narrative, like a zombie apocalypse, makes class enjoyable...

"Loved the idea of turning the course into a video game scenario! Worked

• ut so well!!"

"I enjoyed the game style of learning in this course."

Impact on Student

Gamification of a Course Teaching and Learning Symposium 9 April 12, 2018

Impact on Student

Gamified Course

What do students do?

Non­Gamified Course

"Keep this going. I wish all my classes were like this"

Impact on Student

The competitive nature, such as competing for rewards and XP, changed my effort...

"Gave me a goal to reach for"

Gamification of a Course Teaching and Learning Symposium 10 April 12, 2018

Impact on Student

The competitive nature, such as competing for rewards and XP, changed my satisfaction..

"Love the badges and pins. Who doesn't like rewards for work well done"

Impact on Student

Atmosphere was supportive to learning (SFIs)

"Having exams and/or papers can be stressful"

Gamification of a Course Teaching and Learning Symposium 11 April 12, 2018

Impact on Student

Provided a valuable learning experience (SFIs)

"This course did a nice job of allowing a little

• f everyone's strengths to gain points"

Impact on Student

Summary of Findings Students prefer the gamified learning method Students find gamification helpful to learning Students perform better

Slightly higher grades on short answer and multiple choice Substantially more in depth analysis and recommendations

Gamification of a Course Teaching and Learning Symposium 12 April 12, 2018

Gamification What impact does gamification have on the.... instructor Gamification Why I gamified...

Online Asynchronous Course How do I keep students engaged if we don't interact? Similar asynchronous courses have a 50% completion rate Theory and Definitions are BORING SOOOO TIRED of writing definitions on the board How do I make the class fun for me... spend class time doing activities I can't find class time for application....guest speakers, field trips, and activities

Gamification of a Course Teaching and Learning Symposium 13 April 12, 2018

Gamification Why I gamified...

Allows for spacing ­ engagement with content is deliberate and stretched over time, which increases memory retention and improves

• transfer. (Bahrick 1993)

Devoting class time to application gives instructors a better opportunity to detect errors in thinking. (7 Things You Should Know About...Flipped Classrooms 2012) Allows for personalization (Bergmann and Sams 2012)

Gamification What would I do differently...

Gamification of a Course Teaching and Learning Symposium 14 April 12, 2018

Gamification What I did differently the second time...

Spend more time at the beginning of the semester explaining how gamification works and how grades are determined Spend more time emphasizing how much time should be spent on this course [5 to 6 hours a week on a class IS reasonable]

"I really struggled with the grading style being in XP and would have preferred it be in regular style grading" "I like it. But this was the highest workload of any class I've taken."

Gamification What I did differently the second time...

Face­to­face: list at the beginning of class what is due for the level Stay on top of the grading

"Stephanie did an amazing job setting up this course for us, it probably took her a lot of time to put it together but it was very beneficial for everyone. I learned so much more through this structure than I have in other online classes."

Gamification of a Course Teaching and Learning Symposium 15 April 12, 2018

Gamification

7 Things You Should Know About…Flipped Classrooms, Educause Learning Initiative, February 2012, accessed on February 18, 2017, https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/eli7081.pdf. Harry Bahrick et al, Maintenance of Foreign Language Vocabulary and the Spacing Effect, Psychology Science, 4(5), September 1993. Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams, Flip Your Classroom: Reach Every Student in Every Class Every Day, International Society for Technology in Education, 2012. Cynthia Brame, Flipping the Classroom, Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching, accessed on February 18, 2017, https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides‐sub‐pages/flipping‐the‐classroom/. Jane McGonigal, Gaming Can Make a Better World, Ted Talk (2012), accessed on May 20, 2017, https:// www.ted.com/talks/jane_mcgonigal_gaming_can_make_a_better_world/transcript? language=en#t‐637874. Katie Salen Tekinbas et al, Quest to Learn: Developing the School for Digital Kids, MIT Press, 2010.