The Gamifying Experience: Practical Tips for Gamifying a Course Redesign

Streamed Session

Brief Abstract

Have you been wondering about gamifying a course? Come discover how you can implement various game-based methods and strategies to create a positive and engaging learning environment for students and how effective collaboration and thoughtful design strategies can enhance the student experience.

Presenters

Lead Presenter: Anne Jewett, University of Virginia

Anne is an Assistant Professor within the Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education at the Curry School of Education and Human Development at the University of Virginia. She serves as the Director of the fully online M.Ed. program in Curriculum and Instruction. Before coming to Curry, she served students and families as a teacher, athletic coach, assistant principal, ESL curriculum specialist, and community college instructor.

Co-presenter: Ashley Caudill, University of Virginia - Main Campus

Extended Abstract

Gamification has been around for more than 100 years and has been utilized as a way to motivate learners or participants.  With the continuing advancements in technology and online education, the concept of gamification has become of greater interest in higher education.  This concept along with the need to motivate online students sparked the collaboration between a faculty member and an instructional designer. 

Wang (2021) writes “A gamified learning process has the potential to immerse your students in the curricular content and cultivate a positive attitude toward study” (para. 3).  During the extensive course redesign process, Malone’s Theory of Intrinsically Motivating Instruction and ARCs Theory of Motivation served as models on how to increase student motivation through game-based learning practices and strategies.  Creative storylines, levels, virtual rewards, graphics, animations, and characters are just some of the unique elements of fantasy, challenge, and curiosity that were utilized within the iterations of the course redesign and in turn enhanced student engagement, motivation, and overall enjoyment of the course.  

In this session, you'll hear from a faculty member and instructional designer who collaborated to rethink the structure of a graduate-level comprehensive course to enhance the learner experience and instructional capacity.  

You will participate in a virtual tour of a gamified graduate course, while also having the ability to share your own experiences with gamification. The use of visual aids, polling, and a waterfall chat strategy will enhance your engagement as you experience learning through the gamified elements that are being modeled. Lastly, you will have opportunities for real-time Q&A coupled with both reflection and brainstorming time.

Key Takeaways

  • #1: After attending this session, you will be able to brainstorm and share ideas about how game-based methods can enhance course design.

  • #2: After attending this session, you will be able to evaluate how your courses can be enhanced by utilizing game-based methods. 

  • #3: After attending this session, you will be able to share how collaborative instructional design efforts can lead to strong course design.