Hamm Thesis Defense

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TODAY'S LEARNERS: APPLYING GAMING ELEMENTS TO CREATE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

Breanna Hamm6/13/2011

+Context of Problem

Today’s learners grew up in digital world

Not as engaged in classroom as by other outlets

Use gaming in the classroom to promote engagement

+Problem Statement

The problem of the study was to identify and analyze gaming characteristics to determine how certain game characteristics could be effectively incorporated into a introductory digital photography course curriculum to

create more motivation in class critiques and discussion.

+Objectives

1.) Identify elements of games that are most engaging and motivational to students.

2.) Create a model using gaming elements that could be effectively applied to an introductory photography course.

+Significance of Study

Video games prominent in everyday lives

Game based solutions to education problem

Some schools already adapting ideas

VCT2820 Introductory Photography class experiencing difficulty with class engagement

+Literature Review

Current Learners and Education

Digital Game Based Learning

Social Games

User-Generated Content

Alternate Reality Games

Elements of Games

Gaming in Education

Learning Tools

Summary

+Current Learners and Education

New technology – major push in education

Traditional methods may not be as effective

Students engaged more outside of the classroom

Focus on learner’s needs

+Digital Game Based Learning

One solution for student engagement Games are exploratory Immersive, challenging, engaging Not afraid to fail

However, bias against games

+Social Games

Farmville – 55mil Casual Game – Facebook Play with real life friends

Gifts, items, missions

World of Warcraft – 11.6mil MMORPG – played on PC Play with other members of WoW community

Guilds, quests, items

+User-Generated Content

Farmville Blogs Farmville Freak

Farmville Cost Sheet

WoW Wiki Fan art, information, fan fiction

+Alternate Reality Gaming

Games that exist outside of virtual worlds IloveBees

Promote the game Halo 2

Chore Wars Competitive game for friends, family, co-workers

+Elements of Games

Tom Chatfield 1. Experience bars measuring progress 2. Multiple long and short term goals 3. Reward for Effort 4. Rapid, frequent, clear feedback 5. Element of uncertainty 6. Windows of enhanced attention 7. Other People

+Gaming in Education

Disconnect in technology and education

Schools applying game principles Indiana University - Portal Cape Fear & Sufferon Middle Schools – WoW Quest to Learn

+Learning Tools

Potential collaborative environments for classroom use Facebook

Notifications, groups, events Edmodo

Private, gradebook, assignments

+Summary

Learners not engaged in classroom

Digital game based learning as a solution

Games widely popular – Farmville, WoW

User-Generated content – wikis, blogs

Game layer outside of real world – ARG

Gaming already being implemented in education

Potential learning tools

+Methodology

Purpose

Research Design

Data Collection

Expert Panel

+Purpose

The problem of the study was to identify and analyze gaming characteristics to determine how certain game characteristics could be effectively incorporated into a introductory digital photography course curriculum to create more motivation in class critiques and discussion.

The objectives of this study were to 1.) Identify elements of games that are most engaging and

motivational to students. 2.) Create a model using gaming elements that could be

effectively applied to an introductory photography course.

+Research Design

Chatfield Framework 1. Experience bars measuring progress 2. Multiple long and short term goals 3. Reward for Effort 4. Rapid, frequent, clear feedback 5. Element of uncertainty 6. Other People

Six game elements applied to VCT2820 Photography course

+Data Collection

Alpha and Beta Review Models developed with reviews and recommendations from

expert panel members Changes made to models based upon recommendations

+Expert Panel

Reviewed alpha and beta models

Provided recommendations

Expert Panel members Education psychology, online and blended learning, game

theory, digital photography

+Findings

Alpha Review

Beta Review

+Alpha Review

Panel Recommendations Pros

Facebook notifications Use of experience bars

Cons Issues with Facebook – FERPA, privacy settings Experience points used for grade Additional work for instructor

Recommendations Use of additional tools – Twitter, FlickR, Foursquare Create new assignments – long and short term goals Create photo community – alumni, professionals, and

class

+Beta Review

Pros New bonus assignments BGSU Blogs as alternative Alternate final assignments

Cons Workload of instructor still high Class teams - unfair

Suggestions Students earn experience individually as well – perks Evaluation Facebook privacy policies

+Summary

Model developed based on review of literature

Recommendations made by expert panel members

+Objectives

Objective 1.) Identify elements of games that are most engaging and motivational to students. Chatfield’s 6 gaming elements

Found in popular games such as WoW and Farmville

2.) Create a model using gaming elements that could be effectively applied to an introductory photography course. Each of Chatfield’s elements applied to a model Reviewed and revised by expert panel Final Model

+Conclusion

Gaming in education becoming more popular

Many tools available to use in classroom

Still difficult to implement

+Recommendations

1. Application and evaluation of the proposed model used in the VCT2820 - Introductory to Digital Photography course.

2. Use alternative tools in place of Facebook, BGSU Blogs, and Excel in this model as new technical tools become available.

3. Creation of an online course environment that would be replacement of Facebook

4. Incorporation of alternate reality game characteristics into the course model to develop further

interactive characteristics.