Social Aspects and Gamification

In this module, we focus on social aspects and gamification. This module explores gamification in undergraduate education and discusses a broad range of theories relating to the advantages of teaching computing students by asking them to develop their own serious games, e.g. enquiry-based learning, instructionist vs. constructionist serious games, and intelligent tutors. In this module, we also investigate social interactive learning in multiplayer games.

Outcomes

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• identify features of the socialPsych platform that make the game rewards meaningful, is the automatic connection of all students in the classes
• identify best practices for casual social games used for learning
• describe engagement factors that contribute to effective teaching and learning.

Selected Readings

Required

• Chapters 20, 21, 22, and 23  from:
  Ma, M., Oikonomou, A., & Jain, L. C. (2011). Serious games and edutainment applications. London: Springer.
  Download (PDF, 10.9 MB) – CCU login required.

Recommended:

• None

“To Do” List

Discussion

Learning Community in Gaming

Based upon module readings, what strategies would you adopt to build the learning community when you are to integrate a game-based learning activity in the classroom? Please identify and elaborate two teaching strategies that are appropriate for your teaching discipline and grade level. Your responses should be supported by citing sources introduced in this module. 

Make your initial posts before 11:59 p.m. U.S. EST/EDT on Day 5 of this module. After making your initial postings, review at least two of your classmates’ postings and reply to their threads. Complete your replies before 11:59 p.m. U.S. EST/EDT on the next Monday.

Discussion postings should always be thoughtful and courteous and include some references or direct evidence from the module’s content, readings, or assignments to support your statements. In order to ensure that postings are appropriate in length and substance, please limit your initial postings to 100 – 200 words and each of your responses to 25 – 50 words.

Project

Continue working on Project, Part 4: Utilize Resources

Please read the Project: Educational Game in The Classroom page for details about this assignment. 

Due Dates

To guide you through the whole process, six parts aligned with the ASSURE model are created. The due date for each part is listed below.

• Project, Part 4: Utilize Resources (Due on the 1st day of Module 14)
• Project, Part 5: Require Learner Participation (Due on the 1st day of Module 15)
• Project, Part 6: Evaluate and Revise (Due on the 1st Monday after Module 15)