Playing for Higher Stakes: Using Deep Learning Games with WebCT

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Playing for Higher Stakes Using Deep Learning
Games with WebCT

• Bob Boufford
• Bonita Bray
• University of Alberta, Canada

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What is Deep Learning Game?

• Taking elements of games and wrapping them around
  a traditional assignment
• Result?
• Excited and engaged students
• Effective high level learning
• Transformed learning experiences

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Previous Work Using Games

• Growing literature argues games are effective in
  engaging todays students in active learning
• But most games work at
• Lower levels of Blooms Taxonomy
• Students work individually
• Little sharing

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Wanted to Up the Ante

• Use elements of games that engage and excite
  students
• AND
• Merge the benefits of games-based approach with
  the rigors of traditional capping assessments
  such as
• research papers,
• literature reviews,
• problem-based case studies

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While Keeping Threshold Low

• Low threshold
• Doesnt require programming on your part
• Doesnt require new programs for students
• Minimal work all round
• Deep Learning Game uses
• web pages within WebCT
• WebCT tools.

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Why Use Games?

• Games engage students
• Games encourage active learning
• Games provide a more comfortable environment
• to push knowledge
• okay fail
• Games can build community
• Games increase the fun quotient and student
  satisfaction

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Lets Compare

• Traditional assignment
• Pose Issue/Problem
• Students asked to
• Research to identify materials and evaluate them
• Synthesize found materials with course materials
• Apply/Write solution/argument about problem/issue

Write a ten page paper on
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Lets Compare

• Student reaction

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Lets Compare

• Deep Learning Game
• Pose Issue/Problem
• Situate it in creative context
• Make student active participants role play
• Students asked to
• Research to identify materials and evaluate
  materials
• Synthesize found materials and course materials
• Apply/Write solution/argument about problem/issue

You are a member of an expert team responding
to the Commission on
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Lets Compare

• Student reaction?

Concentration
Collaboration
Engaged, involved and active students
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Elements of Games

• According to Mark Prensky, the essential elements
  of games are
• Goals and Objectives
• Representation or Story
• Rules
• Competition/Challenge/Opposition
• Interaction
• Outcomes and Feedback

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Representation or Story

• Set up premise/event/situation/ that provides a
  trigger for student action and involvement
• Scenario
• Fantasy
• Story Telling - develop creatively with focus
  information students need
• Implicit or explicit role playing
• Easiest is news story

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Representation or Story

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Representation or Story

• Situation that can range from the emotional and
  dramatic to something quite prosaic
• Rising rates of Extinction and concern by
  environmental groups
• Need to train on ground personnel in disease
  prevention and control after disaster.

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Representation or Story

• More examples
• Need to deliver sales/expense figures to managers
  when usual sources are off at conference/sick
• Need to identify disease causing elements on
  cruise ship

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Representation or Story

• Lets go look at our latest version
• in real-life
• please ask if there is something specific you
  want
• us to show

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Competition/Challenge/Opposition

• Competing individuals/teams
• Competing for gold
• If students agree Team Gold Standings posted

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Competition/Challenge/Opposition

• Competition increases student effort, achievement
  and learning
• BUT
• Games tend to reduce stress of competing for
  grades
• Gold does not equate to grades

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Interaction

• Builds community
• Supports learning
• Increases peer learning
• gather information
• share and evaluate
• Final evaluation increases learning levels

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Outcomes and Feedback

• New parameters for completing assignment
• team effort rather than individual work
• use milestones for progressive and incremental
  feedback
• from instructor
• from colleagues
• built-in rewards as various elements of
  assignment are completed game levels

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Outcomes and Feedback

• New types of assignments
• informational websites aimed at general public or
  specific interest group,
• professional newsletters,
• just-in-time training materials,
• policy recommendations to various levels of
  government,
• game that teaches specific elements
• Quandary Maze developed by students to teach
  specific skills

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Outcomes and Feedback

• New formats for completed assignments
• informative websites
• blogs for individual learning
• wikis for group projects
• New submission process
• submitted in stages with first stage being peer
  critique
• submitted publically so that all assignments are
  shared with others within class.

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Outcomes and Feedback

• New elements to grading process
• graded or partially graded by peer evaluation
• could be done via group-created rubric
• peer grading could count for all or only part of
  grade
• prizes could be awarded to winners

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Outcomes and Feedback

• Peer evaluation for gold
• of team members effort
• of other teams finished product
• develops students critical capacity
• even more learning takes place
• Instructor evaluation for grades

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Outcomes and Feedback

• Lets go and see quality of student work
• Rounds of applause and loud cheers are
  acceptable
• Astounding work!

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And Now

• Were going put ourselves on the line
• Were going to wrap one of your traditional
  assignments
• Right here
• Volunteers to share assignment?

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Results of the games

• Lots of enthusiasm and excitement
• Evaluation comments of awesome and restored by
  belief in online learning to kick-ass fun
• Learning enhanced
• Students now teaching others to use games next
  article/presentation

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By the comments

• Concrete evidence that the collaboration and
  community-building "exercises" I've been forcing
  on my students is well-justified.
• Ideas on how to make the usual "striving for an
  A" more meaningful than just a grade.
• Lots of work but best online course yet
• A life-changing experience.

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By the comments

• We were presented a variety of different tools
  and techniques to incorporate in our online
  classes. The presentation manner and activities
  provided wonderful modelling and variety.

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By our experience

• Continuing exciting feedback from students
• Lots of work but most rewarding online teaching
  weve done.
• Efforts, end product, team building restores our
  faith in impact of online or partially online
  courses.

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Thank You and Have Fun!