Gamifying the teaching of theory
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- 1. GAMIFYING THE TEACHING OF THEORY TO UNDERGRADUATE MEDIA
STUDENTS. DR MARCUS LEANING SCHOOL OF MEDIA AND FILM UNIVERSITY OF
WINCHESTER
- 2. INTRODUCTION This paper details research into the use of
games to aid in student learning of theory for undergraduate
students on the BA Media Studies programme at the University of
Winchester.
- 3. WHAT TO DO WITH A PROBLEM LIKE THEORY? Critical and social
theory often presents significant problem for students and
lecturers. Difficulty in grasping the relevance of the subject : i.
To students preferred activities making things; ii. Expectation of
subject I didnt know I had to do this. Difficulty with the
complexity or level of abstraction of the subject matter.
Difficulty with pedagogic practices of extensive and tricky reading
and summative assessment performance. This causes two problems -
engaging the student in the material and the students
performance.
- 4. TEACHING THEORY Campbell (1997) identifies two distinct
strategies for teaching theory both with advantages, disadvantages
and peculiarities: Nominalization theory is taught in discreet
courses identified primarily as theory. Problematization theory is
integrated into the teaching of other aspects.
- 5. Nominalization Problematization Programme Theory in discrete
modules / courses. Theory integrated into topic modules Focus Often
Survey in style Applied theory focus is upon texts or practices
rather than theory Handling of theory Contextualise theoretical
developments historically, culturally and socially. Theory limited
to text or practices not require students to go beyond superficial
application. Method Lecture and seminar, reading. Practice based
Advantage / rationale Students need to be introduced directly to
theory otherwise they will never develop confidence to read it for
themselves Students need theory contextualised through application
to help them see its use Disadvantages A gap between theory and its
application. Never a full engagement with theory Adaptation of
Campbells (1997) models of theory teaching.
- 6. PERSPECTIVES ON TEACHING THEORY CONTEMPORARY(ISH) BRITISH
MEDIA(ISH) EDUCATION 1. Constructivist / Progressive: Make it real
/ relevant take it to them - Make theory real, using examples that
mean something to your students. 2. Productive: Put theory in
practice Integrate theory into practical modules. 3. Technological:
Use tablets and social media! Ipads and Twitter solve everything.
4. Nostalgic: Make them work - I had to do it and so should
they.
- 7. TEACHING PROBLEM It is hard stuff - students may find it
very difficult and do not do well. Seen as irrelevant and student
interest is often low. I wanted to explore classroom activities
that make it more interesting, foster engagement and may enhance
performance (but not my only goal). My interest is in actual
activities and teaching practices rather than a new perspective or
changing what is taught.
- 8. EXPLORING MEDIA THEORY / ADVANCED TOPICS IN MEDIA STUDIES
Two 2nd year (level 5) courses to get students theoretically
engaged. Primarily normalization model - lecture / seminar, survey
of key theories / topics, summative assessment at end. After a year
I wanted to find a way to raise student engagement with the
material both encourage participation and engagement (with the
breadth of material covered on the course) and deepen understanding
I sought to gamify learning activities in seminars on one
module.
- 9. GAMIFICATION NOTHING THAT IS LEARNED UNDER COMPULSION STAYS
WITHTHE MIND - DO NOT, THEN, MY FRIEND, KEEP CHILDREN TO THEIR
STUDIES BY COMPULSION BUT BY PLAY. PLATO,THE REPUBLIC. Gamification
is the use of game mechanics / activities in non-game environments
The application of gaming metaphors to real life tasks to influence
behaviour, improve motivation and enhance engagement (Marczewski,
2013). Gamification involves adding a new layer to an existing
process that incorporates a new symbolic or ludic meaning above and
beyond the merely instrumental activity of the task. Piano
Staircase at the Odenplan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipMib6ejGuo
- 10. GAMIFYING THE TEACHING OF THEORY I did two things:
Introduced an aspect of gamification to existing formative
exercises; Actually made games to get them to engage.
- 11. LUDIFYING OR GAMIFYING EXISTING SEMINAR ACTIVITIES Each
week had a set reading. Groups of two to three students had to make
a two minute video on the reading and upload it to youtube. This
was shown in the seminar. Gamified bit: Each student in the seminar
could award up to 10 marks and a league table was made of the
videos with a prize awarded for the highest scoring. Formative
light hearted competition. http://www.youtube.com/wa
tch?v=HYSktbpDHME&feat ure=youtu.be
- 12. Position Team Video Score 1 Joseph, Rachel and Katie
Postmodernism 7.8 2 Zoe and Beth Feminism 7.4 3 Joseph, Rachel and
Katie Marx 7.3 4 Shelby and Lucy Feminism 6.8 5 Harrison and Daryl
Class Q and A 6.4 6 Julia, Jamie and Louise Strinarti mass culture
5.5 7 Julia, Jamie and Louise Symbolic anihilation 5.5
- 13. GAMES IN SEMINARS Each seminar incorporated a game aspect
that would require the students to engage in the reading to a quite
extensive degree. Games were different each week: McLuhan cryptic
crossword; Postmodern Choose your own adventure; The Amazing
Mechanical Baudrillard Pub Quiz Machine Synoptic University
Challenge.
- 14. RESEARCH QUESTION Big question: did the activities work?
Did adding the gamification element to the module improve student
engagement and performance?
- 15. RESEARCH DESIGN Compared experimental group with three
control groups. Experimental group = Exploring media theory in
12/13 Control group 1 = Exploring media theory in 11/12 Control
Group 2 = Advanced topics in media studies in 11/12 (same cohort as
control group 1 but S2 module) Control Group 3 = Advanced topics in
media studies in 12/13 (same cohort as experimental group 1 but S2
module) 11/12 12/13 Exploring Media Theory Control group 1 (N=35)
Experimental group (N=27) Advanced Topics in Media Studies Control
group 2 (N=37) Control group 3 (N=26)
- 16. INSTRUMENTS 4 instruments used: 1. Comparison of grades. 2.
Focus groups on student engagement (part of a University / HEA
funded project (FASTEC) conducted by LTDU). 3. Analysis of
anonymous module feedback forms. 4. Frequency of essay question
selection.
- 17. 1. RESULTS: Comparison of arithmetic mean grades:
Experimental group average score is slightly higher than control
groups. 11/12 12/13 Exploring Media Theory 57.06% 59.43% +2.37%
Advanced Topics in Media Studies 58.65% 57.29% +2.14%
- 18. 2. FOCUS GROUPS: Conducted as part of a larger University
wide project on the relationship between student assessment and
engagement in seminar and online activity. I parasitically secured
the transcripts of the focus groups with each group. Very revealing
(and quite bruising!) about what they thought of the class. No real
criticism of the games and lots of positive comment.
- 19. EXPERIMENTAL GROUP - COMMENTS EXPLICITLY RELATED TO THE
GAMES: It makes you actually do the work and we always get to use
our notes but then you actually review what youve learnt last week.
Its good fun because its different to the normal academic way of
doing things. You spend so much time in the library reading, to
come in and have a bit of fun its like Oh yes, lets do that. Its
always a little bit competitive but in a fun way.
- 20. CONTROL GROUP 3 It helped the information sort of stick in
your head a bit more. Whereas now were just left to our own devices
to discuss the topic for like half an hour. We sometimes get a bit
off track. Last year [semester 1, 2012] I would actually go through
my notes before class, because I knew we would play a game and it
would get a bit competitive. This time its just discussion in a
little group.most of the times the topic swayed off into anything
but what we were supposed to talk about.
- 21. 3. MODULE FEEDBACK FORMS Very positive about the games from
control group: Love the games, makes me do the reading The seminar
activities are very entertaining, fun and we end up learning +
recapping The games are great and not what I was expecting The
games helped make me do the reading seminars a good reflection on
the lecture especially the quiz The choose your own adventure game
was hard and I had to go back over my notes a lot but it was
brilliant post modernism story sheet was cool Ha ha university
challenge was excellent fun seminars No negative comments on the
games (though lots on other issues).
- 22. 4. FREQUENCY OF ESSAY QUESTION SELECTION EMT 9 QS, ATMS 10
QS 2.9 17.1 8.6 57.1 14.3 Exploring Media Theory 11-12 7.4 14.8
11.1 7.4 14.8 11.1 22.2 11.1 Exploring Media Theory 12-13 2.7 10.8
43.218.9 2.7 8.1 13.5 Advanced Topics in Media Studies 11-12 3.8
7.7 50.0 19.2 7.7 3.8 7.7 Advanced Topics in Media Studies 12-13
Students in the experimental group answered a wider and more evenly
distributed variety of questions than in other groups take
- 23. SUMMARY Using games did result in: Slightly higher average
scores - A lot of enjoyment of the games and reported deeper
engagement with reading material a factor to explain the higher
grades? Wider selection of questions answered could indicate a
broader engagement. Lot of work to develop the games however
- 24. REFERENCES Campbell, A. (1997) Teaching Literary Theory to
Undergraduates: What Have We Learned? English, 46 (185): 131-159.
Marczewski, A. (2013) Gamification: A Simple Introduction and a bit
more, Amazon Digital Services, Inc. Seattle: WA..