Gamification: Game-based Learning / Serious Games and 21st Century Soft Skill Development in Nursing Education

This study examined the development of 21st century skills through gamification, game-based learning (GBL), and serious games in nursing education in institutions of higher education in the United States. This paper reviews the history of gamification in nursing pedagogy through three domains of research. It includes an overview of research related to the development and implementation of gamification, GBL, and serious games in nursing education as well as the impact on the development of 21st century skills in digital natives. The focus was on the historical literature related to gamification, GBL, and serious games at institutions of higher education in nursing education to identify and analysis occurrences of 21st century skill development in historical research. Results were obtained through qualitative content analysis through the MAXQAD qualitative software program. Overall, the findings supported the use of gamification, GBL, and serious games in nursing education contributed to the development of 21st century skills among nursing students at institutions of higher education in the United States

Mobile learning: benefits of augmented reality in geometry teaching

As a consequence of the technological advances and the widespread use of mobile devices to access information and communication in the last decades, mobile learning has become a spontaneous learning model, providing a more flexible and collaborative technology-based learning. Thus, mobile technologies can create new opportunities for enhancing the pupils’ learning experiences. This paper presents the development of a game to assist teaching and learning, aiming to help students acquire knowledge in the field of geometry. The game was intended to develop the following competences in primary school learners (8-10 years): a better visualization of geometric objects on a plane and in space; understanding of the properties of geometric solids; and familiarization with the vocabulary of geometry. Findings show that by using the game, students have improved around 35% the hits of correct responses to the classification and differentiation between edge, vertex and face in 3D solids.This research was supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council Design Star CDT (AH/L503770/1), the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) projects LARSyS (UID/EEA/50009/2013) and CIAC-Research Centre for Arts and Communication.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A Phenomenological Study of Teachers\u27 Experiences with Educational Gamification and its Impact on Student Engagement in the Middle School Math and Science Classroom

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand digital gamification and its effect on student engagement based on the lived experiences of middle school math and science teachers in rural schools in the southeast region of the United States. Nick Pelling’s gamification theory guided the study herein. Gamification theory served as a tool to alter learner engagement which impacted instruction and learning. I used a criterion-based purposeful selection of 10 middle school math and science teachers with gamification experience. Participating teachers had three or more years of teaching experience and taught in regional rural schools. The hermeneutical phenomenological study resulted in the themes of gamification elements on student engagement, planning gamification lessons, and obstacles to gamification. The lived experiences of middle school math and science teachers positively addressed the gap in the correlation between gamification and enhancing student engagement

Exploring university students’ engagement in learning through gamification, transmedia and virtual reality

The advent of the 5th Internet generation and the evolution of university students’ behaviour leads professors, educators and researchers to search for and investigate new tools to engage students in course topics and content. The purpose of this thesis is to explore university students’ engagement for learning through gamification, transmedia and virtual reality. Although several studies have been conducted, as far as we know, the current thesis is the first to employ three tools to motivate and engage students: gamification, transmedia and virtual reality. Thus, the aims of the thesis are: (i) to comprehensively review relationship marketing and service marketing research fields, including gamification, virtual reality and education; (ii) to investigate gamification in higher education through a text mining approach; (iii) to explore transmedia effects in higher education using a mixed approach; (iv) to propose and validate a model portraying the influence of virtual reality experience on student engagement, extending the S-O-R framework. To develop this thesis and seeking to ensure its execution and results, we started with a comprehensive literature review followed by the development of three independent studies based on distinct research methodologies. From the comprehensive literature review, 115 scientific articles emerge, giving and understanding of the use of new technologies in education and, providing access to other relevant information on the topic. The first study reveals that through the application of the Kahoot! a gamification-based tool, students expressed positive emotions when asked about its use in the classroom as a learning tool. The results also show that gamification-based tools can be considered an important asset in the teaching-learning process, being able to motivate and engage students in their learning activities. The second study shows that use of Moodle as a complement to the traditional class allows students to go further in understanding the content of the course and be more engaged with the whole group of colleagues and professors. The level of student engagement and academic success seems to be higher as a result of activities based on information research, sharing and interaction through online discussion tools (such as the online forum), and analysis and discussion of case studies. The third study shows that memories are activated and stored through emotions and so, these are two key elements in virtual reality experiences that help students to become more engaged with course content. It also seems that less mindful students can benefit more than mindful ones from using virtual reality tools to become more creative and enhance their memories about the course content. Based on our findings, some theoretical contributions and managerial implications are also presented.O surgimento da 5ª geração da Internet e a evolução do comportamento dos estudantes universitários leva professores, educadores e investigadores a pesquisar e investigar novas ferramentas para envolver os alunos nos tópicos e no conteúdo dos cursos. O objetivo desta tese é explorar o envolvimento de estudantes universitários na aprendizagem através da gamificação, transmedia e realidade virtual. Embora vários estudos tenham já sido realizados, segundo sabemos, a tese atual é a primeira a utilizar três ferramentas para motivar e envolver os alunos: gamificação, transmedia e realidade virtual. Assim, os objetivos da tese são: (i) rever de forma abrangente a investigação nas áreas de marketing de relacionamento e marketing de serviços, incluindo gamificação, realidade virtual e educação; (ii) investigar a gamificação no ensino superior por meio de uma abordagem de mineração de texto; (iii) explorar efeitos transmedia no ensino superior usando uma abordagem mista; (iv) propor e validar um modelo que retrate a influência da experiência em realidade virtual no envolvimento dos alunos, alargando a estrutura S-O-R. Para desenvolver esta tese e procurar garantir a sua execução e resultados, iniciamos com uma revisão abrangente da literatura, seguida pelo desenvolvimento de três estudos independentes, baseados em metodologias distintas de pesquisa. Da revisão abrangente da literatura, emergem 115 artigos científicos, que permitem entender o uso de novas tecnologias na educação, obter acesso a outras informações relevantes sobre o tema e realizar a revisão da literatura. O primeiro estudo revela que, através da aplicação do Kahoot!, ferramenta baseada na gamificação, os alunos expressaram emoções positivas, quando questionados sobre o seu uso na sala de aula, como uma ferramenta de aprendizagem. Os resultados também mostram que as ferramentas baseadas na gamificação podem ser consideradas um ativo importante no processo de ensino-aprendizagem, podendo motivar e envolver os alunos nas suas atividades de aprendizagem. O segundo estudo mostra que o uso do Moodle, como um complemento da aula tradicional, permite que os alunos compreendam o conteúdo do curso e se envolvam com o seu grupo de colegas e professores. O nível de envolvimento e sucesso académico dos alunos parece ser maior face à realização de atividades baseadas em pesquisa de informações, partilha e interação por meio de ferramentas de discussão on-line (como o fórum on-line) e análise e discussão de estudos de caso. O terceiro estudo mostra que as memórias são ativadas e armazenadas através das emoções, logo esses são dois elementos-chave nas experiências de realidade virtual que contribuem para aprimorar e ajudar os alunos a envolverem-se mais com o conteúdo dos cursos. Parece também que os alunos menos atentos podem beneficiar mais do que os atentos, ao usar ferramentas de realidade virtual, para se tornarem mais criativos e melhorar as suas memórias sobre o conteúdo dos cursos. Com base nos nossos resultados, também são apresentadas algumas contribuições teóricas e implicações para a gestão

Wearable Technology in Education to Enhance Technical MOOCs

The low completion rate issue in MOOCs has become one of the main highlights by researchers. It is reported that only 10 to 15 percent of the students were able to complete the MOOCs. This low completion rate is due to the students are less engaged with the MOOCs content causing them to become demotivated to complete the whole MOOCs. Engaging students in MOOCs environment, especially for non-technical subjects, suited very well. However, for technical MOOCs, it involves significant challenges because technical MOOCs must be able to offer the students with practice-oriented learning outcome in-order for the MOOCs to be effective and engaging. Due to the above issue, this paper discussed an improvised MOOCs model for teaching technical subjects with the intervention in the use of wearable technology. A discussion on the e-content and e-activity of the technical MOOC learning design was presented. This study implemented the proposed technical MOOC model through the MOOC development. The students’ perception of the technical MOOC was then evaluated, and all the results were explained in the discussion part. Results of the correlation test revealed that all of the technical MOOC variables correlated substantially and held a positive relationship with students’ perception variable with r=.3 to 1.0, p < .0005. In addition, this result also suggests that the learning materials produced by wearable technology do contribute towards the positive effect of students’ perception when learning technical MOOC

Towards a critical game based pedagogy

This thesis outlines and examines core concepts of game-based learning as identified by James Paul Gee, and Kurt Squire, among other scholars. These findings are then connected to the contemporary, transformative threshold concepts of composition—as explored in Naming What We Know. This connection seeks to argue game-based pedagogy may be an invaluable tool for introducing critical perspectives to composition students in order to better equip them with critical thinking strategies and cultural critiques, while improving their writing skills. A theoretical framework is presented in the form of four “Pillars” of a Critical Game-Based Pedagogy: Literacy, Identity, Social Learning, and Multimodality—all key components of critical game-based curricula, which centers expanded definitions of literacy, resists social constructions, encourages cooperation, and practices a wide variety of multimedia composition strategies. The concluding discussion attempts to illustrate these concepts through anecdotal reflections on teaching, particular games, and their relationship to digital humanities—including a supplementary digital platform hosting this research

University of applied sciences students’ perceptions on engagement and spoken interaction in blended learning language studies

The aim of this doctoral dissertation is to gain a deeper understanding on the aspects that contribute to higher education students’ social and academic engagement when language studies are implemented with the blended learning approach. Another aim is to discover the elements to enhance spoken interaction in the foreign language in blended learning language courses. Based on the results of sub-studies I-III, I argue that students’ academic and social engagement are intertwined, alternating, and nurturing one another during the learning process. Similarly, teacher engagement and student engagement are reciprocal phenomena nourishing one another and depending on each other. In addition, I argue that university of applied sciences students’ foreign language spoken interaction can be activated and enhanced in blended learning courses given the learning material, learning activities and digital tools are meaningful, relevant, timely and aligned with the learning objectives. This dissertation comprises three original studies; they focus on one language course each in the context of universities of applied sciences. Each sub-study experiments various opportunities that digital technology provides for language learning: social networking sites, gamification, telecollaboration and multimodality. Regardless of the course design all courses are based on the ecological language learning approach and the notion of engagement. In addition, authentic learning and students’ collaboration are in the focus; the target is that the students are producers rather than consumers of digital media and they act as active learners within authentic learning activities. All three courses were implemented with the blended learning approach. Sub-study I investigated first-year health care students’ (n=23) perspectives on a gamified professional English course regarding particularly engagement, enjoyability and language learning. The course was a three-credit, field-specific English course which duration was 10 weeks, including five face-to-face sessions. The course aimed to prepare students for communicating in multi-professional and intercultural situations within the health care sector. The course implementation was based on gamification with a background storyline. The students' reflective learning diaries and a post-course questionnaire formed the data which were analysed via content analysis method. The results indicate that gamification and appropriate digital applications augmented student engagement, enhanced language learning, and provided enjoyable learning experiences for the students. Further, students’ collaboration and a tolerant stress-free course atmosphere had a positive impact on learning and engagement according to the students’ self-reflections. Sub-study II explored the opportunities a telecollaboration project provided for online collaboration, language learning and student engagement. The participants were 26 higher education German language students, 12 in Finland and 14 in New Zealand. The students used a closed Facebook group for posting on given topics. The required five posts combined videos, photos, audio, and text. The duration of the project was six weeks, and it formed a part of the German course in both countries. The course design was informed by social networking sites in language learning and telecollaboration. A mixed method approach was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data. The qualitative data were analysed by content analysis method, and they included pre- and post-project questionnaires, interviews, and Facebook-logs. The results suggest that the students regarded Facebook as an appropriate tool for community building. In addition, collaboration, the use of communication tools, authenticity, enjoyment, and teachers’ support fostered student engagement and had a positive impact on students’ language learning and intercultural competence. Sub-study III discovered the impact multimodality and regular in-pairs conducted video calls had to spoken interaction in the target language and to student engagement. The research was conducted, and the data were collected in a 5-credit Business English course for 1st-year business administration students (n= 22) in a university of applied sciences. The course was divided into 16 weeks and 8 topics; during the course there were 5 face-to-face sessions. The students deployed various digital tools and particular attention was given to spoken interaction; hence the students were instructed to complete spoken discussions using an online video call system once a week according to the week’s topic using English in authentic, business-related situations. The data included students’ learning diaries and a post-course online questionnaire mapping students' perception. The data were analysed according to the content analysis method. The findings indicate that students’ academic and social engagement were fostered by course design with authentic assignments and study material as well as students’ activity and collaboration with peers. Further, collaboration, students’ own activities and digital technology contributed the most to spoken interaction. To conclude, the three sub-studies reflect universities of applied sciences students’ perception on the aspects that enhance engagement in digital learning environments and the methods to activate their spoken interaction in the foreign language. On the bases of the sub-studies, it became apparent that teacher role is paramount prior, during and after the course. Besides timely knowledge on digital tools, teachers need to master the traditional teacher competences such as subject content, pedagogy, guidance, facilitating and interaction. In addition, students’ own activities contribute immensely on their engagement and learning. Regarding spoken interaction, the data indicate that with relevant peer and teacher support and regular interaction students’ self-compassion and error-tolerance in terms of their own competences grow which leads to enjoying the regular spoken activities in the target language, and finally contributes positively to spoken interaction. Similarly, students’ self-reflection ability increases which enables targeted rehearsal of the language skill which in turn activates and enhances spoken interaction. Digitalisation offers myriad opportunities for individual and flexible learning paths regardless of time and place but does not decrease students’ nor teachers’ role. On contrary, students need to be active learners and teachers need wider range of competences in creating optimal learning experiences for their students. ________________________________________ Keywords: student engagement, blended learning, multimodality, social networking sites in learning, telecollaboration, spoken interaction, English for specific purposes, German as a foreign language, higher educationVäitöstutkimukseni tavoitteena oli selvittää, mitkä seikat ammattikorkeakouluopiskelijoiden mielestä tehostavat heidän akateemista ja sosiaalista kiinnittymistään kieliopintoihin, sekä edistävät suullisen vuorovaikutuksen harjoittelemista monimuoto-opinnoissa. Väitöskirjani osatutkimusten tuloksiin perustuen väitän, että akateeminen ja sosiaalinen kiinnittyminen kietoutuvat toisiinsa, vuorottelevat ja kasvattavat toisiaan oppimisprosessin aikana. Samoin opettajien ja oppilaiden kiinnittyminen on vastavuoroista, jolloin ne ovat riippuvaisia toisistaan ja ruokkivat molemminpuolisesti toisiaan. Lisäksi väitän, että ammattikorkeakouluopiskelijoiden vieraan kielen suullinen vuorovaikutus aktivoituu ja vahvistuu monimuoto-opinnoissa edellyttäen, että oppimisaktiviteetit ja –materiaalit ovat kiinnostavia, alakohtaisia ja linjassa oppimistavoitteiden kanssa. Lisäksi digitaalisten sovellusten täytyy olla relevantteja, ajanmukaisia ja sopivia kyseisiin tehtäviin. Tämä väitöstutkimus koostuu kolmesta osatutkimuksesta; jokainen niistä kohdistuu yhteen kieli- ja viestintäopintojaksoon ammattikorkeakoulussa. Osatutkimukset tutkivat digitaalisen teknologian tarjoamia mahdollisuuksia kieltenopetukselle kuten pelillistäminen, sosiaalinen media opetuksessa, etäyhteistyö ja monikanavaisuus. Tutkimuksen teoreettisena viitekehyksenä on ekologinen kieltenoppiminen ja opiskelijoiden kiinnittyminen. Opintojaksojen suunnittelussa kiinnitettiin erityistä huomiota opiskelijoiden yhteisölliseen ja autenttiseen oppimiseen. Tavoitteena oli, että opiskelijat eivät pelkästään ole digitaalisten välineiden käyttäjiä, vaan pikemminkin he itse tuottavat materiaalia toimien aktiivisina oppijoina. Kyseessä olevat opintojaksot toteutettiin monimuoto-opintoina. Osatutkimuksessa I tutkittiin ensimmäisen vuoden terveysalan opiskelijoiden (n=23) kokemuksia pelillistetystä ammatillisen englannin opintojaksosta etenkin kiinnittymisen, viihdyttävyyden ja kielenoppimisen kannalta. Kyseessä oli kolmen opintopisteen alakohtainen ammatillinen englannin opintojakso, jonka kokonaiskesto oli kymmenen viikkoa sisältäen viisi lähiopetusjaksoa. Osaamistavoitteena oli terveysalan viestintäosaaminen moniammatillisissa ja monikulttuurisissa tilanteissa. Opintojakson toteutus perustui pelillistämiseen ja kehyskertomukseen, jossa suomalainen vaihto-opiskeija toteuttaa opintoihin kuuluvan työssäoppimisjakson Espanjassa. Tutkimusaineisto koostui opiskelijoiden oppimispäiväkirjoista ja opintojakson jälkeen täytetystä kyselystä. Laadullinen aineisto analysoitiin sisällönanalyysin avulla. Tulokset osittavat, että pellistäminen ja sopivat digitaaliset sovellukset tehostivat opiskelijoiden sitoutumista ja kielenoppimista sekä tarjosivat miellyttäviä oppimiskokemuksia. Yhteisöllinen oppiminen sekä opiskelijoita arvostava ja rento oppimisilmapiiri vaikuttivat positiivisesti oppimiseen ja opiskelijoiden kiinnittymiseen. Osatutkimuksessa II tarkasteltiin, miten etäyhteistyöprojekti (telecollaboration project) vahvisti opiskelijoiden yhteisöllistä kielenoppimista ja kiinnittymistä opintoihin. Tutkimuksen osallistujat olivat korkeakouluopiskelijoita Uudessa Seelannissa (n=14) ja Suomessa (n=12) ja he opiskelivat saksaa vapaasti valittavina kieliopintona. Opiskelijoille luotiin suljettu Facebook-ryhmä, jonne he lähettivät viestejä annetuista viidestä aiheesta monikanavaisesti käyttäen valokuvia, videoita, äänitteitä ja kirjoitettua tekstiä. Projektin kesto oli kuusi viikkoa ja se muodosti osan opiskelijoiden saksan opintojaksosta kummassakin maassa. Opintojakson suunnitelma perustui sosiaalisen median käyttöön kieltenopetuksessa ja etäyhteistyön viitekehykseen. Monimenetelmäinen aineisto koostui kyselylomakkeiden vastauksista, Facebook-käyttölogista sekä opiskelijahaastatteluista. Tulokset osoittavat, että opiskelijoiden mielestä Facebook soveltuu hyvin oppimisyhteisönrakentamiseen. Lisäksi yhteistyö, autenttinen oppiminen, opintojen viihdyttävyys sekä opettajien tuki vahvistivat opiskelijoiden sitoutumista ja ne vaikuttivat positiivisesti kielenoppimiseen ja kansainvälisyystaitojen kehittymiseen. Osatutkimuksessa III selvitettiin monikanavaisuuden ja säännöllisten parin kanssa tehtyjen videopuheluiden vaikutusta vieraan kielen suulliseen vuorovaikutukseen ja opiskelijoiden kiinnittymiseen. Tutkimus toteutettiin ja aineisto kerättiin ensimmäisen vuoden liiketalouden opiskelijoiden (n=22) ammatillisen englannin opintojaksolla. Opintojakson pituus oli 16 viikkoa, ja siinä oli viisi kasvokkain tapahtuvaa opetuskertaa; opintojakso oli jaettu kahdeksaan teemaan. Opiskelijat käyttivät erilaisia digitaalisia sovelluksia ja erityistä huomiota kiinnitettiin suullisen vuorovaikutuksen aktivoimiseen. Koko opintojakson ajan opiskelijat keskustelivat parin kanssa kerran viikossa videopuhelun välityksellä liiketalouteen ja työelämään liittyvistä autenttisista aiheista ja tehtävistä. Tutkimusaineisto koostui opiskelijoiden oppimispäiväkirjoista sekä opintojakson jälkeen kerätystä kyselylomakevastauksista. Laadullinen aineisto analysoitiin sisällönanalyysin keinoin. Opiskelijat kokivat, että autenttiset tehtävät ja opintomateriaali, opiskelijoiden oma aktiivisuus ja yhteistyö vertaisten kanssa sekä opettajan panostus paransivat akateemista ja sosiaalista kiinnittymistä. Samoin opiskelijoiden välinen yhteistyö, digitaalinen teknologia sekä opiskelijoiden oma panostus edistivät suullisen vuorovaikutuksen harjoittelemista. Yhteenvetona voin todeta, että osatutkimuksien tulokset kuvaavat seikkoja, jotka ammattikorkeakouluopiskelijat kokivat vahvistavan heidän kiinnittymistään kieliopintoihin monimuoto-opinnoissa, sekä metodeja, jotka opiskelijat kokivat edistävän vieraan kielen suullisen vuorovaikutuksen harjoittamista. Osatutkimukset osoittivat, että opettajan rooli on tärkeä niin ennen ja jälkeen kuin opintojakson aikanakin. Sen lisäksi, että opettajalla on hallussaan traditionaaliset opettajan taidot, kuten aineenhallinta, pedagogia, ohjaaminen, fasilitointi ja vuorovaikutustaidot, hänellä täytyy olla kattava osaaminen digitaalisuuden oikeanlaisesta pedagogisesta käytöstä, sekä ajankohtainen tieto digitaalisista sovelluksista. Lisäksi opiskelijan oma rooli on merkittävä kiinnittymisen kannalta. Suullisen vuorovaikutuksen osalta tulokset osoittavat, että säännöllisellä vertaistuella ja vuorovaikutuksella opiskelijoiden itsemyötätunto ja virheidensietokyky kasvaa, mikä puolestaan lisää innokkuutta tehdä suullisia harjoituksia vieraalla kielellä. Lisääntynyt kielen käyttö puolestaan luo varmuutta suulliseen vuorovaikutukseen. Samoin opiskelijoiden itsereflektiotaito kasvaa, minkä perusteella opiskelijat osaavat harjoitella tiettyä suullisen kielitaidon osa-aluetta, esimerkiksi ääntämistä. Digitalisaatio tarjoaa runsaasti mahdollisuuksia yksilöllisille ja joustaville, ajasta ja paikasta riippumattomille oppimispoluille. Kuitenkaan digitaalisuuden valjastaminen opetuskäyttöön ei vähennä opettajan ja opiskelijan roolia – pikemminkin päinvastoin. On tärkeää tukea opiskelijoiden aktiivisen oppijan roolin rakentumista ja vastuun ottamista omasta oppimisprosessista. Opettajien pedagogiseen osaamiseen sisältyy useita osa-alueita, joita he tarvitsevat luodessaan opiskelijoilleen optimaalisia oppimiskokemuksia. ________________________________________ Asiasanat: opiskelijoiden kiinnittyminen, monimuoto-opetus, monikanavaisuus, sosiaalinen media opetuksessa, etäyhteistyö, suullinen vuorovaikutus, erikoisalojen englannin opetus, saksa vieraana kielenä, ammattikorkeakouluopetu