Applying Gamification Principles to

Online Faculty Professional

Development

Presenter

Michael WilderInstructional Design CoordinatorDestiny has led Michael on a dual career path of education and technology. As a result, he's a hybrid with skills and perspectives from both fields. He has worked as educator and trainer in a variety of environments, serving as instructional designer, learning technologies specialist, Blackboard administrator, and university instructor.

M. Kody StimpsonInstructional Designer

Kody Stimpson is an Instructional Designer for the Office of Online Education. Kody has extensive experience in online, blended, and mobile learning. Kody’s research areas include increasing learning through the use of interactive multimedia, mobile learning devices, and blended learning technologies.

Presenter

Learning Objectives

By attending this presentation, participants will be able to:• Discuss the challenges of online professional

development (PD)• Identify potential solutions for providing PD to higher

education faculty• Define essential gamification principles• Develop a basic badge issuing system• Analyze a case study applying these methods

Questions• How many ever taught an online course?• How many have ever received formal training on online teaching and learning pedagogy and tool use?

The Problem• Enrollment in online learning is

rapidly increasing.• All 50 states offer online

learning opportunities.• 21st century educators need to

be prepared to teach online.• Very few institutions offer

practical training opportunities.

(Kennedy & Archambault, 2012)

UNLV Online Education• 300 – 400 online or hybrid

sections per semester• Similar # of instructors• Many courses taught by

part-time instructors• Many new instructors every

semester (with little or no prior online teaching experience)

Our MissionProvide online professional development for online instructors.

• Online teaching and learning pedagogy• Course planning and development • Best-practice models for faculty to see

what the environment looks like• Opportunity for faculty to experience an

online course as a student• Experience with technology and tool use• Identify helpful resources

The Art & Science of Teaching Online Version 1.0

• Initial planning stages in late 2010• First section taught March 2011• Six-week sessions• 25 credit hours / six modules• Cohort based / 5-15 participants per cohort• Instructional designer facilitated• Incentives provided

The Art & Science of Teaching Online Version 1.0

• Originally based on Conquering the Content by Robin Smith

• Mainly covered:• Planning• Organization• Assessment• Navigation• Best practices

The Art & Science of Teaching Online Version 1.0

• Thirteen sections• 148 participants• 67 graduates• 45% completion rate• Several faculty taking the course repeatedly

67 complete

81 incomplete

148 total

QuestionsImagine yourself in a position to provide professional development to online educators.• What are some ways you could encourage higher

completion rates?• How could you build flexibility so that educators

keep coming back for additional training?

Key survey results

• Online educators have diverse professional development content needs.

• Online educators are very busy.• Online educators need flexibility

with scheduling.• Online educators want an

interface that is both simple and engaging.

Open ended

• No start or end date• Complete on your own schedule• Certificate of completion after all

six modules

Solution

Non-linear• “Choose your own adventure”• Modules can be taken in any

order

Solution

“Gamification is the application of game elements in non-gaming situations, often to motivate or influence behavior.””7 Things You Should Know About Gamification," Educause Learning Initiative

Solution

Gamification

• At least 35 elements of game design

• Many already exist in learning management systems

Case Study

The Art & Science of Teaching Online

Just in time tips

• OE Development Process• Syllabus Requirements• Measurable Learning Objectives• Course Development Template

• Content presentation & types of content

• Selecting appropriate materials• Online Resources• OE Custom Solutions• Using the Blackboard Content

Editor

• Strategies for an effective learning community

• Posting announcements and email• Using blogs, wikis, and groups for

collaboration

• Authentic assessments• Performance-based

assessments• Rubrics• Formative and summative

assessments• Blackboard Assessment tools

• Strategies for nurturing student success• Planning and preparing for an

upcoming semester• Facilitate effective communication • Accommodating students with

disabilities

Future enhancement: Mini quests

Learning Theory?-

Learning Theory?

Learning Theory?

Questions• What additional topics could be added for online faculty professional development?

Table of Contents

Learning Guide

Learning Objects

Instructional Art

Research and data

Images, Videos, Slideshows, etc.

Discussions

Project based and collaborative learning activities

Rubrics

Faculty are encouraged to share challenges and successes, resources, ideas, and thoughts

Includes UNLV Support Offices and who to contact, additional support options, etc.

Questions• What faculty support resources would be most important to include?

Badges“Digital badges are a validated indicator of accomplishment, skill, quality or interest that can be earned in various learning environments.”"A Future Full of Badges," The Chronicle of Higher Education

Example badges from Codecademy

Badges

• Bullet point #1• Bullet point #2• Bullet point #3• Bullet point #4• Bullet point #5

Badges

• Bullet point #1• Bullet point #2• Bullet point #3• Bullet point #4• Bullet point #5

Badges

• Bullet point #1• Bullet point #2• Bullet point #3• Bullet point #4• Bullet point #5

The Future

• Leaderboard• Learning community• Discussion rating• Mentoring• Mobile integration• Additional “mini quests”• Social media integration

Questions – Tie Breakers

How many people harvest crops on Farmville everyday?

Questions – Tie Breakers

“Over 5 million people play an average of _____

hours a week of games.”

Questions – Tie Breakers

“As a planet, we spend ______ hours a week playing video and computer games.”

Questions?

The Office of Online Education

E-mail: online@unlv.edu

Phone: 702-895-0334

Fax: 702-895-0637

Web: http://online.unlv.edu

Michael Wildermichael.wilder@unlv.edu(702) 895-2258

Please help us improve our presentations by completing our short, online evaluation:

http://tinyurl.com/86vahp5

M. Kody StimpsonEmail: kody.stimpson@unlv.eduTwitter: @Kodystimpson