Discussion Forum

Gamification in Online Courses

This is an interesting topic to look at because 49% of gamers are aged 18-49 and 2 out of 5 gamers are female (http://www.onlineeducation.net/videogame).  Since gamers like games like Angry Bird, Tetris, Duck Hunt and many other games we should as future ID’s and future facilitators of online courses look at the benefits and draw backs of games in online education.  Keep in mind that these games are not like the ones just mentioned but the games developed for education will have an impact on how students learn.

By Friday:
Post your experiences with online games in your courses online.  Then write about two advantages to using games in online education and two disadvantages of using games in online education.  Use the resources posted here and you may use any other resource that list advantages and disadvantages of using games in online education. 

By Saturday:
Respond to two of your classmates.

Discussion Rubric

Levels of Achievement	Beginning 1.0-2-5	Developing 2.6-3.0	Accomplished 3.1-3.5	Superior 3.6-3.7
Learners participation in the discussion forum	Student did not respond to fellow students until the last day of discussion. Student did not participate in the discussion.	Student responded to fellow students prompts with in the week but did not add any extra comments Student participated in the discussion.	Student responded to fellow students prompts and added extra comments Student shows extra participation in discussion by writing to more than two students.	Student responded to fellow students prompts with extra comments and added information Student shows extra participation in the discussion by writing to more than two students and responding to general questions.
Initial post content	Student wrote to the prompt but there was ambiguity. Student showed no level of higher order thinking restating the discussion question.	Student wrote to the prompt with marginal effort. Student writing is beginning to show higher order thinking in responding to discussion question.	Student wrote to the prompt and spurred others to write to the prompt. Student did use higher order thinking to analyze the discussion question in a congruent manner. Student related to the discussion question.	Student wrote to the prompt and spurred others to write to the prompt. Student did use higher order thinking to analyze discussion question in a congruent manner. Student related to the discussion question and used the course materials, optional materials and materials they researched outside of the course readings.
Response to post content	Student was off topic but did use course materials	Student was on topic but still there was ambiguity but did use course materials.	Student was on topic the writing was clear.  Student used course materials and optional materials in course.	Student was on topic the writing showed depth of knowledge. Student used course materials, optional materials in the course and materials they researched outside of the course readings.
Conventions	Student writing missed conventions. Student writing had spelling errors. Poor editing	Student writing had all conventions. Student writing had spelling errors. Average editing	Student writing had all conventions. Student writing had minimal spelling errors. Good editing	Student writing had all conventions. Student writing had no spelling errors. Excellent editing

Resources

Gamification of learning http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamification_of_learning

Huang, Z. & Cappel, J. J. (n.d.).  Assessment of a web-based learning game in an information system course on line.  Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan.  http://courseweb.lis.illinois.edu/~bnsmith3/gaming/files/Huang%20and%20Cappel.pdf

Raymer, R. (2011 September). Gamification: using game mechanics to enhance elearning.  Learn Magazine: Where Thought and Practice Meet. http://elearnmag.acm.org/featured.cfm?aid=2031772