Abstract: This fun-filled workshop guides participants through using a Learning Management System (LMS) to design a game-based course. Participants will work through a game-design process to build the basics of a game-based course, be introduced to different game structures, and then and then will be grouped by LMS to play around with ways to create a game-based course including creating gates via groups, test pools, assignments, and discussion boards; creating choices via selective release; creating progress bars via course links; as well as other tips and tricks. This workshop emphasizes designing curricular games that teach instead of test, that derive from the content instead of being divorced from it, and that allow the learner to engage deeply in the learning process instead of being a one-shot competitive recall game like Jeopardy.

Objectives

The objectives of this workshop are for participants to come away with some ideas about how to create a game-based course and the technical know-how about how to make it reality by using the features of their Learning Management System.

Topical Outline

Participants will first be introduced to a game-design process. They will then learn about different ways to structure the content of their game. They will then be exposed to ways different features of Learning Management Systems can be used to create aspects of a game-based course. They will then get a chance to experiment with their own LMS to see how these features work. Lastly, if there is time, we will explore various external tools that can then be embedded within an LMS to create even more dynamic game-based courses.

Prerequisites

Participants must have access to an LMS.

Experience Level

Beginner

Qualifications

Janna Jackson Kellinger has written several articles, book chapters, and a book on the topic of game-based teaching. She has created and taught six game-based courses that use a variety of game structures such as rivers-and-lakes gated by an accumulation of experience points, a story-based choose-your-own adventure game, a series of mini-simulations within an overarching storyline, and mini-quests that build to a boss battle.