Abstract
In the field of pedagogy there is significant literature on the topics of humour and education, gamification of education, and play as an element of education. In all three cases the objective is to improve educational outcomes such as engagement with course material, retention of information and the enhancement of flexible, transportable learning skills. However, a review of the applications of humour, gamification and play reveal some incongruous relationships. How can the voluntary aspects of play be utilised inside the highly structured and prescribed education environment? Is it possible or desirable to gamify an environment that already has a game-like structure in which students ‘level-up’ through a series of courses? And, importantly, where is the fun? This paper will, using a case study, examine the use of game structures, play and comedy in the delivery of synchronous online lecture content. It offers a series of lecture techniques demonstrating how game elements and lecture themes are playfully and subversively incorporated into polls, pop culture references, branching narratives, random and targeted trivia, and hidden item games. Gamification is a subversive process. This case study illustrates how students and staff can be invited to play in this subversion.
Presenters
Michael M. MeanySenior Lecturer, School of Humanities, Creative Industries and Social Sciences, University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia Geoffrey Hookham
Sessional Academic, School of Humanities, Creative Industries and Social Sciences, University of Newcastle, Australia
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Gamification, Play, Comedy, Subversion
