First Learning Outcome: Participants understand the possibility of gaming to support student success via the Blueprints model
Second Learning Outcome: Participants develop their understanding of the applicability of student access and success work in other countries’ higher education systems
Third Learning Outcome: Participants reflect on the ‘hidden curriculum’ that exists in higher education, and their role in communicating this and empowering prospective and/or current students to navigate it.
Core Competencies: Diversity and Inclusion
Problem Solving
Proficiencies: Enrollment Management: Developing Enrollment Mix
Enrollment Management: SEM Leadership
Intended Audience: General Audience
Presenter(s):
Kirsty Wadsley London School of Economics and Political Science
Tricia Seifert Montana State University
Transatlantic game play: supporting higher education access and student success
Description
Time management and balance are areas of considerable concern for high school students transitioning to postsecondary education. Drawing directly from high school students’ questions and concerns, the Blueprints for Student Success research and game development team created a board game, which invites players to manage their time across study, work, social connections, and hobbies with the objective of earning the highest GPA and gaining the greatest number of social connections during their first college semester.
The workshop will provide experiential learning for participants who will play the Blueprints board game themselves, whilst hearing more about the development journey to date including the benefits of working across different countries to do so. Development has included: work with Darktwin Studios’ game developers who are current and former Montana State University students; a 1000-mile joint road-trip around rural Montana schools to test the game with students, using their feedback alongside that from teachers and counsellors; piloting with and gathering feedback from students in London; and further exploration of the value of this approach and future international collaboration following this initial link made possible via AACRAO.
Building on Dr Tricia Seifert’s area of research and expertise in higher education and student success, the Blueprints board game and developing mobile gaming application have been specifically designed for students pre-higher education. It is intended to allow individuals to start building experience of the multi-dimensional aspects of successfully navigating ‘college’ and succeeding in their endeavours. Gaming to gain college knowledge draws on the power of gaming for educational purposes. Rather than telling students what they need to know, students play. They fail. They play again, learn and advance in the game.
Having heard Dr Seifert outline these developments in her 2017 SEM key-note talk, Kirsty Wadsley identified the connection to work in the UK under the ‘widening participation’ agenda; focused on increasing access and success for students from under-represented groups. From there an international collaboration was born to test and reflect on the game’s efficacy and future trajectory in diverse higher education structures and settings.
Submission ID:
T4.1941
Day:
Tuesday, November 13, 2018
Time:
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM