Abstract

Abstract Open Campus, Bossier Parish Community College (BPCC) resource, contains free online content directed to students with developmental needs in English and Math. This resource has been nationally recognized as a best practice model and as a result, in 2015, BPCC received a Department of Education First in the World Grant to convert Open Campus to a fully mobile system with social presence and gamification features embedded into the system. Gamification of learning has been shown to increase student engagement and performance in academic terms (Kapp, 2012). Social presence provides closeness and connection with the students and increases the perceived authenticity of the content as well as being a significant predictor of audience satisfaction (Gunawardena & Zittle, 1997; Richardson & Swan, 2003) Results from a forthcoming study by Giani and Martin (2019) show that using the newly developed mobile technology along with the added gamification features and social presence increases the likelihood of passing the developmental education course. In an attempt to compare and mimic these preliminary successful results, this study will (1) review the requirements needed to successfully recreate the same experience (2) Create a model that accurately describes the process to recreate the Open Campus methodology. (3) Evaluate if in fact, the results from the Open Campus study can be replicated in a different environment (4-year college) and (5) with a different type of subject (non-developmental). This study will utilize and apply the same gamification of learning and social presence features utilized by the Open Campus developmental courses to a second year Computer Information Systems certification course in a four-year college. Specific gamification components that will be included in this study are modularization/repetition, immediate feedback, and student-led paths. Social presence features will closely follow the Open Campus model (current instructors, providing biographies/credentials/and interests, providing instructor video recordings, and video biographies). Results from this study will help faculty evaluate the Open Campus model in a different environment for future implementation in other courses. References Gianni, Matt & Martin, Allison. 2019. “Mobilizing Developmental Education”. Unpublished Manuscript. Gunawardena, C. N., & Zittle, F. J. 1997. “Social presence as a predictor of satisfaction within a computer mediated conferencing environment”. American Journal of Distance Education, 11(3), 8-26. Kapp, K. M. 2012. The gamification of learning and instruction: Game-based methods and strategies for training and education. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Richardson, J. C., & Swan, K. 2003. “Examining social presence in online courses in relation to students’ perceived learning and satisfaction”. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 7(1), 68-88.

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Applying Gamification and Social Presence to Certification Classes

Abstract Open Campus, Bossier Parish Community College (BPCC) resource, contains free online content directed to students with developmental needs in English and Math. This resource has been nationally recognized as a best practice model and as a result, in 2015, BPCC received a Department of Education First in the World Grant to convert Open Campus to a fully mobile system with social presence and gamification features embedded into the system. Gamification of learning has been shown to increase student engagement and performance in academic terms (Kapp, 2012). Social presence provides closeness and connection with the students and increases the perceived authenticity of the content as well as being a significant predictor of audience satisfaction (Gunawardena & Zittle, 1997; Richardson & Swan, 2003) Results from a forthcoming study by Giani and Martin (2019) show that using the newly developed mobile technology along with the added gamification features and social presence increases the likelihood of passing the developmental education course. In an attempt to compare and mimic these preliminary successful results, this study will (1) review the requirements needed to successfully recreate the same experience (2) Create a model that accurately describes the process to recreate the Open Campus methodology. (3) Evaluate if in fact, the results from the Open Campus study can be replicated in a different environment (4-year college) and (5) with a different type of subject (non-developmental). This study will utilize and apply the same gamification of learning and social presence features utilized by the Open Campus developmental courses to a second year Computer Information Systems certification course in a four-year college. Specific gamification components that will be included in this study are modularization/repetition, immediate feedback, and student-led paths. Social presence features will closely follow the Open Campus model (current instructors, providing biographies/credentials/and interests, providing instructor video recordings, and video biographies). Results from this study will help faculty evaluate the Open Campus model in a different environment for future implementation in other courses. References Gianni, Matt & Martin, Allison. 2019. “Mobilizing Developmental Education”. Unpublished Manuscript. Gunawardena, C. N., & Zittle, F. J. 1997. “Social presence as a predictor of satisfaction within a computer mediated conferencing environment”. American Journal of Distance Education, 11(3), 8-26. Kapp, K. M. 2012. The gamification of learning and instruction: Game-based methods and strategies for training and education. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Richardson, J. C., & Swan, K. 2003. “Examining social presence in online courses in relation to students’ perceived learning and satisfaction”. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 7(1), 68-88.