Break Into College

Join the Order of the Clocktower

Why?

Only 43.4% of community college students earn a credential

Many stop out due to stress, confusion, or lack of support

56.6% stop out
37.6% for preparedness reasons
12.5% never reach their sophomore year

The Situation at GCC

GCC has a strong online orientation

Orientation completion = lots of benefits

Students who skip it are more likely to withdraw / disappear

Participation hovers between 17-19%

Course Learning Objectives

Identify and differentiate responsibilities expected of the student and the college.
Summarize key factors contributing to successful learning such as focus, motivation, and time management.
Classify GCC staff and academic support services according to need; locate communication channels, including email, chat, phone, and online appointment.
Demonstrate proficiency in using common Brightspace software components such as discussion boards, quizzes, and assignments.
Communicate professionally and efficiently with college faculty, staff, and fellow students.

What I'm Doing

Transforming the course into a gamified 8-week experience
Using microlearning + storytelling
Smart Octalysis Nudging
Students join the Order of the Clocktower by completing mini-missions

Orientation Phases

The first phase was integrating student best practices with Brightspace activities. This incorporates standard text training as well as some pre-packaged D2L "how to" videos and internally-recorded "how to" videos. Students seem to have significantly less difficulty learning Brightspace elements when we give them something useful and meaningful to do with them.

The second phase was gamification. We added tracks, levels, and many more badges to create better markers of partial success in the hope of keeping students engaged through the end. We also put the challenges first and offered hints for students who need them. Students have the opportunity to "speedrun" the orientation or take their time and read all the available material.

After a successful pilot of the gamification elements, the third phase is microlearning, using intelligent agents to remind students of new, short, gamified, and immediately relevant activities they can do weekly. Example: "Hey students, it's week 3. I'll bet you have a paper due in one or more of your courses, so let's learn how the library works for online students."

Gamification Elements

Makes learning active and respects learner choice
Supports Constructivist Andragogy → active learning, reflection through feedback
Supports Knowles → self-direction, life experience, problem-centered
Turns “dry” topics into interactive quests

Microlearning

Short lessons = low pressure, flexible pace
Spread throughout semester
Supports Constructivist Andragogy → contextualized / situated knowledge, chunked
Supports Knowles → relevance, immediate needs, internal empowerment
Students learn what they need, when they need it
Improves retention + fits busy lives

The Narrative

Our theme is a modern spy thriller, but we stepped away from the standard of creating a separate storyline. Instead of coming up with an original story, we simply made "getting ready for college" into the basic story. Challenges are in line with tasks students will be expected to perform in classes, staff and faculty are introduced as "fellow agents" and "handlers" at "base." This keeps the students' minds firmly in the academic realm and the lack of additional theme also keeps it light for our more cynical students, many of whom are already reluctant to complete the orientation.

Finally, by getting the real, live people at our campus to deliver video clues, we introduce and humanize these names for those students who often communicate with the college only via email.

Badging: Tracks and Levels

This is our "tracks and levels" setup at the current time. Bronze Badges are a basic readiness - we'd like students to complete those during the first week. Silver and Gold will be prompted later throughout the semester. Platinum badges are stretch or completionist goals - we don't expect most students to do those but it gives something extra for students who want to do more. There are also a couple of hidden badges for finding easter eggs in the course such as the college mascot.

Infiltrating the System is a track aimed at learning how colleges function. It teaches terms such as matriculation, major, and Pell grants. First generation students and those in our First Year Experience (FYE) or Career Educational Planning (CEP) courses can complete the entire track.

Agent's Playbook is a track aimed at teaching good learning strategies - best practices of online (but also in-person) students. Those at risk of falling below Satisfactory Academic Progress can work through that track to improve their learning strategies.

Building Your Network is a track aimed at learning about the resources and support services at GCC including the Library, Learning Center, Career Services, Advising Tools, Virtual Student Community, and even the Food Pantry. This section is aimed at students who need more support and encouragement, particularly those who are online.

Hacking the System is aimed at the technophobes who need more software help. Interestingly enough, many students will earn their Hacking badges while participating in activities for other tracks. For example, posting in the Discussion Board about your online learning motivational strategies is part of the Agent's Playbook Silver badge. Successfully posting in the Discussion Board is also part of the Hacking the System Silver badge.

Smart Nudges

8 Motivating Factors

Weekly push reminders = timely and targeted
Review content and messaging through Octalysis Framework
Adaptive messaging that responds to student progress
Keeps students moving without overwhelming

Sample Nudge Using Motivations

Gamification Flow: D2L & H5P

Brightspace LMS hold content
H5P interactive activities have gamified feel with immediate feedback
Release Conditions unlock levels and tracks
Intelligent Agents push reminders and personalize motivation
Badging System awards progress and encourages goal setting

interactive puzzles

Expected Results

Increase Participation

Self-Selected Orientation Length

Enhance Goal-Setting Behaviors

Boost Resilience & Perseverance

Encourage Independent Problem Solving

It's worth noting that at least three of those goals - enhancing goal-setting behaviors, boosting resilience, and encouraging independent problem solving - are key indicators of online student success. Simply by gamifiying the orientation, we are facilitating positive student behaviors.

Look for the N/A Students

So many students don't use services at all - these are the students we are targeting.

Q&A

Loy Gross

Online Learning Specialist and Adjunct Technologies Instructor

legross@genesee.edu

Genesee Community College (GCC) is a small, rural community college in western NY (near Buffalo) and part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system.

Google Sites

Report abuse