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Ice Age is Approaching: Triggering University Students’ Interest and Engagement in Gamified Outdoor Playful Learning Activities

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Science and Drama: Contemporary and Creative Approaches to Teaching and Learning

Abstract

Higher education (HE) is required to educate educational experts who can design teaching and learning processes, which trigger students’ interest, motivate and engage them. Although research has shown the importance of triggers, particularly in challenging situations, academics still lack practical and theoretical examples on how to design inspiring learning experiences. In addition, little is known about the connection of drama, gamification and engagement in HE learning processes in outdoor contexts. The aim in this chapter is two-fold. First, we describe a gamified role-play design, which was implemented in higher education studies, in an international master’s degree program in the forest, and the students studied three concepts—engagement, gamification and collaboration—both by reading scientific articles and through their collaborative experiences in the forest. Second, to analyse students’ engagement in the gamified activities, and see which elements positively trigger their interest and engagement in the activities and which on the other hand negatively affect their interest. The data obtained comprises students’ self-evaluations throughout the activities and their reflections after the course were considered. The results show that the most important triggers are: (1) collaboration and learning together; (2) role-play activity itself, particularly when it is novel and provides feelings of success; and (3) outdoors activity. Other-directed and intellectual-creative playful triggers were the most evident. Frustration and anxiety can weaken engagement. Implications for educators are discussed.

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Acknowledgements

The course and the adventure day was developed in collaboration by the teachers’ team. We acknowledge each and everyone’s spirited contribution to the success of this unique education effort. Thank you to Niina Impiö, Essi Vuopala and Tiina Salmijärvi.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    Pirkko Siklander & Sari Harmoinen

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  1. Pirkko Siklander
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  2. Sari Harmoinen
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Correspondence to Pirkko Siklander .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Education, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia

    Peta J White

  2. School of Education, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia

    Jo Raphael

  3. School of Education, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia

    Kitty van Cuylenburg

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Siklander, P., Harmoinen, S. (2021). Ice Age is Approaching: Triggering University Students’ Interest and Engagement in Gamified Outdoor Playful Learning Activities. In: White, P.J., Raphael, J., van Cuylenburg, K. (eds) Science and Drama: Contemporary and Creative Approaches to Teaching and Learning. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-84401-1_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-84401-1_8

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-84401-1

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