Gameful Learning and Global Social Problems

In Fall 2011, we taught an experimental course pilot for a required undergraduate course in Global Social Problems. We designed this course using a gameful approach that was heavily inspired by the work of Jane McGonigal. Students were given the opportunity to take heroic action through three course missions to research and take action to deal with various global social problems. Ten heroic character traits were used to frame course activities. A peer review process was used to assign scores and award student profile badges based on each trait.