The Great History Conundrum Alex Moseley University of Leicester

In 2007…

Student Learning Outcomes Know where and how to search for a variety of historical resources on and off line Be able to critically analyse internet resources to determine their suitability for academic purposes Have engaged in collaborative activity online to arrive at a shared consensus Obtain a number of transferable skills (problem solving, numeracy, team working, IT skills)

A Conundrum of your own  Each group has 12 cards  Match the 6 descriptions with the 6 sources  I’m looking for a Number  The first group to stand up and give the correct answer wins…

A Conundrum of your own!  Problem solving  Communal working  Competition / prize Engagement/Motivation

Key Features: ARGs for Higher Education 1. Problem solving at varying levels (graded challenge) 2. Progress and rewards (leaderboard, grand prize) 3. Narrative devices (characters/plot/story) 4. Influence on outcomes 5. Regular delivery of new problems/events 6. Potential for large, active community 7. Based on simple, existing technologies/media

Introducing ARG Features 1. Problem solving at varying levels (graded challenge) 2. Progress and rewards (leaderboard, grand prize) 3. Narrative devices (characters/plot/story) 4. Influence on outcomes 5. Regular delivery of new problems/events 6. Potential for large, active community 7. Based on simple, existing technologies/media

Puzzles/Problem Examples Basic / non-crypticNarrative / cryptic

Puzzles/Problem Examples Communal (minor)Communal (mass)

Motivation: Automated Marking and Return 354Gracechurch St.

Motivation: Leaderboard

Online Assessment Innovative approach: continuous, visible assessment to maintain and encourage engagement High student numbers: needed manageable methods - tutors used to marking one 1000 word essay Used three methods matched to three stages: 1. Automated marking of puzzles 2. Moderator marking of discussion posts 3. Tutor marking of group project Students could specialise in one or more stages - allow for different skill sets

Assessment: Discussion posts

Community/Collaboration: WIKI

Results 190/200 students took part over 4 weeks They solved 3301 puzzles (average 17 each) They posted 4387 messages in the forums (average 23 each) Visited over 50 online/offline resources, covered wide range of topics during discussions 181 passed the course (90%), 92 achieved 60%+

Activity Over the four weeks By hour of day

Student Feedback: Motivation “our moderator was excellent, he provided really helpful pointers in how to improve our posts and sent really motivating s to get us all working on it!” “the faceless nature of a solely online activity meaning a group Wiki was haphazardly put together with some contributing a lot and others very little”

Student Feedback: Assessment Student Feedback: Community 63% claimed to know more people on their course as a result of the GHC “the forums… were highly collaborative and encouraged people to help others. I certainly got a lot out of [them] both when I was stuck and when I was able to help others.”

Student Feedback: Skills “it introduced me to a variety of new resources [and] a new way of learning about the past; a way I’d not thought of before” “It taught me a lot of skills that I probably wouldn't have learnt in lectures, for example the actual processes involved with research on a practical level, rather than being told about them”

“We must go beyond textbooks, go out into the bypaths and untrodden depths of the wilderness and travel and explore and tell the world the glories of our journey.” John Hope Franklin (US Historian researching Black American history). Alex Moseley Faculty of Arts University of Leicester moerg.wordpress.com