The Research Canvas

Having just completed my second trip to Finland lecturing within a partnership University. I find myself sitting at the end of another exhausting intensive block of teaching reflecting on my delivery and performance over the last three days. The subject area of research methods is notoriously difficult to teach and this was my first time delivering the programme to any group. It certainly forced me to return to a subject area that I have had training in over the last 10 years but not necessarily used it. I found myself worrying how I would cover such a broad and often complex body of work in 14 intensive hours.

To help I turned to the books Business model canvas (Osterwalder and Pigneur, 2011) and business model you (Clarke et al.,2012). Osterwalder and Pigneur (2012) suggest that business model generation offers a powerful, simple, and tested tool for understanding, designing, re-working, and implementing business models where the key tool is the single-page Business Model Canvas. Having utilized this tool within my work as a voluntary chair/CEO of a national governing body of sport (not for profit) to good effect I could visualise some synergy with utilizing a similar approach to project/research planning. The attached image was my version of a reengineered canvas with the key areas the students needed to construct their research proposal namely;

- Rationale
- Scope
- Outcomes
- Responsibility
- Theoretical Framework
- Design
- Data Collection
- Partners

This provided a framework for my delivery and also allowed the students to build their research ideas after each section. We started with the availability of resources, the scope, outcomes and partners - this immediately provided a focus for their proposals and resources and they could match their potential areas of interest (rationale) to the outcomes they wished to achieve. This then provided a platform for me to discuss the key decisions they needed to make in constructing their research (design, theoretical framework, data collection and responsibilities). Although there are still difficult delivery elements within this course the students engaged with the framework and I built in individual reflection points and group discussions for individuals to keep refining their canvas after each major section of the course. By the final session most had drafted out ideas, working titles and realistic objectives and ideas to engage with the literature and preferred data collection techniques.

The experiment of using the canvas certainly paid off and I will use this again with individual dissertaion students  and within this module. I can see many opportunities to refine the process and improve my delivery of the course content and I am also considering adapting this approach further as I can see that the tool could be used for curriculum/ syllabus planning.

References

Osterwalder, A. and Pigneur, Y. (2011) Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers. Wiley

Osterwalder, A. and Pigneur, Y.(2012) http://www.businessmodelgeneration.com/book accessed May 2012

Clarke, T. Osterwalder, A. and Pigneur, Y. (2012) Business Model You: A One-Page Method For Reinventing Your Career. Wiley

Sports Development update - competency frameworks

In a previous update I reflected on the sever lack of confidence in some students when engaging with other professionals and students when delivering programmes. There is  a growing concern by employers that higher education programes are failing to produce students that can operate in a rapidly changing environment (Brindley and Mander, 1996; Skills Active, 2006). Barcelona & Ross (2004) argue that in order to meet the needs of the changing industry, it is imperative for both practitioners and faculty to clearly define a framework of competencies, knowledge areas, and skill sets that support the academic and professional development needs of students. 


I have continued to reflect on this issue across all the activities my final year students have delivered this year and as the group nears the end It may be observed that many have grown and developed and are ready to enter the professional sphere - some already having secured well paid jobs immediately after finishing their last exam. There are many positives but I am still concerned that for some they have not been able to fully develop their professional competencies. The balance of the entire degree is biased to knowledge (what you must know - QAA, 2008) and not competencies (what you must be able to do - Brooks and Althouse, 2007). I feel that my sports management programme moving forward should develop learning outcomes for both these areas in parallel (Brooks and Althouse (2007). I have discussed this with the group and presented competency frameworks based on (Skills Active, 2012) national occupational standards. I asked students to reflect and score themselves (e.g. superior skills, good, underdeveloped), I will follow this with my own assessment as part of the wider assessment framework for the module.   The reaction was interesting - having delivered a programme of work they could engage with the framework and were comfortable in immediately assessing where they may need to improve. For the proactive students this should allow them to continue their development working with their existing or future employers to access further training and development.


References

Barcelona & Ross (2004) An Analysis of the Perceived Competencies of Recreational Sport Administrators Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 22 (4).

Brindley, C. and Mander, P. (1996) Leisure by degree, Leisure Manager, June/July.

Brooks, D.D. & Althouse, R.C. (2007). Diversity and social justice in college sports: Sport management and the student athletes. Morgantown, WV: Fitness Information Technology.

The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (2008) Hospitality, leisure, sport and tourism. QAA.

Skills Active (2006) Analysis of Gaps and Weaknesses, London, Skills Active.

Skills Active (2012) http://www.skillsactive.com/skillsactive/national-occupational-standardshtt accessed May 2012.

Sports Development update - Reflection on first year

As the group approaches the final assessment which includes a full review of their key areas of delivery the reality of graduation is kicking in for us all. I have conducted discussions with the micro teams as a check point to discuss their ideas, opinions and recommendations for next year. What was exciting about the sessions was that all the group could naturally reflect on their individual and collective experiences. The solutions and ideas were well thoughtout and individuals felt comfortable to express their opinions and were openly discussing how they could support their ideas with relevant examples, case studies and literature. If the discussions translate into effective written documents I will feel confident that the module has fulfilled its core objective of delivering valid experiences to develop both knowledge and professional competencies.

Utilising the social network Linkedin has allowed me to track the collaboration through the group including the analytics with some great patterns of activity. Most peaks correspond with the early planning and activities and there has been a steady decline in the second semester (especially close to major deadlines). This was to be expected but the information along with the student reviews will allow me to shape the programme for the incoming group. Planning will start immediately and the legacy from this initial group has included raising awareness with outside agencies and attracting grant funding investment for 2012-2013 which could total £15,000 for the University. The final presentations take place next week in front of a panel of internal and external partners -  This should prove to be the final test of what the have learnt through the process and provide their last valid experience before starting their full time professional careers.

Teaching Tool - Twitter in the class room

I have tried to challenge my delivery within the lecture theatre environment this year aiming to make it more dynamic and interactice.  Apart from the obvious use of youtube clips and interactive smart boards - I have found the use of PowerPoint Twitter Tools a welcome addition. The tool I have been using has been created using SAP BusinessObjects Xcelsius (but requiring only PowerPoint for Windows and Adobe Flash to run), SAP (2012) report that the twitter tools allow presenters to see and react to tweets in real-time, embedded directly within their presentations, either as a ticker or refreshable comment page.There are currently eight tools – you can easily cut and paste them into your own PowerPoint decks:

PowerPoint Twitter feedback slides
PowerPoint AutoTweet,
PowerPoint Twitter voting — bar charts and pie chart
PowerPoint Twitter ticker bar
PowerPoint Mood meter
PowerPoint Crowd meter
PowerPoint Zoom text
PowerPoint Twitter update bar

I have utilised the availabilty and functionality of smart phones by setting group work challenges, Q&A's,  or  debates within the lecture theater. The tools allow many to have a voice which for some is valuable as their ideas can be communicated if they are not confident to speak out. The tools will only work if you have an effective internet connection - I would test it out in class before using in front of the group.  Take care the groups were a little excited the first time they used the technology.

Reference
SAP (2012) http://www.sapweb20.com/blog/powerpoint-twitter-tools/ accessed 25th March 2012

Placements - flavour of the month or here to stay?

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is endorsing a range of ways to help students gain vital international experience from overseas study and work placements. A report by Professor Colin Riordan, Chair of the UK HE International Unit, discusses the incentives and obstacles to students studying and working abroad. According to Times Higher Edcation (2012) the main recommendations are:
The development of a national strategy for outward mobility and a sector- led body to support this. Professor Riordan and the Joint Steering Group on Outward Student Mobility have now been asked to develop this idea and present options for a sector-led solution.

A replacement scheme for the current Erasmus fee-waiver that will come into effect from the academic year 2014/15. For the first time, financial support will also extend to student placements at overseas institutions outside of the Erasmus scheme - both within and outside of the EU.
Universities and Science Minister David Willetts said:

“Study abroad offers a huge range of benefits for students taking part, and also for our universities and the wider UK economy. Students improve their employability, institutions develop their international links and businesses value the wider experience of those who’ve spent time abroad. It’s a win-win for all. (THE, 2012)

Professor Colin Riordan, Chair, UK Higher Education International Unit commented:
"Studying, working or volunteering abroad increases the employability and financial rewards for students in the international labour market. Despite this the UK ranks just 25th in the world for the number of students studying overseas. (THE, 2012)

Is the grass greener?


I have been lucky enough to have been involved with a compulsory worked based learning module for the past two years visiting students in The United States, Turkey  and again planning to visit students over the summer period in Greece and here in the Uk. My observations of the value of these extended placements is generally positive, witnessing students mature and develop their skills whilst for many also building vital industry experience. However the success of these placements in my opinion can be influenced by;

• The quality of the partner organisation and its attitude towards the students development
• The training and induction programmes students are put through
• The social network supporting the student - some can feel vulnerable working away from their immediate support network.
• Culture shock - understanding the expectations and values of both a new organisation and country can be overwhelming.
• The level of training and work experience prior to departing

There are many international employers looking for english speaking seasonal staff. Not all in my opinion can offer the student an excellent learning or life experience. It will be vital for institutions to build appropriate criteria to screen for appropriate employers and ensure that students are fully prepared before departing this will include the development of key skills and a cultural understanding of the environments they are about to enter.

The placements market over the next 10 years will become crowded if new national bodies are facilitating and incentivising  the development of compulsory work based programmes. Institutions and these new agencies need to have a positive attitude to collaboration within the sector and with employers to ensure that there are no sub standard learning experiences fueled by the need to keep up with Government recommendations. This cannot be another tick box exercise for institutions eager to please government ministers. There needs to be a committed investment across the sector to ensure that employers and instutions work together to meet their own and individual students needs.

Reference

Times Higher Education (2012)  Willetts pledges partial grant to encourage overseas study
 http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=419824 accessed 3rd May 2012

Sports Development update - Varsity 2012

The sports development programme this year has been focusing on supporting some specific events across the University. This in part was intended to support existing programmes but also to allow students to develop their understanding of partnership and collaboration in delivering services. The biggest partnership event in 2011/2012 was the annual Varsity event between Swansea Metropolitan University and Trinity St David. The event was hosted this year by SMU and as a multi sport event exposed students to the pressures and logistics of organising teams and up to 200 spectators.

Matches included netball, football, rugby and hockey. The LSM students were tasked with sourcing appropriate venues, volunteers, supporting a pre Varsity presentation evening (Dragon Hotel), promotion of tickets and working in the day as event stewards. Other students were tasked with adding value to the event by developing new ideas or services. The process of being part of a larger events team for many was very engaging and most fully committed to the task. The process offered a longer term project and for some their commitment waned. It is clear that students are still over reliant even at the end of their University careers on the lecturer for directing their work. Confidence in their abilities to speak to other professionals was a problem for many which stalled some good ideas ( e.g, 'I phoned a week ago but no one has got back to me'). Fundamental networking, customer service and communication skills need to be developed further within the students and in my own reflection on the programme these skills should be introduced and practiced very early on - including developing them on modules throughout the degree programme.

These soft skills are not being developed through traditional teaching methods and in many cases were severely under developed. If we are to develop fit for purpose professionals then engineering situations that increase confidence(self efficacy) and professional competencies inline with kowledge should be built into every learning programme - This is an area I aim to improve across my delivery moving forward.

Paperless Grading

Are you drowning in marking? I know I am.


With over 350 assignments and half a dozen dissertations to mark this year I find myself constantly under pressure to meet tight deadlines, ensure academic integrity and provide students with the appropriate level of feedback to allow them to progress. At its peak I find myself questioning whether I can be more effective - during January and February this year I reached a breaking point - I needed a solution that would provide better levels of feedback whilst meeting the students needs (including having unlimited access to feedback sheets). The solutions seemed wide and varied.


It is widely reported that what is assessed and how it is assessed drives student behavior (Biggs & Tang, 2007; Boud & Falchikov,  2007). It is argued that a move to using web-based technologies can “compensate  for increased student numbers within established traditions of design education” (Jeffries, 2007, p. 488). Where as Taylor and McCormack (2008) and  France and Wheeler (2007) argue the merits of pre-recorded MP3 files or podcasts. I have implemented this approach combing computer screen capture technology where I can simultaneously voice record and illustrate points on the students work. This video is then uploaded to my skydrive and the linked shared with the student. Feedback form the students is very positive as they are having a highly personalised video.  I found this useful and it provided a permanent resource for my students. I undertook this with my dissertation students but at times could be time consuming and may not be practical with large classes (Jeffries, 2007)


Henderson (2008) reports that the use of the Turnitin program as an anti-plagiarism tool is widespread and can assist marking and grading essays through its Grademark function. Henderson (2008) suggests  that Grademark offers a number of functions analogous to hand marking. such as;

• Highlight, underline or strike through text and add comments on the essay. 
• Students can access the marker’s comments remotely  
• Grademark also has a number of in-built comments for common problems  
• A section for general comments on the essay  
• A rubric scorecard which is quick to design and flexible. 
• Class statistics can be provided to identify specific whole group issues  
• Files can be exported for second marking and reporting for external examiners

Oxman (2008) points out that for technology to take hold and be embedded in the assessment process, any digitisation of the design environment will require radical pedagogical change accompanied by a “process of adjustment to the new cultural and technological conditions of the digital age”. 

Running an initial pilot with one of my groups I found grademark to be very effective. The interface is straight forward and found when reading I could quickly annotate the students work with existing and pre-prepared comments and still had the flexibility to add personal comments to the work. This was faster that trying to write comment yet retained a high degree of information (if not more). I have been experimenting with grading rubrics and students have reacted positively - using the grademark rubrics function added a secondary level of feedback and once constructed was an easy and positive tool. The final level of feedback allowed me to add a section for a personal comment. This feedback was available within the allotted timescales and students could access their grade and feedback remotely and they can return to their feedback on a regular basis - which students have reported is useful especially where there maybe a large gap between assignments. 


For my module management gardemark provided downloadable reports which collate the rubrics and drop and drag comments to provide feedback on positive and problem areas across the group. These reports exported to excel have enabled me to construct more detailed reports for my end of module reviews which should enhance the external examination process. All in all this was a positive experience and the system clearly offers more than just test for plagiarism. and As part of a broader system of feedback tools I am experimenting with this will certainly enhance my ability to provide effective feedback.


References



Biggs, J., & Tang, C. (2007). Teaching for Quality Learning at University. Buckingham: Society for  Research into Higher Education and Open University Press.



Boud, D., & Falchikov, N. (2006). Aligning assessment with long term learning. Assessment and Evaluation  in Higher Education, 31 (4), 399-413.


France, D., & Wheeler, A. (2007). Reflections on using podcasting for student feedback. Planet 18, 9-11




Henderson, P (2008). Electronic Grading and Marking - A Note on Turnitin Grademark Function. History Australia, VOLUME 5, NUMBER 1.



Jeffries, K.K. (2007). Diagnosing the creativity of designers: individual feedback within mass higher  education. Design Studies, 28 (5), 485-497.




Oxman, R. (2008). Digital architecture as a challenge for design pedagogy: theory, knowledge, models and  medium. Design Studies, 29, 99-120.




Rust, C. (2002). The Impact of Assessment on Student Learning: How Can the Research Literature  Practically Help to Inform the Development of Departmental Assessment Strategies and LearnerCentred Assessment Practices? Active Learning in Higher Education, 3, 145-158. Retrieved January 6,  2009, from http://alh.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/3/2/145. 


Rust, C., O’Donovan, B & Price, M. (2005) “A social constructivist assessment process model: how the  research literature shows us this could be best practice”, Assessment and Evaluation in Higher  Education, 30 (3), 233-241.



Taylor M., & McCormack C. (2008) What happens when design feedback moves across the digital divide?  Paper presented at the Australian Council of University Art and Design Schools (ACUADS) Annual  Conference.

Teaching tool- Wordle - word clouds

I have been experimenting with a blended learning (Zhao et al. 2005; US Department of Education, 2010) approach within my classes recently - One of the tools that I have utilised has been wordle - The website describes the tool as a toy for generating “word clouds” from text (Wordle, 2012). The website reports that the clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text (Wordle, 2012). I utilised this tool by setting a task to my entire operational management class of 100. I set a forum debate up using moodle and set the question for each student to write a facebook style post of how they live their lives (ensuring that they only post information they would like to share with the group).


Our aim as a class was to understand students as a client group. 85 students wrote a post about the key issues affecting their lives (where they like to eat, go out, what they watch on tv how they use the university etc...) the average post was 100 words. I inserted the information from every post into the wordle tool and generated a word cloud of their answers. This task was completed over night and we started the session the next day with the World cloud on a power point slide. There was a positive reaction to the tool and it initiated a good discussion and debate within the group it also provided a stimulus for further research. A very to easy tool to use and creates an impact in class - there are no ownership issues and wordle allow you to reproduce the cloud in any way you wish - I will be using it again .....


References

U.S. Department of Education (2010) Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies. Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development Policy and Program Studies Service

Wordle (2012) http://www.wordle.net/ accessed February 2012

Zhao, Y., J. Lei, B. Yan, C. Lai, and H. S. Tan. (2005). What makes the difference? A practical

analysis of research on the effectiveness of distance education. Teachers College Record 107

(8)

Sports Development - snapshot - LSM society first event

My students have delivered their first event

A faction of proactive students have led the first official event under the LSM (sport and leisure management society). Over 50 students attended a mixed netball tournament the event was led by the nominated student who although clearly nervous managed the event and the supporting team of final year students very well. My role was to observe and support if needed. The student leading clearly appreciated my presence and seemed to relax and focus on her role having the support available if needed. It was not......

The pre event organisation was a little disjointed but the event ran smoothly and the final year students worked well as a team. Post event the lead student without realising immediately started reflecting on how the event ran, what went well, what could be improved and her feelings and emotions throughout. I expanded this to a group reflection in the immediate post event debrief taking the opportunity to reinforce the core focus of the assignments. This was then followed by an in class debrief with the entire LSM group plus student union activities officer. This early win has generated momentum within the group and allowed me to reinforce that my assessment is not based on the success of the activities but the ability to plan, deliver and evaluate highlighting what they have learn't and through the literature identify how they could improve their practice.

This has initiated a flood of activity within the group and interest has spread to the students in year two who are witnessing or taking part in the activities - This should help their transition and hopefully the group will deliver activities far sooner in the next academic year.

Who is really in control?

Schank (2011) laments that education on the computer has been, by and large, a disappointment, over-hyped and under-realized. He argues that  computer-based training has meant putting a book on a computer, allowing the student to press a button to get the next page and take a quiz at the end (Shank, 2011). Edutainment and the rise of the Virtual University according to Schank (2011) however should cause all higher education institutions to reconsider how they are going to deliver the education experience.
With access to information now available 24 hours a day students are starting to take control of their own learning and they can now access large amounts of high quality and increasingly organised resources online. This movement is potentially short circuiting the current education system and its approach of controlling the flow of information through the classroom experience. Sir Ken Robinson draws parallels with the current system and a factory production line producing batch after batch of educated individuals. This description assumes a uniformed, controlled and quality assured environments. However in reality outside of the confines of current institutions learning may be more sporadic and student led - accessing information, concepts and theories that are consumed and processed at a pace that is out of sync with traditional curriculum's. Watters, (2011) in her review 10 Open Education Resources You May Not Know About (But Should) has highlighted this movement with key examples of online communitees and resources that students can access including key sites such as the Khan Academy

P2PU: The Peer 2 Peer University is a grassroots open education project in which anyone can participate.

OpenStudy: is a social learning network where independent learners and traditional students can come together in a massively-multiplayer study group.

NITXY: NIXTY is building a learning management platform that supports open education resources.

OER Glue: a browser-based tool that will allow students and teachers to “glue” together OER resources online.

iUniv: is a Japanese startup that is building web and mobile apps to support and make social video and audio OCW content.

Smarthistory: is a free and open multimedia website that demonstrates how very heavy, pricey, and obsolete the traditional art history textbook is.

CK-12: The CK-12 Foundation’s Flexbook platform provides free, collaboratively-built and openly-licensed digital textbooks for K-12.

Flat World Knowledge: This is a college textbook publisher whose books are published under an open license.

Connextions: Connextions is a repository of educational content, containing over 17,000 openly licensed learning modules.

Can we control this? - Unlikely
Can we quality assure this? - Unlikely

Should we embrace this?
The potential for virtual learning environments is in its infancy but potentially empowering millions of individuals worldwide. Teachers and lecturers may need to challenge their current role and acknowledge that students are increasingly becoming an equal partner in deciding the direction of their own learning.

References

Watters, (2011) in her review 10 Open Education Resources You May Not Know About (But Should) http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2011/05/10-open-education-resources-you-may-not-know-about-but-should/ accessed January 2012

Schank, R. (2011) in  THE DISRESPECTED STUDENT — OR — THE NEED FOR THE VIRTUAL UNIVERSITY, http://edge.org/conversation/the-disrespected-student-or-the-need-for-the-virtual-university accessed January 2012

Sports Development Termly update

The first term of the 2011- 2012 academic year has proven to be challenging. The initial intensive sessions were comfortable for the class of students used to having information presented to them. They however have initially found it difficult to process that they would not be passively sitting there having me talk at them for six months. There was a air or nervousness that they would be tested not just on their knowledge but also their practical ability to deliver. I have my assessment framework to ensure that students commit to delivering activities, events and services within the university. It is clear I will have to build confidence within the group supporting them to take the giant leap from discussing theory into experimenting with their ideas. For some this seems exciting for others it will be a test. However these students are 6 months away from the start if their long term careers the safety net of education is slipping away and having this opportunity will start that next transition into the professional world. My challenge leading in to the second term is to encourage and support them in delivering action. For many this will be their first time taking the lead on a project so I must remain patient yet ensure they over come their anxieties.

Gamification of Education

What do we mean by the gamification of education?

Lee and Hammer (2011) suggest that schools already have several game-like elements for example students receiving points for completing assignments which translate to “badges,”or grades. Students are rewarded for desired behaviors and punished for undesirable behaviors using this common currency as a reward system (Lee and Hammer, 2011). However, McGonigal, (2011) argues that regardless of these parallels schools are generally failing to engage students whereas the video game and virtual world are excelling. Gee, (2008) suggests that gamers voluntarily invest countless hours in developing their problem-solving skills within the context of games, developing what McGonigal (2011) identifies as personal qualities such as persistence, creativity, and resilience through extended play.

According to Lee and Hammer, (2011) gamification projects offer the opportunity to experiment with rules, emotions, and social roles. At the micro-scale -- individual teachers who gamify their own class structures (Laster, 2010) at the macro level new schools, using game design as an organizing framework for teaching and learning (Corbett, 2011).

How can gamification be used?

Koster, (2004) suggests that games guide players through the mastery process and keep them engaged with potentially difficult tasks potentially according to Lee and Hammer (2011) providing students clear, actionable tasks and promises them immediate rewards instead of vague long-term benefits. Games according to Lazarro, (2004) invoke a range of powerful emotions, from curiosity to frustration to joy. McGonigal, (2011) argues that for many games provide many positive emotional experiences, such as optimism and pride. Lee and Hammer, (2011) argues that games maintains a positive relationship with failure by making feedback cycles rapid and keeping the stakes low compared to schools, where the stakes of failure are high and the feedback cycles long (Lee and Hammer, 2011). Indeed Pope (2003) argues that there is little wonder that students experience anxiety, not anticipation, when offered the chance to fail.

It may be argued that games allow players to try on new identities and roles, asking them to make in-game decisions from their new vantage points (Squire, 2006; Gee, 2008) yet according to Klopfer, et al (2009) this focus on playfulness may require freedom - the freedom to experiment, to fail, to explore multiple identities, to control one’s own investment and experience.

As a framework I can see many positives in exploring this in my own teaching. However at a broader level the entire education system may need to be rewired and re-educated before this approach is embedded or accepted.

References

Corbett, S. (2010, September 19). Learning by playing: Video games in the classroom. Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/19/magazine/19video-t.html

Gee, J. P. (2008). Learning and games. In Katie Salen (Ed.) The ecology of games: Connecting youth, games, and learning (John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation series on digital media and learning). Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.

Klopfer, E., Osterweil, S. & Salen, K. (2009) Moving learning games forward. Retrieved from:

http://education.mit.edu/papers/MovingLearningGamesForward_EdArcade.pdf

Koster (2004). A theory of fun. Paraglyph Press. New York, NY.

Lee, J. J. & Hammer, J. (2011). Gamification in Education: What, How, Why Bother? Academic Exchange Quarterly, 15(2).

Laster, J. (2010). At Indiana U., a class on game design has students playing to win. Retrieved from: http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/at-indiana-u-a-class-on-game-design-has-students-playing-towin/21981

Lazzaro, N. (2004). Why we play games: Four keys to more emotion without story. Retrieved from: http://www.xeodesign.com/xeodesign_whyweplaygames.pdf

McGonigal, J. (2011). Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World. Penguin Press. New York, NY.

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Pope, D. (2003). Doing school: How we are creating a generation of stressed-out, materialistic, and miseducated students. Yale University Press.

Squire, K. (2006). From content to context: Videogames as designed experience. Educational Researcher, 35(8): 19-29.