International Higher Education Teacher Award ^2024/25

The GAMIFYREAD ID translates in practice as learning paths or routes,which contain both compulsory & optional segments. The learning paths are grouped in larger units called sprints. Sprints then are groups of learning paths,which are traversed in a certain period of time. Each sprint is characterised by students’ intensive & extensive engagement with the study material & their decisions about which optional paths to take to complete the sprint. Each sprint has a map (an example of such a map is attached at 7. Additional Information), in the form of an Excel table, which contains the routes to follow in order to complete the sprint. The routes contain study materials & assignments--called challenges--arranged both in a linear order (the compulsory segments) & in a non-linear fashion (the optional segments). The completion of each sprint is time-bound, that is, each challenge has a hand-in date. Compulsory assignments have fixed completion dates,while optional assignments can be completed throughout the sprint. With the completion of each challenge on the route, the students collect points or credits. The completion of the mandatory challenges represents the minimum requirement. Without carrying out the mandatory assignments, the sprint cannot be completed, the finish line cannot be reached, & the student will not get a passing grade. Besides the learning routes, which incorporate the study material & the challenges, the map of the sprint contains the list with the students’ names. This list acts as a leader board.The students can check how many points they have been awarded for the completion of certain assignments.They can also see the scores achieved by the others in the student group.This way competition between group members unfolds and it is maintained due to the continuous feedback in the form of awarded credits.Credits are awarded for both overall & partial performance. At the end of each sprint,the final score for each student is calculated & the awards are handed out.The awards are power cards specially devised for this instructional design (see them attached at 7. Additional Information).The cards feature different Roman gods & have specific powers.These cards can be retrieved in the following sprint. In terms of their length,sprints last approximately four or five weeks.There are two sprints in one academic semester. INNOVATIVE ASPECTS:differentiated assessment of students’ progress, flexibility of the learning paths,adaptability of design.

Methodology

The GAMIFYREAD ID has been developed with those students in mind who attend social science and humanities courses,where acquiring knowledge depends heavily on reading texts written in a foreign language & text processing.The 1st variant of the ID was created in the 1st semester of the 2019 academic year.Since then,the ID has been modified twice based on student recommendation & feedback.The guiding principles in creating the ID are: (1)GAMIFICATION. The framework employs several game elements which appeal to the homo ludens side of each student with the effect of engaging them in the learning process. Students’ engagement creates an effective study environment. (2)SUSTAINABILITY. Sustainability is defined here as the process of transformations,which ensures meeting the needs of the present generation of students & lecturers and contributes positively to the development of the opportunities of future generations of academic community. (3)COST-EFFECTIVENESS. GAMYREAD incorporates tools available at little or no expense. Its design uses the simplest digital teaching & learning tools easily accessible for the academic community. (4)ACCOMMODATING A RANGE OF STUDENT-NEEDS by paying attention to their preferred learning modes & career aspirations. (5)EMPOWERING BOTH LECTURERS AND STUDENTS by fostering an environment of creativity & freedom of choice. Until now,the GAMIFYREAD has been implemented at Pázmány Péter Catholic University,in the following courses:Academic Reading in Political Science,Academic Reading in International Studies,Academic Reading in Legislation & Law, Academic Language Development in International Studies, & Introduction to Academic Writing.GAMIFYREAD has been also implemented in the Digital Teaching Skills course of the Teacher Training Program at Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church.The working language of the above enumerated courses is English. GAMIFYREAD's development and implementation are part of a larger research project looking at digital citizens' engagement with e-learning software & apps.Based on the partial analysis of data, an article has been submitted to the Community College Journal of Research & Practice and it is to be published in the near future. As the GAMIFYREAD ID is subject independent and can accommodate various student needs, it works well in secondary education as well (see Bödecs, n.d.).

Tools, equipment, technology used

In the development of the GAMIFYREAD ID,sustainability,user-friendliness, & entertainment are major guiding aims.As a result, the tools incorporated in the ID have been/are chosen based on the criteria of cost-effectiveness, reusability,ease-of-acces & ease-of-use.The element of entertainment is provided by both the gamified process & the use of special terminology,borowed from athletics,such as "starting line","sprint","track".The e-tools incorporated in the GAMIFYREAD ID are as follows:Mocrosoft Documents,Microsoft Excel table,Microsoft Forms,Microsoft Power Point,Microsoft Teams,Google Drive Cloud,Google Drawing,Canva Infograpics,Symbaloo Bookmarks,Sutori Timelines, & Protopage Tabs.The students also have the possibilty to use tools which are alternatives to the ones above listed.At a quick glance, the reader will immediately notice that the listed tools are among the commonest ones employed in education.Their use is usually effortlessly learnt. Similarly,except the Sutori Timelines, the listed e-tools can be accessed at little or no financial investment.The innovativeness of the ID lies not in the tools incorporated but in the way they are assembled & employed. For instance,Microsoft Excel tables provide the range of learning paths present in each sprint.The tables are the maps of the sprints.They contain the starting & finish line,the challenges to be take up,the academic content to be studied,the competitors' list of names,the leaderboard,the available credits,& awards.These maps delineate fixed learning paths in the form of compulsory challenges.These chalenges are formative assessments delivered as 10-question Microsoft Form tests.Besides the tests,the other challenges are elective.Thus,students have to take up the compulsory challenges but have the freedom to choose from among the other challenges in order to maximize their credits acquired points) in the sprint.The construction of the sprints applies the READ-REFLECT-DISPLAY/DO model (Bonk & Zhang, 2008) to support the students' multiple-level processing of the study materials.The READ component entails both reading & listening to study materials.The REFLECT component involves drawing inferences,summarizing,studying arguments,reflective writing.The challenges that belong to this component are summary and essay writing, and translation. The DISPLAY/DO component includes applying knowledge to create original content by establishing logical links,associations,interpreting content.The means of the DISPLAY/DO component are mostly visual.The challenges that belong to this component are creating infographics, mind maps, digital escape rooms,& video scenarios.In the GAMIFYREAD process,the feedback of the tutor is of utmost importance. It is one of the engines that keep students' activity and engagement alive.The tutor's feedback is directed towards a wide range of aims, such as giving assistance to students in completing assignments, guiding students along the paths of the sprint, giving informed answers on students' questions, informing students about the evaluation of their achievements. Evaluation in the GAMIFYREAD ID is differentiated & it acknoledges both overall & partial achievements.The reward system is twofold.The level of performance is translated into achieved credit points.Both outstanding overall & partial achievers get their rewards in the forms of power cards specially designed for the GAMIFYREAD ID.

Outcomes and outputs, main results

The introduction of the gamified process of teaching & learning has paid considerable dividents.With the hindsight of four semesters (September 2019-February 2021),we can take stock of the several benefits the use of the GAMIFYREAD ID has provided the students (and the tutor, as well).The challenges the students face when they have to acquire knowledge from history, political, and legislative texts written in English have not disappeared.However, the gamified design has had the power of mobilizing students' interest,diligence,motivation , & engagement.Both students' performance during the sprints & their feedback on the effectiveness of the instructional design bear testimony to the many gains the use of the GAMIFYREAD ID offers.

Lessons learnt

The important aspects & the lessons to bear in mind can be grouped according to the (1)planning & developing the ID, (2)the implementation of the ID, & (3)its dissemination. (1) The planning & creation of any ID require the developers be acquainted with the theories & principles of human cognition, behavior & learning.Similarly, developers must be well-acquainted with the learning needs,preferences & characteristics of the target audience.The knowledge of these two areas (theoretical & real world) exist,then they have to be connected in an assemblage that meets the needs of the target audience in the best possible way. The planning & development process has benefitted a lot from trying out the draft-versions of the ID both with fellow tutors (potential future developers:) & students.Planning & developing the ID required a considerable time investment.This aspect has to be taken into consideration before one embarks in these activities. (2) In the process of implementing the ID,it is important for the developer to be flexible and be ready to adjust or delete parts of the sprints. There might be the case that even carefully prepared challenges do not capture the students' attention.In this situation,it is the tutor's duty to replace/delete the content or activity. Again, it is the tutor's duty to maintain the students on the learning paths.This is done by devoting attention & giving feedback to the students.Prompt reactions to the students' questions,observations,requests, & achievements are of vital importance.Two surveys conducted during the autumn & spring semester of the 2020 academic year, & many interviews indicated that one of the things students value the most in sprint is their tutor's attention & quick feedback. The two most successful characteristics of the GAMIFYREAD ID are (as indicated by surveys & interviews) the possibility of free decision of what challenge to take up & the freedom of time management. (3)The process of dissemination benefits from holding workshop sessions where the participants can see demonstrations of how the GAMIFYREAD ID works & where they can try it out.

Adaptability and sustainability of the best practice (for other institutions)

As mentioned in the 5.1 Methodology section, the GAMIFYREAD ID is language and subject independent. Thus it can be adapted in a variety of teaching & learning contexts.At the International Studies and Political Science Institution of the Pázmány Péter Catholic University, the ID has been tryied out with both Hungarian L1 (native language) undergraduate students & with graduate students with various L1s, studying in English.Both language groups (Hungarian L1 & multilingual) appreciated the possibility of studying within the GAMIFYREAD ID.The academic courses in which the GAMIFYREAD ID has been adopted are listed in the 5.1 Methodology section. Due to its subject-independent character, the GAMIFYREAD ID can be implemented in secondary schools as well. An example of one such implementation is performed by the Hungarian literature and language teacher, Pál Bödecs.

Promotion of best practice

The principles on which the GAMIFYREAD ID is founded & the way it can be designed & developed are taught as elements of the Teachers' Digital Competencies course at Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church. In addition, informal workshops are held for interested tutors at Pázmány Péter Catholic University. As mentioned before,a manuscript containing some of the partial findings derived from survey & interview data examining students' sprint preferences has been submitted this year to the Community College Journal of Research and Practice with the aim to disseminate information on a larger, international level. Information about GAMIFYREAD is shared on the https://www.protopage.com/emese.boksay.pap#GAMIFYREAD_ID

Scope and impact

• Course/department level
• Faculty level
• Institutional level
• Cross-institutional level
• National level
• EU/EHEA/International level

The approach to teaching & learning adopted in the GAMIFYREAD ID is relevant at the levels mentioned above because its basic tenets,such as gamification,digitalization,adaptive teaching, transformative learning,& sustainability are some of the main signposts of education inn the 21st century.The relevance of the GAMIFYREAD ID approach at each of the above levels has been detailed at 4.1.a Good practice references.

6.1 Digitalization

• Outstanding, innovative, excellent practices of online / blended / hybrid learning
• Innovative, novel methodology in using digital tools/devices in teaching
• Digital skills development and assessment both general and profession-related, embedded in course design, in teaching and assessment
• Novel digital solutions (tools, frameworks, devices, tasks to enhance efficiency and motivation)
• Digital scientific sources used in T&L

Reasoning: Digitalization is present in the GAMIFYREAD ID at several levels. It applies digital scientific resources in the forms of academic material (e-books & documents). Digitalization is present at the level of the innovatively assembled available electronic tools. The use of easily accessible, low-cost electronic tools to create the GAMIFYREAD itself is to be considered a novel digital solution. Both the developer & students develop digital skills in interacting with the GAMIFYREAD ID.

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6.2 Internationalization

• Courses offered to international multicultural students both online and offline

Reasoning: The GAMIFYREAD ID has been applied in courses offered to international multilingual student groups beneficiaries of the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship in the academic year 2020-2021. The course in which the ID has been used are Academic Language Development and Academic Writing.

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6.3 Inclusion and diversity, universal design

• Inclusive course design, universally designed divers activities to meet special students' needs
• Universally designed teaching material - adjustable for special needs
• Innovative teaching methodology for inclusion and meet diverse student needs
• Alternative, flexible assessment methods for students with special needs

Reasoning: The GAMIFYREAD ID meets the requirement of inclusion at a number of aspects. It supports student-centered learning. It makes possible the empowerment of students by offering them the possibility to decide what & when to study. It also offers individually tailored learning paths. It uses a transparent & adaptive evaluation, which acknowledges & awards partial performance. It includes an effective guiding structure & tutor support, both directed towards supporting students' efforts to learn.

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6.4 Sustainability

• Teaching material contains profession related sustainability aspects

Reasoning: Sustainability in the GAMIFYREAD ID is in line with the sustainability goals of the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as follows: 1.The use of e-tools is guided by minimal investment conducive to the best possible result. 2.The shrinking of the digital divide between tutors & students, students & students. 3.It aims at maintaining the recirculation of resources & content. 4.It sustains students' endeavour to fulfill their potential.

3.3 Public contact datas

Name	Email address	Website
Emese Boksay Pap	boksayne.pap.emese@btk.ppke.hu