Gamified Grading
TL;DR
A framework for course design that uses the principles of andragogy to create an assessment system I have dubbed “gamified grading” that promotes students with diverse motivations and learning styles to become invested in achieving the SLOs without relying on generative AI.
Abstract
With the recent rise of so-called “generative AI,” instructors have struggled with how to motivate students and ensure they are not relying on gen AI to produce work when its use interferes with the development and achievement of the skill-based learning objectives (SLO) of the course. Part of the problem arises when the students prioritize grades rather than skills as the most meaningful outcome for the course. One of the ways to encourage students to invest in achieving the SLOs is to move from the directed teaching style of pedagogy towards andragogy, where students self-direct themselves and their learning. In this paper, I will introduce a framework for course design that uses the principles of andragogy to create an assessment system I have dubbed “gamified grading.” By giving students a degree of agency over how to practice the outcome skills to earn their grade, they are able to “play” the course in a way that is most engaging and meaningful for them. This promotes students with diverse motivations and learning styles to become invested in achieving the SLOs without relying on generative AI.