Lead Department
NMCI - Maritime Studies
Coordinated by
Conor Moynihan (conor.moynihan@mtu.ie)
Active Members
6
Purpose
The Gaming as an Educational Tool Learning Community explores the application of serious gaming as an innovative educational tool within higher education. The initiative seeks to build a framework for incorporating serious games into teaching practice, develop an assessment model to determine their effectiveness, and support the implementation of these tools across multiple disciplines. Through hands-on engagement, the community aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice, enhancing student engagement and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Key Objectives:
- Identify areas within classes, modules, or programmes where serious gaming can enhance learning outcomes.
- Develop an assessment model to evaluate the suitability of different gaming tools.
- Conduct observation-based research, collect student feedback, and publish findings to inform best practices.
- Organise workshops and collaborative sessions to support and expand the use of serious gaming within MTU.
- Facilitate interdisciplinary learning opportunities, increasing engagement across faculties.
Summary
During the 2023-24 academic year, the Learning Community initiated discussions and experiments in serious gaming, particularly within Maritime Studies. Highlights include:
- Online discussions between TEL and Maritime Studies staff to explore gaming applications in education.
- Implementation of an online sailing game competition, integrating real-world wind data into a Meteorology module to reinforce forecasting skills and navigation techniques.
- A debriefing workshop on the competition, highlighting its effectiveness in enhancing student learning.
- Distribution of department-issued VR headsets to members for identifying potential applications in higher education.
For the 2024-25 academic year, the Learning Community will expand its reach across MTU by:
- Engaging with educators already using serious gaming to share experiences, challenges, and solutions.
- Hosting discussion workshops to foster interdisciplinary collaboration.
- Conducting formal research into VR headset applications in teaching and learning.
- Organising a university-wide workshop showcasing serious gaming in higher education, incorporating NMCI’s simulation technology in a gamified team exercise.
The Learning Community aims to transition from an exploratory phase to full integration within modules, providing robust evidence of serious gaming’s impact on student engagement and learning outcomes.
Additional Information
Innovative teaching solutions thrive in creative, peer-driven environments. This Learning Community fosters a collaborative space where educators can experiment with and refine digital learning approaches, ensuring technological advancements in education are inclusive, engaging, and effective. The initiative contributes to MTU’s commitment to enriched digital learning experiences, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and innovative pedagogical practices.
