#QQML2016 Gamifying Business Information Literacy

Next in liveblogging from the QQML conference, Jordan Nielsen (San Diego State University) talked about Gamifying Business Information Literacy: using digital badges to incentivise the acquisition of business information skills.
He decided to create a series of online business tutorials, and applied for a small research grant so he could use gamification in the tutorials: in this case to see whether digital badges engaged the students. Nielsen focused a specific course on Rhetoric and Writing, where he had reached 250 students in the first engagement with students, and 430 second engagement.
In terms of the tutorial, he considered using Adobe Connect, Blackboard and a homegrown system. He decided on Blackboard, as it does have a badging option, and also a means of enrolling all students in the tutorial. The tutorial has 3 sections, Finding, Evaluating and Using information, and in each section there are 2 subsections, one on company and on industry information. Nielsen used text, images, link, videos on Youtube, videos he created using Powtoons etc.
Badges on Blackboard are issued when they are triggered (so you set the trigger) and badges can be exported. The badged tutorials are going to pilot this autumn, with students surveyed, and also there will be a comparison between classes that have used the tutorials and classes which have had teaching in class.
Photo by Sheila Webber: lunchtime fruitplate, QQML conference