Uploaded July 2020 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
On July 14 2020, Kristin Ziska-Strange shared her expertise on how games easily grab attention, feed the imagination, and motivate their players. Participants in this presentation were challenged to explore, dissect, and evaluate what makes games engaging for players and apply what they have found to their own learning challenges and course syllabi. Using games for student engagement doesn't have to look like Call of Duty and you don't need a Ph.D. in Computer Science to create them. The most engaging, game-like experiences in learning contexts can take very simple forms, such as narrative or quest. Together, participants reflected on the parts and pieces of games that make things a little more exciting and go on an adventure. By the end of the workshop, participants were able to embrace game-based elements for their own classes and training, and left with a solid implementation plan.
Krys Ziska Strange is Assistant Director, Innovation & Technology, in the Office of Digital Learning at University of Arizona. She also teaches courses focused on gaming culture and a game-based course focused on social issues. She earned her PhD in Curriculum & Instruction, focusing on faculty identity and professional development, her Master's degree in Library and Information Science from Wayne State University and her Bachelor's in Creative Writing (Poetry) from Methodist College.
On July 14 2020, Kristin Ziska-Strange shared her expertise on how games easily grab attention, feed the imagination, and motivate their players. Participants in this presentation were challenged to explore, dissect, and evaluate what makes games engaging for players and apply what they have found to their own learning challenges and course syllabi. Using games for student engagement doesn't have to look like Call of Duty and you don't need a Ph.D. in Computer Science to create them. The most engaging, game-like experiences in learning contexts can take very simple forms, such as narrative or quest. Together, participants reflected on the parts and pieces of games that make things a little more exciting and go on an adventure. By the end of the workshop, participants were able to embrace game-based elements for their own classes and training, and left with a solid implementation plan.
Krys Ziska Strange is Assistant Director, Innovation & Technology, in the Office of Digital Learning at University of Arizona. She also teaches courses focused on gaming culture and a game-based course focused on social issues. She earned her PhD in Curriculum & Instruction, focusing on faculty identity and professional development, her Master's degree in Library and Information Science from Wayne State University and her Bachelor's in Creative Writing (Poetry) from Methodist College.
