Teachers often complain that it is difficult to motivate students to learn. Lee Sheldon proposed a novel solution to this problem: run the classroom as if it were a multiplayer video game. In Sheldon’s classroom, students are assigned different “quests” to complete (e.g., quizzes, exams). For each quest a student completes, he or she earns a given number of points (e.g., up to 5 points for a quiz, up to 400 points for an exam). After earning enough points, students achieve a new rank. Since ranks equate to letter grades (e.g., Level 1=F, Level 12=A), students are motivated to complete tasks and achieve the highest rank possible. Under this game system, students have a better grasp of how they are doing in class at any given time. They have fun seeing their scores rise and feel more in control of their own progress.

Sheldon’s “game” concept fit well with the content of his class: he was teaching students about video games. In this session, I would like to discuss the possibilities of using Sheldon’s game system in other courses. What benefits does the game system have for the humanities classroom? What challenges does it pose? How can one implement the game structure without distracting from the content of the course? Can the game be used in large, introductory lecture courses with 90+ people? What technology could be used to facilitate its implementation? I’ll start by presenting the basics of the game system, then open up the topic for discussion