Browsing by Subject "Games"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Communicating Biosecurity in Animal Agriculture: Evaluation of Communication That Encourages Dialogue, Learning and Action
    (2023-05) Schuft, Abigail
    It is well documented that implementing biosecurity on an animal farm is beneficial to the animal’s health and wellness and in reducing the risk of production losses caused by diseases. However, compliance of biosecurity protocols has been shown to be low, and a lack of training has been blamed. A preliminary Systems Thinking model is presented to demonstrate how complex factors, including biosecurity, are intertwined with disease response such as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). Additionally, to increase the appeal of biosecurity education and better understand teaching methods specific to biosecurity, three research projects were completed. First, biosecurity workshops were developed and delivered to youth in Minnesota to encourage positive changes and long-term outcomes for healthier animals. Nine animal species were the focus of programs where learning gains increased by 38% (p≤0.001) on average and the participants retained the knowledge over time. Most participants indicated they would make one or two changes because of the workshop and follow-up evaluation indicated many did implement changes. By implementing the changes, they further demonstrated how youth can act as an agent of change within the family, farm, and community. Another study evaluated education methods for biosecure barn entry and exit protocols by assessing the number of errors, length of time to complete and how it affected biosecurity compliance over time. Three simulated farm entryways were constructed with a unique set of protocols assigned (Protocol) using common industry practices. A participant learned operating procedures in one of three educational modalities (Method): listen, read, or watch. When half of the participants returned after a lapse of time (> 1 month), they had to rely on their recall of the procedures. Education method had no effect on errors or time to complete biosecure procedures. However, the number of steps required and time between visits were found to be predictors of errors and time. Finally, three biosecurity games were developed to explore disease spread risk and to engage group-based discussion to devise strategies to mitigate the associated risks. In the games, simulated people and places each have a stock of particles, and a daily routine of interactions promotes the transfer of particles back and forth. The combinations of the pathogen source, its concentration, biosecurity protocols and sequence of events could be explored through game play. The concepts of the games were assessed to explore their impact and adaptability for use in specific farm systems, facilities, and audiences. Qualitative feedback occurred through participant feedback and observations. Quantitative data was collected to validate particle transfer during the games. Players of all backgrounds learned about the variability of particle movement through interactions that mirror the reality of day-to-day pathogenic particle transfer risk because of playing all three biosecurity game designs. In conclusion, biosecurity communications that encourage dialogue, learning and action proved to be impactful for the various participants.
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    An Exercise in Building a Meaningful Life: Game Design for Young Philosophers
    (2017) Beard, David; LaChance Adams, Sarah
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    Understanding Technical Language Use in Competitive League of Legends
    (2019-04) Ernst, Nathan
    League of Legends (LoL) is an online competitive strategy game that necessitates a constant sharing of information between five teammates. The game is the largest part of the esports industry with more than 100 million monthly players. Professional “gamers” play in competitive matches that last anywhere from twenty minutes to an hour and require constant communication of details and strategy between the five teammates. This study was done to better understand the role of technical language within competitive LoL teams. What tools do they utilize to communicate in this high stress environment? What does their ‘technical’ communication look like when it’s broken down?
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    Writing for Fun: Using Play in the College Writing Classroom
    (2024) Davis, Mikayla
    In order to better understand how play can be used as a learning tool to teach students in college writing courses, this dissertation examines how play is used in the undergraduate college writing classroom. Using a qualitative case study and narrative inquiry, instructors and students in the University of Minnesota’s (UMN) Writing Studies department active between fall of 2021 and spring of 2023 were surveyed and interviewed to gain perspectives on what play is and how play has been used in the UMN college writing classrooms. Those surveys and interviews were then analyzed through modified grounded theory that focused on participants’ narrative voice and storytelling elements. The results of this study found that play is too contextual to have a single answer to how play is used in the undergraduate college writing classroom. However, participants recognized six specific dimensions that help describe classroom play. Those dimensions help define play in writing as: enjoyable, creative, generative, embodied, flexible, and social. Results of my study also found that, within the UMN writing classroom, play is being used to increase engagement, innovation, and agency. Participants noted more understanding of the writing process and rhetorical context as well. Overall, participants in this study agreed that play is a useful pedagogical tool and should be used more in the college writing classroom. While this study is limited to the context of the UMN Writing Studies classrooms, it identifies ways that play can be used to teach students in a college writing course. By connecting the findings to scholarship, this study offers recommendations on how play can be implemented into college-level writing curriculum. Further research could expand in other contextual directions to find other ways that play could be used to teach in the undergraduate writing classroom.