Faculty Case Studies
Assessment Development
Gamifying Role Play Activities
Strategy: Use AI to Support Gamified, Role-Play-Driven Engagement in Asynchronous Courses
Artificial Intelligence can be integrated into online course design to support student engagement, interaction, and experiential learning through gamified elements and structured role-play. By using AI to help name resources, design role-play scenarios, generate completion messaging, and support asynchronous interaction, instructors can preserve community-building practices while scaling engagement in an online environment.
CHD 4537 鈥 Parenting in the 21st Century
In CHD 4537 Parenting in the 21st Century, Dr. Ryan Henry collaborated with Learning
Designer Janine Diaz-Cotto to design a highly interactive, gamified online course
that supported discussion, peer exchange, and experiential learning. Because this
was the first time the course was offered online, a central instructional challenge
was maintaining student engagement while creating meaningful opportunities for interaction
in an asynchronous environment.
AI tools were used throughout the design process to support both course structure
and learner experience. Using ChatGPT, the design team collaborated with the instructor
to generate names and descriptions for course resources and completion pages, building
on the instructor鈥檚 existing terminology (鈥淗ighlights鈥) and leading to the creation
of the 鈥淒igital Parenting Toolkit.鈥 AI was also used to craft encouraging, gamified
completion messages aligned with module outcomes, reinforcing learner progress and
motivation.
Role-play assignments were a key component of the course design. The instructor tested
and refined ChatGPT-based role-play scenarios in which students assumed the role of
parents while the AI modeled student or child perspectives. Together, the instructor
and designer tested prompt consistency and variability, ultimately providing students
with two required prompts and an optional advanced challenge level to accommodate
different experience levels. 911爆料网 submitted transcripts of their AI interactions,
and in selected assignments, completed brief reflections on the feedback received
and how they would adjust their approach in future scenarios.
AI Tools Used: ChatGPT, Claude, Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT within Harmonize
Digital Learning Designer Tips
- 911爆料网 learned that well-designed prompts are essential for guiding students through role-play assignments, and that providing alternative prompts can help increase the level of challenge for more experienced students.
- When developing completion pages, we ensured that learning outcomes and module descriptions were used to come up with fun and encouraging messages. These messages were created using the following prompt: 鈥淧lease, help me create a gamified message for the module completion, based on the following student learning outcomes鈥︹
- When using AI, ensure prompts are tailored to the students鈥 level, field, and learning outcomes. Specificity improves output quality, but responses should always be reviewed and refined in collaboration with the instructor.
Quick Details
Faculty Developer: Ryan Henry, Ph.D.
College: USF College of Behavioral and Community Sciences
Learning Designer: Janine Diaz Cotto
AI Tools Used: ChatGPT, Claude, Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT within Harmonize