KOTA SAMARAHAN: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) recently hosted the second Gamification in Learning Seminar at MyCapsule Space, the first Gamification Lab in Malaysia at its campus here.
The seminar presented research findings and outcomes from a two-year international collaboration between Unimas (CreativeCulture) and Coventry University, UK.
The research project was funded with a Newton-Ungku Omar Research grant and was organised by the Institute of Social Informatics and Technology Innovation, Unimas and supported by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Sarawak Chapter.
Inspired by the concept of frugal innovation, this year’s theme ‘Playful Frugal Innovation’ signified the continuous quest to address the resonating need for ideas in teaching with minimal cost.
Teachers and educators were encouraged to be creative in using the available resources to optimise learning. Thus, this year’s seminar celebrated the co-creation of ideas which was constructed through limited means and materials.
Organising Chairperson Dr Jacey-Lynn Minoi explained that this year’s seminar aimed to tap into playful inspirations of existing traditional games played by various cultures in Sarawak and all around the globe.
In one of its sessions, participants learnt how traditional games could be used to teach Science and Mathematics to primary school students. This is part of the goals to increase students’ interests in STEM subjects.
Invited speakers at the seminar comprised experienced educators from schools and the university including 21st Century Learning Teacher Icons, Muhammad Nazmi Rosli from SK Long Sukang, Lawas and Nazira Roslee from SK Putrajaya Presint 9(1).
Muhammad Nazmi revealed that his passion was to help rural pupils to obtain the same quality of education as urban pupils. The founder of ‘Little Lessons by Little Chuckee’ uses gamification as one of the approaches to teach despite the lack of facilities, Internet and teaching tools in the school.
He also discussed the opportunities and challenges faced in introducing gamification in rural areas and how he had created solutions to tackle it effectively.
Meanwhile, a primary school teacher in Putrajaya, Nazira, teaches English and ICT. She frequently experiments with teaching methods to increase learners’ use of the English Language by providing a learning experience that allows learners to engage with their peers and the materials provided.
To further increase the use of the language outside the classroom; ‘There Has Been a Murder’ game was created using the ‘Old Maid’ card game for a new ‘WhoDunnit’ storytelling experience. The game was conceived through a mutual appreciation of detective stories by Nazira and her students.
A lecturer at The Faculty of Language and Communication, Chuah Kee Man, who is an avid gamer in his personal time, shared how he used gamification in both teaching and learning.
His passion in gamification is apparent not only in teaching and learning but also in research where several of his innovations have won awards locally and internationally. His recent award is a Gold medal at the 2019 Malaysia Technology Expo for his gamified literacy app for dyslexic children.
