Discussion Hero: Saving Students from Boring Discussions

Discussion boards in online courses can be hit or miss, even when instructors design carefully worded prompts. As a result, learning designers at Northwestern University explored various ways to improve discussion boards. The result is Discussion Hero, a gamified discussion board that focuses on the debate aspects of discussion boards.

Outcomes: Define the difference between gamification and game-based learning * Identify elements of your courses that might benefit from gamification * Brainstorm ways Discussion Hero can be used in your courses