Games and social media can improve college access, attract and support
students, and boost rates of completion.
The college application process--which entails multiple forms, essays,
test scores, and deadlines--can be intimidating. For students without
substantial school and family support, the complexity of this process
can become a barrier to access. William G. Tierney, Tracy Fullerton, and
their teams at the University of Southern California approach this
challenge innovatively. Using the tools of online games and social
media, they have developed ways to make applying for college much less
intimidating.
While the vast majority of college students use social media and gaming
in their everyday lives, colleges and universities have been slow to
recognize and harness the power of either. Postsecondary Play explores
the significance of games and social media in higher education, and
particularly how they can be used to attract, retain, educate, and
socialize students.
Tierney, a past president of the American Educational Research
Association, has gathered some of the best research on the emerging role
of games and social media in the classroom and how these tools can boost
student confidence and increase college access. Scholars writing from a
wide variety of disciplines--college access, social media, game studies,
and learning sciences--provide concrete examples to illustrate the new
and complex ways in which students learn in response to social media and
games. Tierney and the contributors find that, although games can be
powerful tools for encouraging underserved students, quality game design
and mastering the concept of play--the ability to develop skills while
engaging in the game--are essential in the effective use of serious
games in teaching and learning.
Summarizing a decade of research in game design and learning,
Postsecondary Play will appeal to higher education scholars and
students of learning, online gaming, education, and the media.
