HR4RS stamp
Raul Garcia Hemonnet
During the last quarter, the different groups of students of Spanish Sign Language and the Deaf Community have immersed themselves in the Harry Potter universe while carrying out their curricular activities.
Thus, the study plans have been renamed, the students organized into the houses of the saga (Slythering, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and RavenClaw) and the subjects renamed as the knowledge that Harry Potter and his friends had to know to become wizards. The Harry Potter 'home tournament' for the degree in Spanish Sign Language and the Deaf Community is the first complete gamification of a degree of this level at a Spanish university.
Ricardo Moreno, coordinator of the degree and one of the promoters of this initiative has indicated that “the experience has been very positive. It has allowed us to see changes in a very short term in different aspects. We have seen an increase in unity (since students have organized themselves at home) and it has served to work on transversal skills and soft skills: teamwork, public speaking, problem solving or analytical skills, among others.
In these aspects of learning in which gamification has focused, which has crossed the entire structure of the degree. The content of the subjects and the teaching guides have been respected, although everything has been dressed in the theme of the famous sorcerer created by JKRowling.
The result of turning this degree around has been, in the words of Moreno, an increase in "attendance, participation and greater cohesion among the students." The student body has taken responsibility for designing its flag and motto.
The initiative has had the participation of a total of 23 teachers of the degree, some of them, Ricardo Moreno points out, "were not convinced at first, but seeing how it has worked, they wanted to participate once the gamification began."
Motivation, which is the main objective of active methodologies, has been a success. “When we launched the idea, the students created their home profiles on social networks before we created the school one,” says Moreno.
Deciphering Rajoy and Falcó
After different challenges, such as interpreting statements by former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy or Tamara Falcó at LSE, or making accessible videos and research on Sign Language and its main figures, a final classification was reached. The articulation of gamification has been done through Instagram. The winners, one for each of the locations where the degree is taught (Quintana and Alcorcón) received a property title of a star that were named with relevant personalities in the field. The final awards ceremony has been sponsored by the singer from La Mancha Rozalén and her interpreter at LSE.
This new approach has allowed, for example, that "students less likely to expose themselves to the public, but who are fans of Harry Potter, have become a reference in their groups," says Ricardo Moreno.
This experience has served as a 'pilot' to develop and deepen this methodology for the coming academic year.
“You have to bet on active methodologies in the university, they motivate and generate learning that lasts over time. They can be applied to all degrees”, points out Ricardo Moreno.
A pioneering way in the university of motivating students and which corroborates the commitment of the URJC with the incorporation of the most innovative teaching methodologies.