Session 3H | We’re Not Playing Around: Using Gamification to Create a Winning OER Staff Team

More than two years apart, Angela Lucero, Scholarly Communication Librarian, and Tessy Torres, OER Librarian, invited colleagues at The University of Texas at El Paso Library to professional development workshops on OER—one based on practice scenarios, the other a trivia-style series. Though both sessions prioritized active learning and a flipped-classroom style, the resulting retention among their colleagues was disparate, which had demonstrable impacts on the staff’s ability to adequately engage with faculty on OER initiatives.

In this session, the presenters will talk about incorporating gamification to maximize retention and engagement, as well as make a potentially less-than-interesting topic fun. Participants will engage in mini activities which will allow them to experience examples of gamification in a professional development setting. Participants will also complete an in-session decision-making tool to assess their OER staffing needs and determine what level of training should be provided for that staff.