Unlocking Hidden Rules of Office Hours: A Game Jam on the First-Gen College Students' Experiences
1Enter abstract hereOffice hours can be a positive experience, a time for students to connect one-on-one with instructors, where mentorship opportunities arise, and when meaningful relationships can flourish (Nadworny, 2019). However, some college students, such as first-generation populations, may be unaware of these opportunities (Jack, 2019). This case study engaged participants to design interactive game systems on how first-generation students perceive and experience office hours. Data, including game artifacts and survey responses, were analyzed through the Elements of Connected Learning, specifically, how game jams harness participants’ interests, opportunities, and relationships. Research questions guiding this study included: What themes emerge from the student-created game jam artifacts? What were students’ experiences and perceptions in participating in the game jam? How do students perceive the final game jam product? How do students perceive a game jam as an approach for harnessing student voice? Findings suggest that game jams can be used to teach coding and design skills but also as an approach to surface how undergraduate students make meaning of the systems they must navigate in college. When constructed as student-authored games, these systems appear to have hidden rules, particularly for first-generation students.
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