Using groupwork in the designing and playing of board games in occupational health and safety

Penny Singh; Ivan Niranjan

doi:10.1921/gpwk.v22i3.753

Authors

Penny Singh
Ivan Niranjan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1921/gpwk.v22i3.753

Keywords:

board games, communication, education, groupwork, learning, occupational health and safety, students, teamwork

Abstract

Abstract: In order to ensure the safety and health of workers, Occupational Health and Safety practitioners must have an excellent understanding of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations. They must therefore be able to interpret statutes and legislation which ensure that all sorts of work activities are carried out safely and with minimal risk. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the designing and playing of the board games as an educational intervention in Occupational Health and Safety within a groupwork context in a diverse classroom at a tertiary institution in South Africa, and report on students’ reflections of the process. Using groupwork, the boardgame exercise proved to be an effective teaching methodology and deep learning was achieved by designing, playing, and being assessed on the games. The use of groupwork also promoted improved relations and interactions, and effective teamwork. Valuable lessons in communication, collaboration and conflict resolution were also learned.

References

Accountancy SA. (2012) Transformation: An Accountancy reality check. [Accessed 30 August 2012 at http://www.accountancysa.org.za/resources/ShowItemArticle.asp?ArticleId=2487&Issue=1118]\nBecker, C. and Glasscoff, M.A. (2005) Linking lessons and learning: A technique to improve student preparation and engagement with subject materials. American Journal of Health Education, 36, 1, 51-53\nBottino, R.M. and Ott, M. (2006) Mind games, reasoning skills, and the primary school curriculum. Learning, Media and Technology, 31, 4, 359-375 [Accessed 10 June 2011 at http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17439880601022981]\nBoud, D. (2007) Reframing assessment as if learning were important. in D. Boud and N. Falchikov (Eds.) Reframing Assessment in Higher Education. London: Routledge (pp.14-25)\nClapton, G. and Daly, M. (2007) Bridging the theory-practice gap: Student placement groups co-facilitated by lecturers and practice teachers. Groupwork, 17, 3, 60-75\nCohen, L., Manion, L. and Morrison, K. (2006) A Guide to Teaching Practice. London: Routledge Falmer\nDavis, B., Sumara, D. and Luce-Kapler, R. (2000) Engaging Minds: Learning and Teaching in a Complex World. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates\nDe Freitas, S. and Griffiths, M. (2008) The convergence of gaming practices with other media forms: What potential for learning? A review of the literature. Learning, Media and Technology Education, 33, 1, 11-20. [Accessed 7 June 2011 at http://dx.doi.org.10.1080/17439880701868796]\nDempsey, J.V., Haynes, L.L., Lucassen, B.A. and Casey, M.S. (2002) Forty simple computer games and what they could mean to educators. Simulation and Gaming, 33, 2, 157-168\nDoel, M. (2007) Editorial. Groupwork, 17, 3, 3-7\nDormann, C. and Biddle, R. (2006) Humour in game-based learning. Learning, Media and Technology, 31, 4, 411-424 [Accessed 6 June 2011 at http://dx.doi. org/10.1080/17439880601022023]\nEuropean Leisure Software Publishers Association. (2006) Unlimited learning: Computer and videogames in the learning landscape. London, ELSPA [Accessed 6 June 2011 at http://www.elspa.com/assets/files/u/unlimitedlearning_345.pdf]\nGee, J.P. (2003) What Video Games have to Teach us about Learning and literacy. New York: Palgrave Macmillan\nGood, J. and Robertson, J. (2004) Computer games authored by children: A multi-perspective evaluation. in Proceedings of the 2004 Conference on Interaction Design and Children: Buildinga Community (pp.123-124) [Assessed 10 June 2011 at http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1017852 &dl=ACM&coll=portal]\nGreer, L. (2001) Does changing the method of assessment of a module improve the performance of a student. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 26, 2, 127-138\nHead, M. (2007) Deep learning and ‘topical issues’ in teaching Administrative Law. Practice article. [Accessed 10 June 2011 at http://www.austlii.edu.au/journals/LegEdRev/2007/9.html.]\nHolmes, W. (2011) Using game-based learning to support struggling readers at home. Learning, Media and Technology Education, 36, 1, 5-19 [Accessed 7 June 2011 at http://dx.doi.org.10.1080/17439884.2010.531023]\nKafai, Y. (2006) Playing and making games for learning: Instructionist and constructionist perspectives for game studies. Games and Culture, 1, 36-40 [Accessed 10 June 2011 at http://gac.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/1/1/36]\nKambouri, M., Thomas, S. and Harvey, M. (2006) Playing the literacy game: A case study in adult education. Learning, Media and Technology Education, 31, 4, 395-410 [Accessed 7 June 2011 at http://dx.doi. org.10.1080/17439880601022015]\nKane, L. (2004) Educators, learners and active learning methodologies. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 23, 3, 275-286\nKillen, R. (1998) Effective Teaching Strategies: Lessons from Research and Practice, 2nd ed. Wentworth Falls, Australia: Social Science Press\nKillen, R. (2000) Outcome-based education: Principles and possibilities. Unpublished manuscript, University of Newcastle, Faculty of Education [Accessed 10 March 2006 at http://www.schools.nt.edu.au/curricbr/cf/outcomefocus/killen_paper.pdf]\nKillen, R. (2001) Productive teaching and learning. Paper delivered at The Eighth International Literacy and Education Research Network Conference on Learning, 4-8 July, Spetses, Greece\nLave, J. (1988) Cognition in Practice: Mind, Mathematics and Culture in Everyday Life. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press\nLevy, D.P. and Merenstein, B. (2005) Working with stories: An active learning approach to theories of deviance. Teaching Sociology, 33, 1, 66-73\nMcFarlane, A., Sparrowhawk, A. and Heald, Y. (2002) The Report on the Educational Use of Games. Cambridge: TEEM\nMoll, L.C. (1993) Introduction. in L.C. Moll, (Ed.) Vygotsky and Education. Instructional Implications and Applications of Sociohistorical Psychology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (pp.1-30)\nO’Sullivan, D.W. and Cooper, C.L. (2003) Evaluating active learning: A new initiative for a general chemistry curriculum. Journal of College Science Teaching, 37, 7, 448-452\nPahl, K. and Rosswell, J. (2005) Literacy and Education: Understanding the new literacy studies in the classroom. London: Paul Chapman Publishing\nRodriguez, M.C. (1984) Current status of O.P.I. in Intensive Language Programs. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Southwest Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, 1-3 March, Colorado Springs\nRoth, W.M. (1994) Experimenting in a constructivist high school Physics laboratory. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 31, 2, 197-223\nSingh, P. (2010) Encouraging intercultural communication using an action research approach. Systemic Practice and Action Research, 23, 4, 341-352\nSingh, P. (2007) Groupwork in multicultural classrooms: A South African case study. Groupwork, 17, 3, 43-59\nSingh, P. (2004) Towards improving equity in assessment for tertiary science students in South Africa: Incorporating an oral component. Unpublished PhD thesis, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.\nSivan, A., Leung, R.B., Woon, C.W. and Kember, D. (2000) An implementation of active learning and its effect on the quality of student learning. Innovations in Education and Training International, 37, 4, 381-389\nThe Economist. (2010) Colour me South African. Learning to live in a rainbow society. [Accessed 30 August 2012 at http://www.economist.com/node/16248631]\nThe National Occupational Health and Safety Policy. Revised version 3, dated 23 July 2003 [Accessed 4 April 2011 at http://www.kznhealth.gov.za/acchealth/policy2.pdf ]\nTrochim, W.M.K. (2006) Social research methods. [Accessed 12 February 2011 at http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb]\nVygotsky, L.S. (1962) Language and Thought. Cambridge: MIT Press\nVygotsky, L.S. (1978) Mind in Society. London: Harvard University Press.\nVygotsky, L.S. (1981) The genesis of higher mental functions. in J. Wertsch, (Ed.) The Concept of Activity in Soviet Psychology. Armonk, NY: Sharpe (pp.144-188)\nWilliamson, B. (2007) Viewpoints: Teaching and learning with games? Learning, Media and Technology, 32, 1, 99-105. [Accessed 11 June 2011 at http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/174398806011414942]\nWright, J. and Forrest, G. (2007) A social semiotic analysis of knowledge construction and games centred approaches to teaching. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 12, 3, 273-287\nYoung, J.R. and Upitis, R. (1999) The microworld of Phoenix quest: Social and cognitive considerations. Education and Information Technologies, 4, 4, 391-408\n