1. “Gaming” the system: A classroom experiment
to (try to) make news use fun…and social!
2. “Gaming” the system: A classroom experiment
to (try to) make news use fun…and social!
3. “Gaming” the system: A classroom experiment
to (try to) make news use fun…and social!
• Newspaper advertising down 50% since 2007
(ASNE, 2013)
• Staffs down 31%; 17,000 newspaper jobs lost
4. “Gaming” the system: A classroom experiment
to (try to) make news use fun…and social!
• Newspaper advertising down 50% since 2007
(ASNE, 2013)
• Staffs down 31%; 17,000 newspaper jobs lost
• TV news viewership down 55% since 1980
(Pew, 2013)
5. “Gaming” the system: A classroom experiment
to (try to) make news use fun…and social!
• Newspaper advertising down 50% since 2007
(ASNE, 2013)
• Staffs down 31%; 17,000 newspaper jobs lost
• TV news viewership down 55% since 1980
(Pew, 2013)
• Average age of a CBS or CNN news viewer?
6. “Gaming” the system: A classroom experiment
to (try to) make news use fun…and social!
• Newspaper advertising down 50% since 2007
(ASNE, 2013)
• Staffs down 31%; 17,000 newspaper jobs lost
• TV news viewership down 55% since 1980
(Pew, 2013)
• Average age of a CBS or CNN news viewer?
62.3…and rising
7. “Gaming” the system: A classroom experiment
to (try to) make news use fun…and social!
8. “Gaming” the system: A classroom experiment
to (try to) make news use fun…and social!
9. “Gaming” the system: A classroom experiment
to (try to) make news use fun…and social!
10. “Gaming” the system: A classroom experiment
to (try to) make news use fun…and social!
• News consumption
11. “Gaming” the system: A classroom experiment
to (try to) make news use fun…and social!
• News consumption
• Military service
• Fraternal membership
• Voting rates
• Community investment
• Union membership
• School volunteering
• Reported health/happiness
12. “Gaming” the system: A classroom experiment
to (try to) make news use fun…and social!
• News consumption
• Military service
• Fraternal membership
• Voting rates
• Community investment
• Union membership
• School volunteering
• Reported health/happiness
• Suicide
• Divorce
13. “Gaming” the system: A classroom experiment
to (try to) make news use fun…and social!
• So, what would you rather do?
14. “Gaming” the system: A classroom experiment
to (try to) make news use fun…and social!
• So, what would you rather do?
15. “Gaming” the system: A classroom experiment
to (try to) make news use fun…and social!
• So, what would you rather do?
16. “Gaming” the system: A classroom experiment
to (try to) make news use fun…and social!
• So, why not turn news into a game?
17. “Gaming” the system: A classroom experiment
to (try to) make news use fun…and social!
• So, why not turn news into a game?
18. “Gaming” the system: A classroom experiment
to (try to) make news use fun…and social!
• So, why not turn news into a game?
19. “Gaming” the system: A classroom experiment
to (try to) make news use fun…and social!
• News game, control & experimental groups
• Previous week’s news; 2 local sources; no sports
• 2 ways to earn points:
-Student does know a news story;
-Experimenter doesn’t know a news story
• Pre- and post-tests measured 2 areas:
-Current events knowledge
-Civics knowledge
20. “Gaming” the system: A classroom experiment
to (try to) make news use fun…and social!
• First iteration: Spring 2010
8 classes; 200 students (exp n=113); 6 visits
-Current events knowledge +15%
-Civics knowledge +37%
21. “Gaming” the system: A classroom experiment
to (try to) make news use fun…and social!
• First iteration: Spring 2010
8 classes; 200 students (exp n=113); 6 visits
-Current events knowledge +15% (few students)
-Civics knowledge +37%
22. “Gaming” the system: A classroom experiment
to (try to) make news use fun…and social!
• First iteration: Spring 2010
8 classes; 200 students (exp n=113); 6 visits
-Current events knowledge +15%
-Civics knowledge +37%
• Second iteration: Summer 2012
2 classes; 94 (exp n=56); 18 visits (every day)
-Current events knowledge +86%
-Civics knowledge +83%
23. “Gaming” the system: A classroom experiment
to (try to) make news use fun…and social!
• Next: Expand it to high school
2 social studies classes, approx. 30 students
each
-Lubbock High School (STEM magnet)
-Coronado High School (more diverse)
24. “Gaming” the system: A classroom experiment
to (try to) make news use fun…and social!
• Next: Expand it to high school
2 social studies classes, approx. 30 students
each
-Lubbock High School (STEM magnet)
-Coronado High School (more diverse)
• Texas Tech IRB approved
• Lubbock School District research chair approved
• Two H.S. principles approved & ID’d teachers
• Lubbock Avalanche-Journal provided papers
• …teachers never responded
25. “Gaming” the system: A classroom experiment
to (try to) make news use fun…and social!
• Next: Expand it to high school
-Identified a likely teacher in Austin
-Will continue to pursue Lubbock teachers
• Hosted TAB conference; many news directors
• Plan to engage journalists & journalism faculty
to make numerous classroom visits and
host student tours in news facilities
26. “Gaming” the system: A classroom experiment
to (try to) make news use fun…and social!
• Next: Expand it to high school
-Identified a likely teacher in Austin
-Will continue to pursue Lubbock teachers
• Hosted TAB conference; many news directors
• Plan to engage journalists & journalism faculty
to make numerous classroom visits and
host student tours in news facilities
• Include recent graduates, now working in news
27. “Gaming” the system: A classroom experiment
to (try to) make news use fun…and social!
Thanks!
Kelly Kaufhold, Ph.D.
Texas Tech University
(512) 944-7256 (c)
kelly.kaufhold@ttu.edu