Ready for a Side Quest?
If you consider yourself a gamer you may know quite a bit about side quests in video games, which are optional missions that branch off from the main storyline. You don’t have to do them to win the game, but they tend to add a lot of excitement for the player. Side quests are built with an understanding that players want different things from the same game; and in my opinion, this idea lends itself well to online learning. In this post I am going to explain what side quests are in the context of your course; why you may want to create a side quest in your course; why would your students complete side quests; and much more!
In my experience it is currently more challenging than ever to teach online. There are an abundance of issues (not just AI use) that makes it particularly tough right now. I have taught three different online mathematics courses over many years and it is difficult to have a high level of engagement from students compared to the past. Lately I feel like items and activities in my courses that have been exciting are not reaching the students in the same way. This prompted me to consider new ideas for my courses. By incorporating side quests into my online courses, I’m trying to not just capture my students’ attention by involving a game-like experience but also increase their overall enjoyment.
What Are Side Quests in Online Courses?
Side quests are optional activities that branch off from your core curriculum. They’re not required to pass the course, but a side quest is there for anyone who wants to unlock a reward and hopefully enjoy the process. Side quests in video games can be the highlight of the entire experience and if a student thinks a side quest was the best part of my course then that is fine with me!
In my courses side quests are optional, exploratory activities that let students dive deeper into topics that spark their curiosity, earn bonus achievements, and help them develop skills at their own pace. Students may become more active learners and feel more in control. It’s really up to the student what they want to do and how much they want to complete. Side quests can be as long or as short as you want them to be; the only real rule is that they are completely separate from the rest of how your class runs. Gamification is the use of game mechanics in places that are not originally game-related — like our courses. So, adding side quests is one way to gamify your class. Students can feel like they’re not doing traditional course work and get a sliding scale of rewards that are completely dependent on their choices.
Side quests allow students to expand their learning journey, rewarding those who choose to explore something new. I am hoping this will lead to higher engagement and connection between the students and the course. I want students to truly enjoy the experience of taking any of my courses and again I am adding an opportunity that is not mandatory. Someone can read over the directions and decide to not partake, just like a player may choose not to do a side quest in their video game. Side quests are driven by intrinsic motivation and curiosity rather than their grades. I hope that the temptation to unlock bonuses creates a positive experience that genuinely boosts engagement (and it has so far).
Side Quests are not just extra credit.
The goal is for side quests to feel fun, not like extra work. I don’t want side quests to come across as just more extra credit. The amount of students who do extra credit has gone down over the years, which is one of the reasons I am including something new in my courses. The language I use, how I present the side quest, and the reward structure are all unique. It should make students curious as to what this opportunity entails that is different from what they have already seen. I still do have a lot of extra credit opportunities in my courses but side quests are completely distinct and are meant to be more of an experience. A side quest in my course takes more time and must be done by hand.
I present the side quest differently than extra credit to try to grab their attention. The first time I made a course announcement post about this, it included “Now.. I have the opportunity for you to go on a Side Quest!” On our course site it is an embedded image with question marks and a magnifying glass that says, WANT A SIDE QUEST? AN OPTIONAL MATHEMATICAL ADVENTURE FOR EXTRA CREDIT. In the post it asks students to contact me for the plain text view because I used Adobe Express to create a special webpage for each class with the side quest.
While I usually include an image I think having just a question mark like the one here would do the trick too. I think of it as sending an appealing and intriguing invitation to my students and hope that at least a few show up.
I do not want to overwhelm learners with too many options so leaving images, question marks, and links about the side quests are meant to attract students to click and learn more. If students decide not to do it then that’s fine. At least I am giving them the option. I had a couple of students submit multiple creations in the pilot semester so I consider it a success! I am going to not only keep the side quest but hide it in more places throughout the course website for students to stumble upon, along with my course announcement reminders.
Choose Your Own Adventure! (Ideas for Side Quests)
Adding side quests to your courses is not super easy. It takes time, creativity, and resources to create and implement this optional content. The good news is that once you do spend the time then you have that material to use again and again. My suggestion is to start small and do a pilot with something you would like to do in your free time. If no students took part then think about changing to a different idea or a different way to present the side quest. You can email me and I will happily give you some feedback. These are some ideas you may want to consider for a side quest. There is no right or wrong idea so pilot an idea and see how it goes. Just make sure to have it be optional.
- Online Scavenger Hunt related to a topic
- In-person Scavenger Hunt related to a topic
- Interview someone in-person or online related to a topic or concept covered
- Create visual items (poster, infographic, diagram, etc) to explain concepts or topics
- Research a topic or concept that you have not covered in this class but you wish we have then create a presentation to share with either your voice narrating and explaining the slides or create a video that includes you speaking about the topic or concept
- Go to a museum. Take pictures and write about your experience related to a topic.
- Host a study session in-person or virtual. How was the time spent? Was it helpful or do you prefer to work alone?
- Create extra credit problems you wish were on the final exam. Show your work and submit.
- Notes challenge. Submit your notes from at least two modules/units we have done. Do you think your note-taking has changed because of this?
- Create Memes about the course content.
- Read a scholarly article or articles or book chapter related to a topic then write a summary about the experience.
- Create and Share a study guide.
- Creative constructions related to a topic.
I had my students choose to make geometric creations using a ruler. Depending how many they submitted they could either get extra point(s) on the final exam or replace their lowest assignment with full credit. Students submitted their work on a Padlet either as a series of images showing their step-by-step work or a video of their process. Students had to do a new Padlet post submission with every art work. I personally would love for my students to turn their side quest into a hobby they continue with after the semester or simply feel proud after they are done and get their bonus.
Some Specific Instructions
Here is some of the language I use on my side quest websites.
WANT SOME EXTRA CREDIT? These activities are completely optional. The purpose is to enjoy mathematics and relax while creating something by hand.
You will have the choice on how many you do and where the extra credit will go towards!
You will need:
- paper — preferably graph paper
- a ruler or any straight edge
- a cell phone or camera to take pictures
You can choose how many you do and submit and where the extra credit goes — depending how many you end up doing!
Read on for more!
Then I have ten samples of art pieces I have done showing multiple steps for each so students can recreate them easily or try others but see what I would like them to submit. At the end of the side quest website, I have “If you have any questions, please let me know! Hope you enjoy this! I did while making my own.”
Bonus Level
Side quests offer a way to give our students agency, reward their curiosity, and create a memorable experience that can be seen as more like an adventure than a regular assignment. If you’re struggling with engagement, completion rates, or just the feeling that your course could use something new, then side quests might be worth exploring.
I’m doing this for my students to be more engaged and have more fun. You will most likely benefit too because I had fun myself creating and partaking in the side quests!
References You May Enjoy:
Please feel free to email me with ideas you have for a side quest or if you end up trying one of the ones I’ve talked about here!
Jennifer Shloming is an Assistant Professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology and a 2019 SUNY Online Teaching Ambassador.
If you would like to be a guest author for the Online Teaching Hub, contact Erin Maney.
ambassador, instructional design, online faculty, online teaching, teaching online