No abstract

Character identification occurs when game players adopt the identities of game characters to different degrees. Character identification can enhance identity development and learning of young adolescents but how higher education students in professional programs develop character identification using a gamification learning mobile app and use it to support their learning of professional skills and development of professional identities have not been examined. This study describes the design of a character-based gamified learning quest to support the learning of design skills. Through 13 learning quests, 4 3 tertiary design and media students used the professional media roles and ‘power’ attributes of their chosen characters towards the design of an innovative media product. The study investigates the developed character identification for their professional. Content analysis of students’ video blog reflections indicated that more than half of them were able to establish deep identification with their chosen characters. Students who had deep identification enacted their character by actively ideating, prototyping and testing design ideas whereas those who had shallow or no identification largely focused on ideation. Regression analysis showed that deep character identification during design conceptualization predicted students’ design project scores. How the study findings can inform the practical applications of character-based gamification in higher education professional learning programs are discussed.