DELTA partnered with NC State Dining’s Director of Nutrition and Wellness Lisa Eberhart and University Recreation to create a gamified, interactive module to help students get to know the wellness resources that are available on campus. The project also satisfies an objective as part of the Partnership for a Healthier America’s Healthy Campus Initiative. NC State was the first university in the nation to meet all 23 objectives of the initiative, and the wellness module is beyond the initial 23 objectives.
Wolfpack Wellness 101 features six elements of wellness: career, financial, physical, social, emotional and community. Each wellness element corresponds with a physical location on NC State’s campus, including Talley Student Union, Carmichael Gym, Student Health Center, Fountain Dining Hall, Pullen Hall and Carter-Finley Stadium—all places where first-year students spend a majority of their time. These buildings are identified on the navigation map and designed to look like the actual buildings on campus in the correct physical locations in relation to each other. Clicking a building opens its corresponding wellness block with content and activities.
Designed like a game, students earn badges as they progress through each area of wellness, learning about the many wellness resources available to them along the way.
The Wolfpack Wellness module will be available for all incoming first-year students and transfer students beginning in Fall 2018. Students will be encouraged to complete the module prior to starting classes at NC State to better familiarize themselves with wellness resources at the beginning of their higher education journey.
Instructional Challenges
- The transition to college can be challenging for many first-year students as their environments including their homes, classes and experiences completely change.
- Students are reluctant to recognize or seek wellness resources available to them on campus.
- Lack of engagement in previously required wellness education module.
- Students are not familiar with Moodle before starting classes.
- Provide a sustainable wellness resource for the large numbers of incoming first-year students each year.
- Wellness information and resources available on campus change often. Providers need to be able to quickly and easily update information for students.
- Create an engaging, interactive, and fun wellness experience that can be easily updated by instructors.
Highlights and Solutions
- The gamified experience makes learning about wellness resources a fun and engaging experience for first-year students. It also exposes students to resources before they come to campus, helping them feel more comfortable with the campus environment.
- Wolfpack Wellness 101 is housed in Moodle, giving students an introduction to the primary learning management system at NC State. The low-risk introduction gives students the freedom to explore Moodle and choose how and when they want to complete the module.
- Each location on the navigation map opens a different wellness topic where students explore information about the topic and then respond to a series of questions that relate to real choices and decisions they will have to make in life.
- The decision-tree learning lets students choose any answer, and based on the answer they receive specific feedback. Regardless of the selection they make, the feedback informs them about real-life situations and provides an opportunity to consider what different choices they might make.
- Wolfpack Wellness 101 is unique in that it addresses many areas of wellness using gamification to keep students engaged and interested in the content.
- Wolfpack Wellness 101 confirms NC State’s focus and commitment to wellness on campus and the overall well-being of the student body.
Related Links:
Wellness and Recreation article
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