MAJOR SELECTION AND CHARACTER CREATION A CREATIVE APPROACH

MAJOR SELECTION AND CHARACTER CREATION: A CREATIVE APPROACH TO EXPLORATION UNIVERSITY OF HAWAIʻI AT MĀNOA ANDREW NGUYEN

QUEST LOG • • • Introduction Major Exploration Gamification In Practice Discussion

Advisor Introduction Academic Advisor Avid Gamer

Mānoa Sophomore Experience The mission of the MSE is to help rising sophomores and sophomores navigate academic requirements and campus life so they become engaged with the campus community and invested in their college experience.

Exploratory Courses • UNIV 240: The Fresh-More Experience • Designed to provide freshmen and sophomores knowledge and skills to thrive in their second semester and second year of college. • Topics include: • Major Exploration • Sophomore Slump • Academic Planning • Post-Undergraduate Experience

The Major Selection Process • Life-framing decision many students struggle with (Galotti, Altenbaumer, Geerts, Rupp, & Woulfe, 2006) • Correlated with job stability and satisfaction (Soria & Stebleton, 2013) • Motivations when selecting a major (Roach, Mc. Gaughey, & Downey, 2012) • External Factors • Interpersonal Factors • Internal Factors

External Factors • Financial and job security • i. e. starting salary, future earnings, mobility, security, prestige, status

Interpersonal Factors • Individual relationships • I. e. family, friends, mentors, role-models

Internal Factors • Self-perception of abilities and skills

Narrowing Down Influential Factors • Ikigai

Utilizing Imagination for Major Exploration • Creativity & Imagination • Flow

Gamification • What is Gamification? • What is a game? • Free • Separate • Uncertain • Unproductive • Regulated • Make-believe

Productivity and Versatility • Embracing games • Integration

Role-playing Games (RPG) Traditional Modern

Final Fantasy VII: A Prescriptive Approach • • Character Gameplay Stats Story

Mass Effect: A Developmental Approach • • Character Gameplay Stats Story

In Practice • • Origins Quest Log (Primary) Quest Log (Secondary) Character Stats

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