| The objective of this research was to examine students' perceptions of playing the sociological board game "The Last Straw: A Board Game on The Social Determinants of Health" in connection to the theoretical framework of engaged pedagogy (bell hooks 2010). To play the game, participants construct a profile by rolling dice to determine statuses (gender, race, SES). The game facilitator allocates vitality chips depending on the different social statuses, and these chips are gained and lost during the game as players pass through the different life stages, contextualized by the social statuses assigned to each character. After participating in a game session, participants evaluated the following: the game's helpfulness in understanding sociological concepts, their amount of interaction with others during the game, the degree to which the game is an effective teaching method, and their levels of involvement, interest, enjoyment, empathy, and motivation. Analysis of quantitative data and examination of qualitative responses supported the researcher's hypotheses regarding the above mentioned variables. The overall benefits of engaged teaching methods, such as the board game "The Last Straw: A Board Game on the Social Determinants of Health" for both students and teachers are discussed as a mechanism to help lessen some of the problems found within teaching in institutions of higher education today. |
