Colleges and universities are using gamification to engage Gen Z students, and the Pullias Center is at the forefront of this innovative trend. Today, Education Dive featured the Charge On campaign, a digital effort conceived by the Pullias Center’s Digital Equity in Education team and the nonprofit GetSchooled to decrease summer melt and improve first-year persistence rates at California State University, Dominguez Hills.

Education Dive reports:

“Part of the reason why we created (the online tools) is to try and meet students where they are,” said Zoë Corwin, a University of Southern California associate professor of research and director of the project. “(We’re) capitalizing on some of the things they’re used to and that resonate with them.”

Researchers have developed several badges that students at Dominguez Hills can earn that intend to help them stick with college. Among them are reading up on financial tips and studying for finals. So far, about 164 first-year students have completed at least one badge as part of the campaign.

It’s just one such program colleges are testing to encourage positive behavior beyond the classroom. “Universities are slowly beginning to catch up to students,” Corwin said. “We’re kind of slow adopters, but I think there are some pretty innovative things going on.”

Read the full article at Education Dive and find out more about the Pullias Center’s Digital Equity in Education project, led by Zoë B. Corwin, a research associate professor at the Pullias Center