Abstract:

Gamification tools, inspired in videogames, use gaming techniques for non-ludic purposes, such as the acquisition of knowledge and the development of competencies. The use of gamification tools has, in fact, shown a very important potential in the achievement of different teaching goals, such as increasing the participation and satisfaction of the students, as well as the effectiveness and efficiency of the use of academic resources.

Frequently, gamification tools are focused on just one goal, linked with the development of a specific competence: time management, teamwork, concentration and attention, the management of scarce resources… Inspired by a famous cultural reference, ‘The Squid Game’, our team has developed a new gamification tool, ‘The Cuttlefish Challenge’, which aims at fostering the development of different individual and interpersonal abilities along different stages.

Goals:
The specific goals of this tool/experience are the following:
- Squeezing the experience and knowledge of a team of Professors in the design of gamification tools, in order to generate a new multipurpose one.
- Providing the students with a challenging tool, that puts a wide range of abilities at the stake.
- Allowing the participation of students from groups taught by different Professors, mixing them up in a challenging competition

Materials and methods:
As it has been previously specified, this gamification tool stems from the experience of a team of professors in the generation of previous tools. ‘The Cuttlefish Challenge’ is divided into six stages that mimic (with some obvious adaptations) the ones included in the TV show. Each one of the mis associated on a specific critical ability:
- Red light, green light, a wordsearch that challenges the attention and concentration
- Dalgona, which encourages the practical application of theoretical knowledge
- Tug of war, a classic of teamwork
- Marbles, based on strategic thought
- The glass tile bridge, which requires isolation from groupthink
- The squid game, a final round that challenges both knowledge and strategy

The development of this experience requires about one professor for each 40 students, as well as the use of the Virtual Campus and different applications (Google Forms, One Drive…). The first time that our team used ‘The Cuttlefish Challenge’ was announced using posters and our social media academic profiles.

Results:
Since its development, ‘The Cuttlefish Challenge’ has been played twice in massive academic activities (including more than 200 students), as well as with a smaller group of students (32). The participation and interest generated has been quantitatively great, even increasing the number of students interested in the second edition (after all the details about the tool were public). A more qualitative vision, based of the opinions of the students that participated, reveals that the extraordinary organization effort was clearly offset by the satisfaction shown by the students.

Keywords:

Gamification, competencies, stages, competition.