Increasing online student engagement with a gamified logic puzzles project

This paper will present a semester-long project that combines two pedagogical strategies used in an online learning environment: gamification and logic puzzles. Gamification uses elements of game design to engage and motivate students to explore online course content. In an online introductory economics course, learners applied economic theory to seek solutions to anomalous outcomes in markets or policy. While puzzles have been used in seminars for decades, this novel approach brings structure and rigor to using economic puzzles in an online course, stimulating participation and active learning by using elements of gamification to provide ongoing progress updates and an incentive to solve a final mystery for course credit. This approach requires no specialized software beyond a learning management system (LMS) and a method of digital communication, either in the LMS or via email. This approach was utilized in online AP Microeconomics courses but could be applicable to a variety of subjects and levels within economics.