‘Papers, Please’ – Using a Video Game to explore Experiential Learning and Authentic Assessment in Immigration and Asylum Law

This paper presents a case-study of the author’s efforts to align Lucas Pope’s 2013 video game, ‘Papers, Please,’ with teaching, learning, and assessment strategy on the Immigration, Refugee & Citizenship Law module at TU Dublin. The author secured funding from TU Dublin IMPACT to purchase the game for the 37 students enrolled on the module in the 2020-2021 academic year. Students played the game over a five-week period, during which time they submitted reflective blog posts on their experience of the game. A more substantive written assignment followed thereafter, in which students elaborated upon their reflections with reference to the relevant scholarship and lecture materials. Following debriefing, marking, and feedback, the author evaluated this assessment strategy with reference to the students’ blog posts, their assignment submissions, and their responses to a semi-structured survey. What emerges from the data is an overwhelmingly positive response to games-based learning as a means to facilitate active, experiential learning and accommodate alternative learning styles. Role-playing as an immigration officer allowed students to apply the law in practice, and supported higher levels of cognition and knowledge retention. While the limitations of the data are noted herein, this case-study affirms the potential of video games as a supplementary resource, and the extent to which video games can be constructively aligned with course syllabi.

Abstract licence: CC BY-NC-SA

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