Name: “This Class is Therapy” Gamification, Learning, and Mental Health
Start: 2026-07-15T14:50:00-0600
End: 2026-07-15T15:50:00-0600

Welcome to URSA 2026 at Southern Utah University! All sessions will be in buildings on the upper campus (east end). Here’s the Campus Map (PDF) if needed.

WiFi: eduroam or SUU-Conference, password "summertimefun"

PLAN AHEAD - Tentative Future Conference Dates
July 7-9, 2027 - Price, UT
July 17-19, 2028 - Richfield, UT

“This Class is Therapy” Gamification, Learning, and Mental Health

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT

SC 129 - Science Center, Room 129

In the Snow College Integrating Technology into Education courses students study the concept of Gamification, the bringing of gaming principles into Education. As part of this lesson students have to prepare a lesson with a game and then teach it to the rest of the class. A common feedback from these students was to express just how much they needed the experience of playing a game to make them feel better in the middle of a busy semester. It is often discussed how Gamification can help students learn but it is also important to realize how the relief from playing a game can also have a positive impact.

In this presentation, we will talk about Gamification and how it can help students. We will then divide into groups and go through the process of teaching each other to play a board game, actually play it, then study a lesson plan that has been prepared for it. We will then reflect on how we might be able to use a game like that in our classes and how taking a moment to play a game made us feel. Through this experience, we hope to be able to use Gamification in a more purposeful manner.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Not Applicable

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Not Applicable

Speakers

David J. Rodríguez Sanfiorenzo

Associate Professor of Education, Snow College

Dr. David Rodríguez Sanfiorenzo has been an educator at different levels for 20 years. Currently, he serves as an Associate Professor of Education at Snow College where he enjoys the calm and beauty of rural Utah. He teaches Introduction to Education, Integrating Technology into... Read More →

Wednesday July 15, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm MDT
SC 129 - Science Center, Room 129 370 West 200 South, Cedar City, UT 84720

Instructional Coaching, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required. | School-based Mental & Behavioral Health, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Session Format 1 hour BYOD (Bring Your Own Device): Hands-On-Activities
Grade Level All Grade Levels
Audience Teachers, Counselors or School-based Mental/Behavioral Health Professionals
Subject Area Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Mental/Behavioral Health

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2026 Utah Rural Schools Conference

David J. Rodríguez Sanfiorenzo

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2026 Utah Rural Schools Conference

David J. Rodríguez Sanfiorenzo

Attendees (5)

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