Survivor: Classroom a method of active learning that addresses four types of student motivation

The game show Survivor has been adapted and used as a means of introducing active, team-oriented problem solving into a sophomore-level course on energy balances. The game provides incentive for students from all four motivational forms which are intrinsic, social, achievement and instrumental. By having students who have been eliminated continue to participate through developing new problems that are used in the game, the entire class remains engaged throughout the activity. The students self-report that the game was beneficial and increased their motivation and performance of the students in subsequent thermodynamics classes improved after the game was introduced.