It is difficult to design experiential learning assignments that reinforce theoretical concepts while capturing student interest in social media. This poster outlines an assignment to foster experimentation, inquiry and reflection through social media campaigns. This assignment addressed the renewed interest in employing experiential and active learning in Higher Education.

Aim:
To engage undergraduate students, an active learning assignment was designed to apply psychological principles and foster experimentation through creating and evaluating social media campaigns.

Method:
In self-selected groups, students first researched psychological theories relating to a sustainability area. This background research covered psychological attitudes and behaviors or other relevant psychology theories. The groups were also required to use the principles of persuasion and any other applicable psychological aspects in the development of the social media. Then the groups brainstormed how to create an persuasive social media campaign in their chosen sustainability area using appropriate content, images, text and/or video that was suitable for an online public site. To promote experiential learning, groups were offered freedom to experiment by researching, scripting, developing and videoing their own social media content on any chosen social media platform. Next, each group created a plan to use persuasive techniques to promote the campaign towards their target users.

Testing:
User testing was carried out with other group members in the class in an eye-tracker lab. The main metric used in the eye-tracker testing was captured by participants' fixations, or clusters of all the participants gaze points which indicated a period where the eyes were focused on a specific object or area within each social media video. Groups also provided a short recall questionnaire with the participants.

Findings:
Each groups' results were based on fixation areas on a heat map which was overlayed with their video display. A greater clustering on different elements within the social media video shows the level of participants' engagement which is compared to the prevalence of any persuasive element. These fixation results were combined with the compiled participant recall findings.

Evaluation:
Groups analysed the results through a written discussion which evaluated the results and reflecting back to the literature. Individuals also provided a reflection of their learning in a journal.

Feedback demonstrated an increased enjoyment and engagement as the assignment progressed. Final class discussion and anecdotal feedback suggested more knowledge and insightful engagement in the underpinning concepts than other lessons and assignments in the term.

Keywords: Social Media Experiments, Experiential Learning, Eye Tracking, Psychology.