If you’re in the e-learning industry, you’ve heard the term by now: gamification. Sounds fun, right? But true gamification is more than throwing together some badges and a leaderboard.
E-le...
Published 10 years ago
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Thank you for the article and the debate; it's really interesting.
As you mention, gamification is getting into e-learning more and more, and I guess it's mainly due to the engaging aspects of game systems that it applies.
I think that a thorough analysis of what motivates people is key to better understand the importance of gamifying a course. Otherwise we end up with just 'PBLs': points, badges and leaderboards.
The interesting thing is to get someone doing something just for the sake of it, and this occurs more when what is done is intrinsic motivating. 'Players' or users, need to feel they're in control by having autonomy on the steps they take (as you mention) and also to feel that they're in relation to others whithin the gamified system.
A very interesting 6-weeks course is about to finish at Coursera: https://www.coursera.org/course/gamification.
As you mention, gamification is getting into e-learning more and more, and I guess it's mainly due to the engaging aspects of game systems that it applies.
I think that a thorough analysis of what motivates people is key to better understand the importance of gamifying a course. Otherwise we end up with just 'PBLs': points, badges and leaderboards.
The interesting thing is to get someone doing something just for the sake of it, and this occurs more when what is done is intrinsic motivating. 'Players' or users, need to feel they're in control by having autonomy on the steps they take (as you mention) and also to feel that they're in relation to others whithin the gamified system.
A very interesting 6-weeks course is about to finish at Coursera: https://www.coursera.org/course/gamification.
- Hi Belen - Those are really good points. When I was doing research for this article I had some deep discussions with the other Instructional Designers on my team because I was trying to find out... if you add one or two of these techniques to your course, does that mean you've "gamified" your e-learning? How many techniques do you need to include to have gamification? There's no solid answer to that.
I also think it's important to investigate and understand the differences between game-based learning and gamification. They are 2 different things and serve different purposes. I think you can apply gamification techniques to a course without making it a true "game". I think thats more the purpose behind game-based learning. Just an interesting thought...- Application of gamification principles can be very simple and small without turning your elearning into a game. I have used red (pulsing) markers whose color turns from red into green after clicking on them. I like to believe this applies a psychological (motivation) principle that learners are tempted to turn red into green. In this way you can increase learner motivation to uncover all information hidden behind markers.
- Absolutely. Gamification is "the use of game elements and game design techniques in non-game contexts", but, to what extent?
The key is "non-game context", as it is e-learning itself, though e-learning may include some games inside it... :-)
