“Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose but learning should continue to amuse.
Don’t give it an excuse because gamification is now in use and won’t let you snooze.”
From counting numbers in the game of ‘Snakes and Ladders’ to forming new words when playing ‘Scrabble’, games have the tremendous power to enhance our learning while keeping us engaged and satisfied from the results achieved.
In a traditional classroom set up, it’s the trainer who pumps up the learners and makes their sessions interactive. They kindle the interest of the learners and help them gain mastery over a specific skill or subject. However, eLearning lacks live interaction, and this is where gamification can be of use. Gamification in eLearning engages learners and pushes them to master the skill or subject by providing rewards and incentives.
The idea of gamification is not to substitute teaching with playing games. It only involves the use of game design and mechanics to make learning more fun and engaging.
Various elements and mechanics of gaming
Here are the various gaming elements and mechanics that support different users and contexts. They enhance your gamification designs and help you create enjoyable learning experiences.LeaderboardsRewards, points, and badgesLevel upsTime LimitsStory, Avatars and Simulations
Leaderboards
Game addiction has always induced a desire to beat old scores and set up a new record. You may beat your own score or break another peer’s record. A healthy competition drives you to perform better. Dashboards or Leaderboards showing names and current scores of competitors serve as an alluring tool. They persuade your learners to defend themselves and earn higher scores.
Rewards, points, and badges
Badges and reward points are a good way to keep your learners motivated. They encourage learners to complete more courses, learn a new skill, or actively participate in the community. Including a mix of ‘hard to earn’ badges will keep your learners involved and give them opportunities to go on trying until they earn it the hard way.
Level Ups
Progression bars or level ups are a visual representation of how far your learners have advanced. They help learners to unlock new abilities or access a new level of the game. If you don’t add them, your learners may lose track of their goals. They might not know how far they have progressed and eventually exit the course in the middle.
Time Limits
Limiting the amount of time in which the learners have to do things can help them focus on the main problem. This also has an effect on how they make decisions.
Story, Avatars, and Simulations
Some games make use of stories and avatars with users embedded in the plot. You may weave this approach with scored assessments. Give a storyline for your content and use eLearning with gamification to strengthen understanding of your story (content) .
Simulated games like Dragon City or SimCity BuildIt are popular because of their immersive nature. Navigating through such virtual environments captivates your learners and keeps them involved. This also builds a sense of satisfaction and invokes a desire to score more.
Gamification – The power booster!
Gamification can serve as a power booster because it fosters engagement and draws your learners to compete and succeed.
It can help to meet the following training objectives:High motivation – Aspects such as scores, points, and badges drive learners to desire for more.Maximum retention – Continuous attempts to unlock different levels or achieve higher scores will enhance learning experiences and maximize the ability to retain information for a long term. For instance, if game mechanics such as scores are applied to teach math calculations, the learners will have to redo calculations till they master over the same.High levels of engagement – One cannot deny the fact that our concentration is more on games than in class or books. So why not take advantage of this to wake up your learners and encourage active learning? In fact, abstract concepts can also be made interesting using this approach.
Choose wisely
Gamification may not be appropriate for all types of training. You may have to choose wisely depending on the goals of an organization. If the goal is to boost the morale of employees and create an environment of pleasure, go for it. However, it may not be suitable if the goal is to boost productivity and NOT promote fun.
Gearing up for the future
Many eLearning platforms have started adopting gamification to motivate learners and induce a sense of achievement in them. Competitive challenges and rewards make their learning experiences entertaining yet very informative.
Due to its high engagement and retention levels, gamification will soon be a must have feature in eLearning. Technologies such as AR, VR and machine learning will open up new windows for gamification practitioners and transform learning for the better.
