Oflate, the education sector has seen a lot of developments that are aimed at offering easier methods of learning. In the past, online education was defined by the hosting and sharing of courseware online but today, the usage has broadened to great extent. Using interactive sessions for teaching and training, whether in schools or corporate offices, has become a core necessity for educators as they promote better learning. This is where gamification comes into the picture. Read to know more about the concept of gamification in learning!
An Overview of Gamification
As an educational approach that motivates learners to gain knowledge through video game designs and other gaming elements in the course, gamification makes the learning experience much more enjoyable and interactive. It also helps the educators understand the interest of the learners better and inspire them to pursue their goals.
Definition of Gamification: The process of defining the elements thatimplement games in a non-gaming situation like learning, making the course much more fun and influential.
Gamification has two forms: –
- Structural with no changes in the subject matter.
- Altered content method where additions to the subject matter are made.
Gamification in learning focuses on stories and story-tell that are impressive in quality and promotes the method of considerate thinking in learners.
Why is Gamification Becoming Such a Hit?
In addition to the educational sector, gamification can also be used in marketing, healthcare, crowdsourcing, and even as a model for inspirational videos and sessions. The application of gamification is vast and has found its usage in various sectors. Gamification, other than helping in teaching and training, helps in driving sales as customers enjoy the idea of earning rewards and similar things. Other than this, if gamification in learning is considered, it makes the sessions very interesting and interactive that, in turn, encourages learners to participate in the various learning activities that are conducted. Gamification has become a hit because of its simple yet fun techniques.
How Does Gamification Make Learning Better?
Gamification in learning is not just about playing games; there is a lot more to it. Sometimes, gamification may not even involve playing games at all. If the definition is simply put, it is more like the application of gaming concepts into non-gaming situations. Implementing gamification has proved to be extremely beneficial in education as interactive sessions help create an urge amongst students to attend classes, focus on learning tasks, and be proactive in taking initiatives. In addition to this, gamification also helps in: –
- Easy capture and retention of course content
- Promoting interactive learner experiences
- Improving learner performance
- Motivating learners to take up challenges with confidence
Benefits of Gamification in Learning
- Enhanced Learning Experience
Gamification offers an engaging and fun learning experience to learners. Imagine rather than just learning through pages of text content, learners get to engage with ananimated course content that can be made to respond according to how the learner progresses throughout the course. With the right strategy of inculcating gamified course content, one can not only achieve higher engagement levels but also an increase in the recall and retention capacity of the learners.
- Interactive Learning Environment
Gamification is about ensuring that learners gain knowledge in a relaxed but effective learning environment. It helps them understand and practice real-life challenges in a secure environment. Such activities can lead to more interactive learning which, in turn, helps increase the learner’s knowledge retaining abilities.
- Improve Performance with Instant Feedback Sessions
One of the best things about implementing gamification in learning is that it gives instant feedback to the learners about their performance, especially on things that they should be aware of.Whenlearners provide the right answers, their actions are reinforcedthrough simply progressing to the next level orrewards.This helps themimprovetheir performance and promotes knowledge-buildingin a better manner.
- Encouraging Behavioural Changes
The benefits of gamification go beyond points, rewards, and leader badges. Though reward benefits make training sessions more fun, gamification in learning focuses on imbibing a thoughtful process amongst learners. Behavioural changes can be noticed in learners,which influence considerate thinking towards their goals and objectives.
- Limitless Applications
Gamification is not limited by a defined section or application but caters to most learning needs. One can implement gamification in various course contentswhich may include corporate training like onboarding and induction, customer support, awareness creation, soft skills, and product sales as well.
Game Elements that can Facilitate Learning
There are various game elements that can facilitate gamification in learning.Examples include: –
- Narrative and characters
- Player control
- Immediate feedback
- Opportunities for mastery and levelling up
- Social connections
- Progress mechanics (points/badges/leader-boards)
- Opportunities for collaborative problem solving
- Support learning with increasing challenges
When you incorporate game elements into your teaching or training sessions, the learning environment is said to be “gamified”. The good thing is that there are no set of rules that determine how many elements are required forgamification in learning. Here, the aim is to focus more on stories that connect with the learners and to allow for communication with other learners as well. Implementing the process of gamification in education makes your learners more interactive and confident in facing real-life challenges with ease.
Today, numerous e-learning providers incorporate gamification in their course content and based on the engagement levels observed, it works really well. At the end of the day, if your LMS can engage learners, you can be sure that they’ll learn.