May 25, 2017
What do eLearning Experts have to say about Gamification?
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May 25, 2017
What do eLearning Experts have to say about Gamification?
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 GAMIFICATION & LEARNING

 I started learning seriously about gamification some time ago. When I decided to write this blog, I first thought about what I had to say on this concept. But then it came to my mind, that it would be more interesting to gather what many Instructional Designers would have to say, and to compile everything in a single article. So here we go: these are a few quotes from various eLearning professionals on this exciting learning strategy. Add yours in the comments below!

I / GAMIFICATION: IT’S WORTH IT!

“I think that while eLearning has come a long way from the click next culture it used to be, a lot of organizations are hesitant to spend the extra time and budget to include engaging gamification elements in their learning. However, if the organization is willing to take this step then the learners are more likely to get involved in their training instead of dreading the next compliance course they are required to take. When I have implemented gamification in courses, I have found that capture rates are higher and that learners are more motivated to complete their online training.”

Stephanie

Stephanie Graves, Freelance Instructional Designer (US)

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“[There are many reasons to use games.] Here are some of my favorites:

  • Games accommodate the needs of many different types of learners
  • They make learning more active
  • They help introverted learners find ways to participate
  • They help us handle rapidly changing training content
  • They speed-up instructional design
  • Games reminds us that humans are a playing species”

Russ Powell

Russ Powell, Training & Development Consultant (US)

From https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/lessons-ive-learned-from-thiagi-part-1-russ-powell 

———-

“Gamification is the future of Learning in many aspects. It has a direct effect on Learning Engagement and on the learner’s motivation.”

Amit

Amit Soni, Learning Technologist Manager (India)

———-

“By using gamification, or game-thinking, e-learning will finally challenge the learner at his own pace and level of difficulty. It has the ability to close the gap between theoretical and real-life learning. Gamification in combination with new technologies such as Virtual Reality, will finally set the learner at the center of new e-learning experiences. Not what learners must learn, but what they can and want to learn is important.”

Thijs

Thijs de Vries, Leading Experience Designer and Gamification Expert (Netherlands)

 

II / HOW TO USE GAMIFICATION EFFECTIVELY?

“We could start with the confusion between gamification for education, game-based learning and serious games. Seems that it´s hard for some people to separate and understand the differences between gamification, games, game-based learning and serious games. So hard, that even after we explain that gamification is the use of game elements and not create a game itself, one question was if it wasn´t childish to create a game for students of higher education. So, to be clear once more, gamification applied to education field is not to create a game or even play a game. Gamification for education is the use of game elements for learning purposes.”

Claudia

Claudia Gomes, Gamification for e-Learning researcher (Portugal)

From https://gamificationforelearning.wordpress.com/

———-

“Two key requirements for a great game or gamification experience: (1) carefully and deliberately define the performance you’re trying to change or impact, the game is not going to do any good if it doesn’t impact an important behavior, work output, or business result. And (2) test it over and over again until you get it right.”

Russ Powell

Russ Powell, Training & Development Consultant (US)

 ———-

“Gamification is only one of many tools in the L&D super star’s tool kit. Games can be quite complex to create. The instructional designer must delve deeply into the material so that he/she can let the content inform the game mechanics and learning styles that will be utilized. Also, games need to be focused. If there is too much fluff or the objectives are not clearly defined learners will become frustrated, lose the plot and ultimately the training will suffer. With well defined games, the learners can zero in on the winning condition, what strategies will need to be employed and thus driving forward the overall learning objectives and behavior change. Good, well thought out gamification is awesome and extremely engaging, however gamification just for the sake of gamification can feel shallow and gimmicky. It is a great tool, use it wisely.”

Erin Fair

Erin Fair, Learning Strategy Manager (US)

———-

“I would stress that a game go through the same careful instructional design process that any piece of learning material go through. Especially learner analysis. I used to work for Arthur Anderson. I could probably never get partners to engage in a game, but the younger accountants would have eaten them up!”

Judith

Judith Reymond, e-Learning specialist (US)

———-

“Critics of gamification argue that gamification is all about external rewards, the extrinsic motivation. And therefore, after the external motivation goes away, the learner will stop being interested. Because a reward no longer exists and if gamification is only focus on external rewards that can indeed be the case. However, it’s not as simple as extrinsic motivation is bad and intrinsic motivation is good. They are not polar opposites as many people think. And in fact, both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation coexist in many educational settings. […] As you are implementing gamification, strive for a balance between extrinsic and intrinsic motivational elements”

Karl Kapp, Gamification Analyst (US)

From https://www.linkedin.com/learning/gamification-of-learning/intrinsic-and-extrinsic-motivation

 ———-

“It is important to create learning experience with two major gamification elements. 1. Gamification Engine with LMS: Create the learning platform with Gamification elements with badges, Points, leaderboard, achievements, leveling, rewards etc. to create learner motivation towards learning. 2. Gamified learning contents: Game based learning contents can directly help to improve learner engagement.”

Amit

Amit Soni, Learning Technologist Manager (India)

Do you have anything to add? Write your thoughts in the comments below!

2 Comments
2018-07-04 23:25:25
2018-07-04 23:25:25

Thank you for sharing this Chloe! Thank you Chad. I think we always look for balance, multiple ways to reach through the tech to those we serve.

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2017-10-23 14:25:26
2017-10-23 14:25:26

Never forget the power of narrative and story elements in gamification. We want to engage all types of learners/players, so XP, badges and levels won’t get the job done on their own. Story elements create mental buy-in, which augments the power of gamification.

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