Gamification of education is a developing approach for increasing learners’ motivation and engagement by incorporating game design elements in educational environments.
Today's learners are digital natives and have new profile. They grew up with digital technologies and have different learning styles, new attitude to the learning process and higher requirements for teaching and learning.
Teachers are facing new challenges and have to solve important issues related to the adaptation of the learning process towards students’ needs, preferences and requirements. Teachers have to use different teaching methods and approaches that allow students to be active participants with strong motivation and engagement to their own learning.
Modern pedagogical paradigms and trends in education, reinforced by the use of ICT, create prerequisites for use of new approaches and techniques in order to implement active learning. Gamification in training is one of these trends. Source: bit.ly/3guIxhu
GAMIFICATION THEORY IN EDUCATION
The gamification theory in education is that learners learn best when they are also having fun. Not only this – they also learn best when they have goals, targets and achievements to reach for, of course in a way the learner still perceives as fun.
Because of the addictive features of video games that intrigue children (and adults) and get them hooked, it’s only natural that we see similar engagement results when these game-based elements are applied to learning materials.
Gamification in learning involves using game-based elements such as point scoring, peer competition, team work, score tables to drive engagement, help students assimilate new information and test their knowledge. It can apply to school-based subjects, but is also used widely in self-teaching apps and courses, showing that the effects of gamification do not stop when we are adults.
Technology permeates a lot of our day-to-day lives – having changed the way we live, shop, work, play, eat, meet people and socialise. Policy-makers are starting to explore the potential benefits of using technology to streamline teacher workload in earnest. We’ve also already known for some time that taking something many children love – games – and using some of the features to support learning has great benefits.
Teachers and parents can implement gamification in various ways across countless subject areas. Though many schools already utilise apps and educational games via computers and tablets, it doesn’t all have to be about technology.
Unlike game-based learning, which involves students making their own games or playing commercially-made video games, gamification is simply bringing game-based elements that make these platforms popular, and integrating them into other activities within the (home) classroom.
Some examples of game elements that can be used to engage and motivate learners include:
Narrative
Immediate feedback
Fun
“Scaffolded learning” with challenges that increase
Mastery (for example, in the form of levelling up)
Progress indicators (for example, through points/badges/leaderboards, also called PBLs)
Social connection
Player control.
A classroom that contains some or all of these elements can be considered a “gamified” classroom.
Teachers can implement gamification via the following examples:
1. GIVING POINTS FOR MEETING ACADEMIC OBJECTIVES Inspire students to see simple sets of questions in a whole new light. Correct or well-structured answers operate on a points system, with students moving up through the ranks. Do students need to be citing details from the text and evidence for conclusions in class discussions? Answers without evidence can be worth 1 point, a correct answer with 1 piece of evidence worth 2 points, and a correct answer + 2 pieces of evidence = 3 points.
2. GIVING POINTS FOR MEETING PROCEDURAL/NON-ACADEMIC OBJECTIVES Points systems can also work well for non-academic tasks as well, such as tidyinf the classroom, putting on coats and hats, lining up in register order or in their correct houses etc. E.g. Need to shorten the time it takes to check homework? All students who have their homework out ready to be checked before being prompted by the teacher now receive 2 points.
3. CREATING PLAYFUL BARRIERS One of the primary tenets of gamification is the use of encouragement mechanics through presenting playful barriers–challenges, for example. Playful barriers can be academic or behavioural, social or private, creative or logistical.
4. CREATING COMPETITION WITHIN THE CLASSROOM Competition with classmates, other classes or even with the teacher is a surefire game-based element that works. For example: students must follow a rule that the teacher sets, and anytime a student follows the rule, the class gets a point. Anytime a student does not follow a rule, the teacher gets a point. This is particularly great for introducing procedures and new behavioural expectations. If the class wins, the teacher can use a sustainable reward, such as a 1-minute dance party, extended break time, or fewer homework tasks.
5. COMPARING AND REFLECTING ON PERSONALISED PERFORMANCE Some video games offer a personalised breakdown of the player’s performance at the end of each level – detailing enormous data such as achievements, points, strengths, weaknesses and ways to reflect on their performance and compare with others. For example, one game might offer statistics of which objectives were met and how, assign a ‘badge’ based on that particular performance ‘style,’ then track every detail around that performance such as total number of jumps, number of enemies alerted, number of different ways a specific problem was solved, etc. Teachers can do a similar thing – whilst students are levelling up, collecting points and competing with one another, they can be collecting data, tracking progress and tailoring rules, rewards and quests to motivate students further. If doing this manually sounds too much, then look at data tools within your schools’ LMS or learning apps you might already use.
6. USING LEVELS, CHECKPOINTS, AND OTHER METHODS OF ‘PROGRESSION’ As well as tracking points, teachers can use various ‘checkpoints’, ‘levels’ or other symbols of progression to give learners focus (and proportionate bragging rights when they achieve it). Track points over multiple classes for example, then when students reach an important milestone such as 100 points let them ‘level up’. As they progress further give out sustainable milestone rewards, such as extra reading or playtime; a session on the computer or the chance to be class captain for the day.
7. GIVING LEARNING BADGES INSTEAD OF POINTS OR GRADES. Sometimes something tangible and symbolic can mean more than receiving points. When students reach certain checkpoints or ‘levels’, you may wish to present them with a marker of their success, such as learning badges or stickers.
8. HELPING STUDENTS ASSUME SPECIFIC PERSPECTIVES IN LEARNING This element of fantasy role-play is a big draw of video games. Allow students the chance to take on different roles as learners such as as a judge, designer, father, doctor, etc. and see how they rise to the occasion using their imaginations.
LET'S GET PRACTICAL : Gamification Apps for Our Classroom Gamifying your class and keeping it fresh requires plenty of resources. No worries, because I’ve scoped out some of the best gamification apps out there.
1. Gimkit Gimkit is today’s revelation and very suited for gamifiying your classroom. This game app lets teachers build quizzes students have to solve. They call themselves a game show for the classroom that requires knowledge, collaboration, and strategy to win. Students answer questions on their device at their own pace. Throughout a Kit, students will get exposure to the questions multiple times to ensure mastery. Here’s the “gamification-factor” about Gimkit: students earn in-game cash by answering questions correctly. But be careful, an incorrect answer will cost them! Students can reinvest their earned digital money by purchasing upgrades and powerups that suit their strengths. Gimkit is especially a live classroom game, but you can use it for homework assignments which are graded automatically. Gimkit eventually generates a report detailing what your students need help on.
2. Class Dojo Class Dojo works best with younger students usually in the primary school stage. The setting is a digital dojo where students can keep track of their mastery and skills. This app automatically assigns each student an avatar which is a little monster. Each little monster collects points for anything from participation to helping others in the class. Teachers can use this app from a computer or mobile device making it a flexible platform. One of the greatest things about Class Dojo is that it helps connect teachers, students, and parents. Although the app gives instant feedback about students’ performance, it can also send a monthly report to parents. Therefore, it helps close the gap between home and the classroom. This app even aids teachers in reinforcing good behavior. Its graphics and sound effects react to when students lose points, thereby motivating them to do better. Class Dojo also helps save teachers time. Spending less time on keeping up this gamification aspect of the classroom makes more sustainable.
3. BookWidgets BookWidgets works well for anyone using Google Classroom or merely a digital whiteboard or any other device. This app offers 40 different templates for teachers to craft interactive lessons. Depending on the subject or aim of the lesson, teachers can use anything from quizzes to arithmetic to bingo cards. The variety of templates allows teachers to make lessons of all kinds more interactive. Furthermore, the different templates can help gamify things like reviews, tests, and more. All teachers need to do is launch the app and select the “Create Widget” option to begin devising their next interactive lesson. Lesson planning time will decrease as student participation skyrockets with BookWidgets. Just check out this ready-to-use gamified WebQuest about Halloween. Students have to solve a murder and earn their inspector badge at the end. Just click on the image and share the link with your students. That’s it! Incorporating BookWidgets into the classroom is simple. With its Google Chrome plugin, you can get started using this app almost immediately in Google Classroom. You can also use BookWidgets standalone via the BookWidgets website.
4. Classcraft Classcraft is probably the best game and classroom management solution for high school students. Classcraft engages students to live by your class rules interactively. Students create their own avatars that have special powers. They play in groups to keep the team spirit alive. If someone ignores a deadline, it may disadvantage the whole group. You could say this game app focuses on teamwork and tries to build better relationships between students. Students can gain or lose different points by playing by the classroom rules or by breaking them. For example, students who help other students with their homework receive a certain amount of points. When they have enough points, they can use a power like: the “warrior” can eat in class". As I’ve said before, students can also lose those points when breaking the rules. If they lose all their points they get a “punishment” like: bring a treat for the whole class or hand in an assignment a day early. As a teacher, you can choose every power and punishment. Classcraft also has a timer and a stopwatch available, as well as a quiz tool where the avatars have to battle a “boss”. In order to beat the boss, they have to get the answers right.
5. Kahoot Kahoot has the power to make students extremely enthusiastic about learning. Similar to a gameshow, Kahoot! uses music, images, and a colorful interface to get students excited about the task at hand. Particularly useful for quizzing vocabulary, multiplication, and simple geography, this app asks students to select the correct answer within a time limit. Kahoot! even allows teachers to include YouTube videos to add an extra layer of information to each question. Combining this interactive game with multimedia helps make the experience more immersive for students. Moreover, the app has plenty of sound effects that add to the excitement of the gameplay. Students receive points for every correct answer and also get extra points for answering faster than others. Whether they’re playing individually or in teams, students will feel very rewarded when they see their score growing. Racking up more and more points often means that students get invested in the game and want to continue playing. In fact, your students may become addicted to Kahoot!