Gamification in Education: How to Learn in Fun

Gamification turns tedious and complicated learning elements into fun entertainment by introducing game technology into the educational process and increasing training efficiency. But is that true, and is it possible to gain quality knowledge while having fun? So you will find the answer to this and many others in this article.

Gamification and Its Basic Features

Gamification in education is incorporating game elements into a training course. This practice increases students’ involvement and motivation, allowing them to learn the material more effectively. Previously, this technology was used mainly in teaching preschool and primary school children.

However, today gamification is successfully used in training courses for all age groups, including adults. So what are the basic features of this innovative approach on which gamified education is based? Please read about it in the convenient form of the table.

Autonomy

In gamified education, as in a game, the next step depends on the participant’s choice. Students’ involvement in the educational process and focus on the result increases when everyone feels their importance and responsibility for the final result.

Value

When building a game design, you should remember that education with game elements fundamentally differs from a game. Its goal is to develop the student to gain new knowledge and skills useful in real life and professional activities.

Gradual Increase in Competence

The training course is divided into several levels, from simple to complex. The better the student copes with the current part of the task, the more willing they are to continue working on it. Upon completing the next level, the student gets an objective view of their progress and an incentive to move on.

Freedom to Fail

Students should have a risk, but lower than in usual games. In doing so, everyone is allowed to make several attempts to succeed. It encourages experimentation, creating, and taking risks, but does not lead to disappointment and does not turn away from learning.

Prompt Feedback

Instant 24/7 feedback helps participants make game decisions quickly. In addition, it speeds up the education process and allows the student to consolidate the passed material well.

Visual Representation of Progress

It serves a competitive function. Various virtual rewards generate excitement and interest in the result and encourage diligent study.

We can conclude from the above that gamification of education is a technology that promotes interest in learning and fast and effective acquisition of knowledge and skills. Consider that the game in this process is not an end but a helpful tool that can significantly increase marketing effectiveness, allowing you to perform high-quality analytics and freeing employees from performing routine work.

So if you’re still pondering whether or not to introduce gamification for your team member training, it’s worth exploring this issue in more detail with Best Writers Online, which provides custom writing reviews on any topic.

More About Benefits

Elements of the game in e-learning make studying psychologically comfortable. Everyone is open to the game; there is no mentoring spirit and pronounced confrontation between the student and the teacher. Instead, participants distribute roles, perform the actions prescribed by the game’s rules and even learn from each other. And what about other pros does gamification provide?

• Encourages creativity;
• Helps to find a sense in a monotonous everyday study;
• Promotes acquiring and fixing practical habits;
• Raises the level and quality of knowledge;
• Develops cooperation skills, allows to get the positive experience of teamwork;
• Helps to withstand failures less painful than in the classical model of learning;
• Establishes a high level of motivation for the result.

Popular Game Mechanics

Children and adults love computer games, and it is from them that they borrow technologies that make learning a fun activity. In addition, the user’s actions (pointing to the object, choosing the answer) are accompanied by animation and music, entertaining the study. So, what are the most common game mechanics on the market today?

• Quizzes are intellectual competitions of participants answering questions (often on a given topic);
• Online simulators are programs that help to practice specific practical skills;
• Quests are role-playing games where participants perform specific actions to achieve goals.

What About Interactivity and Storytelling

To implement this principle, in most cases, a smartphone with an app installed or a desktop (laptop, computer) is enough. However, virtual reality playback requires an expensive VR headset. Note also that interactive learning is based on a constant dialogue, so educational programs use the following elements of feedback:

• Interactive tasks and exercises represent the following: the user selects the correct answers from a list, drags objects to classify them or establishes graphical connections between them, and enters an appropriate variant. After that, they get a comment and evaluation and can see the right solution.
• Platforms for group work can be a glossary, a local social network, and a forum.
• Webinars are online tutorials with the instructor in real time. Students see and hear the teacher, ask questions, and answer them. The presenter uses all the possible tools of a classical seminar for visualization: an interactive whiteboard or slide show.
• AR (Augmented Reality) is a technology for reproducing nonexistent 3D objects in a natural environment.
• VR (Virtual Reality) is a technology that fully immerses class participants in the imaginary world. It contributes to the maximum concentration on the learning process without the distraction of external interference.

Finally, it is worth saying a few words about storytelling, representing a specific story whose plot is intertwined with the course of study and gradually develops over the whole training. The narrative is as essential in game design as game mechanics. The story allows you to clearly illustrate any complex topic, making it easier to understand. In addition, a fascinating story evokes a positive emotional response and a desire to know what will happen next and stimulates students to continue learning.

Summing Up

So, gamification brings a lot of variety and game elements to the routine learning process. Game technologies help students and employees study pleasantly, learn material efficiently and quickly, and develop teamwork skills. Thus, the popularity of this approach in modern education is justified. However, when choosing the appropriate courses, please pay attention to the game component: it should organically complement the training because excessive play levels the educational value.