In the ever-evolving landscape of education, traditional teaching methods often fall short of keeping students engaged. This is where gamification comes in—a dynamic approach leveraging game elements to inject fun and effectiveness into the learning process. Whether you’re a teacher, educator, or consultant, this article serves as your guide to seamlessly implement gamification for a more captivating educational experience!

Numbers that speak volumes

Numerical insights from the past recent years’ surveys and studies have shown the enhanced pleasure and efficiency experienced by students participating in gamified learning courses. A study by the Federation of American Scientists reveals a remarkable retention rate of 90% when students engage in hands-on activities through gamification, against 30% when just visuals accompany an oral lecture. Speaking about mood and motivation throughout the course, 67.7% of students perceive gamified courses as more motivating than traditional ones, contributing to decreased boredom. A higher homework completion rate is also observed when using a gamified course with levels, badges, and a feedback system. But we also have testimonials from adults engaging in gamified and interactive upskilling activities: gamified lessons have an average voluntary participation rate of 106% and adult learners score 14% higher on skill-based tests following gamified training.

Games, simulations or gamification?

When it comes to integrating games into education, a common misconception arises: does that mean that my students have to play in front of a computer during my class to grasp the concept of what a molecule is? While amusing, this is just one of many approaches. We’ll explore three distinct categories— game-based learning, simulations, and gamification— that encompass experiences tailored to facilitate student-centric education.

Game-Based Learning

Game-based learning involves the use of games to facilitate learning. An educator can create or borrow the dynamics of a game to facilitate understanding of a concept, notion, or good practice. One can experiment with existing games, such as Scrabble to increase vocabulary, Taboo but in a foreign language, or use numerous games, often digital, created specifically for educational purposes, so-called educational games. Some of the most striking examples include Minecraft Education, a platform designed for educational environments that uses the mechanics of the popular sandbox game to engage students in activities that fortify problem-solving, collaboration, and inclusiveness while learning; Ubisoft’s Discovery Tours, interactive stories within Scenarios of Ancient Greece, Ancient Egypt and the Viking Age; still made in house Ubisoft Rabbids Coding, an interactive pathway to learn the basics of programming, ages 7 and up; the increasingly popular Kahoot, which allows for the independent creation of quizzes and puzzles or the use of already structured games to make education engaging!

Simulations: “Let’s Pretend I Was…”

A simulation, on the other hand, involves students, in the first person, immersing themselves in an activity, taking on a given role in a given situation, to better grasp its function, and motivation and increase mnestic retention. These open-ended experiences encourage students to contemplate the implications of a scenario, fostering a deeper engagement with the subject matter. Simulations help students learn both the concepts and how to apply them in a nuanced way, during an unforeseen situation. Simulations can reinforce other skills indirectly, such as debating and research skills, collaboration, time management and crisis management.

Gamification: a loan from games

Rather than playing a full-fledged game, gamification involves adopting certain game elements into non-ludic contexts. It introduces an element of competition and motivation, making the learning journey more interactive and enjoyable for students. Among the elements borrowed from gaming used most frequently in education, we find:

• The use of an avatar, the imaginary representation of the player that can be customized with a name, picture, and personal background.
• The accumulation of experience points after passing tasks, activities, or tests. A visual progress bar can be used.
• The assignment of a level to indicate the player’s skill. To level up, the player must accumulate experience points. It helps healthy competition and the desire to improve!
• The ability to use special powers during the course, with limited repeatability. Some examples? Some extra minutes to finish a test or the ability to skip a question!
• Using the term mission to refer to objectives to be achieved, whether homework or group work with final exposition. After each mission passed there can be no shortage of rewards!
• The receipt of a reward, such as access to selected material that only those who have passed a given challenge can read/hear/see.
• The ability to make meaningful choices, i.e., empowering the student to personalize their educational experience by providing forks in the road, such as deciding out of two possible concepts for the explanation of that day.

As you embark on integrating gamification into your educational practices, remember that the key lies in creating a dynamic and interactive learning environment. By leveraging the principles of gamification, you can inspire a love for learning that extends beyond the classroom.

Explore CHRONES.’ workshops that foster digitization of processes and non-frontal fruition with gamification strategies and tailored solutions for your educational needs. Transform learning into a thrilling adventure!

Photo by Robo Wunderkind on Unsplash