Gamification

A well designed gamified experience has the power to engage, inform and educate. Gamified experiences use elements traditionally associated with games to promote learning and engagement. One key feature that gamified experiences have is the idea of an allowable element of failure built into the process. This involves placing the learner in a safe environment and letting him/her gain experience through trial and error. The feedback is immediate and points the learner towards certain strategies to improve his/her chances of success, therefore gaining competency and moving up the ranks in the course of the game.

As defined by Deterding et al

“Gamification” is the use of game design elements characteristic for games in non-game contexts, which is differentiated from playful design and a full-fledged game. This incorporates only elements of games or game “atoms” which in turn, is defined as aspects that are found in most games, readily associated with games and found to play a significant role in gameplay. In addition, the goal within the context must be solving a real world problem.

This definition distinguishes between games and gamification by clearly specifying the context in which the game design elements are applied.

Characteristics

1. There are 5 levels of game design elements. Ordered from concrete to abstract, they are :
   • Game interface design patterns such as badges, leaderboard, levels.
   • Game design patterns and mechanics such as time constraints, limited resources and turns.
   • Game design principles and heuristics such as enduring play, clear goals, variety of game styles.
   • Game models such as challenge, fantasy, curiosity,
   • Game design methods such as playtesting, playcentric design, value conscious game design
   • Note: Unlike serious games which includes all of the above, gamified applications only include some of these elements.
2. Playing and gaming are clearly differentiated using Caillois’ concept of paidia (playing) and ludus (gaming). Unlike playing, which is more improvisational in nature, gaming is structured with rules and goals.
3. Points 1 and 2 are represented quadrant diagram with the horizontal axis being whole (left) to parts (right) and the vertical axis as playing (bottom) to gaming (top). Gamification lies in parts-gaming quadrant (top right).

As defined by Karl M. App

“Gamification” is using game-based mechanics, aesthetics and game thinking to engage people, motivate action, promote learning and solve problems. It is a careful and considered application of game thinking to solving problems and encouraging learning using all the elements of games that are appropriate, and not merely adding game mechanics to non-game situations to encourage engagement. In the context of education, the delivery of content using game based thinking and mechanics is considered as gamification.

This definition places emphasis on the purpose, which should not be about pure entertainment, as a key characteristic of gamification.

Characteristics

1. Engagement is the primary focus of gamification. Gamification seeks to involve the participant in the process that is created.
2. The participants involved in the gamification process can be learners, consumers or player.
3. For something to be considered a game, it must be a system in which players engage in an abstract challenge, defined by rules, interactivity, and feedback, that results in a quantifiable outcome often eliciting an emotional reaction.
4. Game thinking involves reimagining an everyday experience into an activity that has elements of competition, cooperation, exploration and storytelling.
5. The mechanics (i.e. badges, levels etc.) of a game alone is insufficient to transform a boring experience into a game like engaging experience. However, these are still crucial building blocks used during the gamification process.
6. Aesthetics includes user interface i.e. the look and feel of the experience. It influences a participant’s willingness to engage in the process.
7. Motivating the participant to persevere in the activity is a core element in gamification. As such, challenges must be appropriately pitched.
8. Elements of gamification are based on educational psychology but with an added layer of interest and a new way of presenting traditional instructional techniques such that participants are more engaged and motivated.
9. Games are of a cooperative yet competitive nature, which promotes problem solving and encourages participants to do their best to accomplish the task and hence, increase the chances of winning.

As defined by Gabe Zichermann

Gamification is the process of using game thinking and mechanics to engage audiences and solve problems. This places the focus on the purpose of gamifying something with the key goals being user engagement and problem solving. Fun and engagement are the new power matrices. In addition, fun and the theme of the game are not connected. The theme is used simply to lure users into trying out the game, which therefore is not necessarily the actual context itself. For education, this type of fun and engagement is termed as edutainment.

Characteristics

1. The context is non-fiction in nature hence it must involve real world situations, real world problems.
2. A key assumption is that people have a desire to learn and there is a process in this learning. They include : incentive, challenge, achievement/rewards and feedback. This is looped continuously until mastery is achieved. This is known as the gamification loop.
3. At the centre of the gamification loop is a point system, supported by a structure of game mechanics containing challenges, win conditions, leaderboards, badges, social networking. Together, these create user engagement.

http://www.teachthought.com/uncategorized/6-step-process-for-adding-gamification-to-your-classroom/ by TeachThought

http://www.learndash.com/6-step-gamification-design-process/ by Justin Ferriman

https://www.td.org/Publications/Blogs/Learning-Technologies-Blog/2014/02/10-Best-Practices-for-Implementing-Gamification by Karl M. Kapp