Gamifying ALT

Why gamification?

Upon exploring the different adaptive learning technologies (ALTs) on the market, we noticed that the majority of the ALTs had elements of gamification embedded in the user experiences. Since it was a consistent and reoccurring feature, we decided to revisit gamification through the lens of adaptive learning technologies.

Revisiting Gamification

Gamification is the integration of game design elements such as point systems, leaderboards, and badges into “conventional” learning activities to enhance learning. Gamification incentivises a learner's engagement with the educational content by using game-style mechanics, by leveraging a person's natural tendencies for competition, achievement, and/ or collaboration. With the rapid development of technology, gamification is becoming more and more standardized in the design mechanisms of various of learning technologies in all levels of education.

Some educational examples of gamification in learning platforms include Khan Academy's badging system, points system in Kahoot (above), and DuoLingo's competitive leaderboards and league rankings, as shown on the right.

What is the impact of Gamification in Adaptive Learning Technologies?

It Increases Motivation

Motivation is a main contributing factor that determines how much effort learners put into learning. (Brophy, 2013). Gamified learning technologies trigger emotions that are linked to positive user experiences and create a rewarding learning environment for the learner's effort. This primes the learner to participate for a prolonged period of time, which can lead to better retention of information and increase the learner's self-perceived competence through improved performance.

It Increases Engagment

Gamification engages users by appealing to their desires to compete, earn recognition, and/ or gain a feeling of accomplishment. The fulfillment of these needs produces intrinsic motivation which helps learners stay engaged.

The gamifified learning experience is adapted to the user. How does it work?

See below for a diagram of a gamified adaptive learning system by Metiri group and DreamBox. This model describes the basic framework of most adaptive learning systems we came across in our research.

The feedback loop that enables tailored "adaptive learning" lies in the grey box. The feedback cycle starts by gathering a combination of different data to "Aggregate student data" based on the student through preliminary activities: the student's learning type, preferred gamification activities/ elements, and knowledge level. This data is then analyzed by the algorithim to generate an adapted pace of content presentation and sequencing based on three questions:

1. Who is the learner?

2. What does the learner 'know'?

3. What should the learner experience next?

Adaptation can be made on many different aspects: the game storytelling, the game difficulty, the content generation, the guidance or hinting on the goals, the presentation, types of learning activities, and curriculum sequencing, etc. The feedback loop continuously make adjustments after each cycle.

Source: Intelligent Adaptive Learning: An Essential Element of 21st Century Teaching and Learning, Cheryl Lemke, Metiri Group, 2013

Something to Ponder:

Before proceeding to the next section, take a moment to consider the diagram above. Adaptive learning systems function on many of the same principles as educational games, leveraging the power of the "feedback loop" to determine the ideal difficulty level. Are adaptive learning systems the final frontier of gamification? Or is it more fair to say that all forms of gamification use adaptive algorithms but not all adaptive algorithms are gamification?

Additionally, can gamified adaptive learning technologies potentially replace the role of the teacher, or should it be used as a support tool in guided learning?

[You don't have to submit anything here, just take pause and consider the questions.]

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