Gamification: Behind the Scenes

What is Gamification?

Gamification, fundamentally, has had a long-time presence in the educational world but the instructional design field has recently experienced an exponential increase of fully gamified experiences incorporated into the design of instruction. By definition, gamification is a design process that uses game principles and strategies in non-game contexts to engage and motivate learners in solving problems. The unique architecture of a gamified system includes progress paths and interactions, which generate feedback and data, all meant to accomplish an external goal or task. Connecting game elements to the process of discovery in the real world promotes exploration which is nurtured and sustained by the cooperative and competitive instincts of individuals sharing this experience. Gamification is a multifaceted design process that should achieve two interrelated purposes: the manifestation of an enjoyable and engaging experience and the achievement and measurement of articulated goals external to the system.

Games versus Gamification

Games are systems that provide for the mechanics and dynamics of play. Everyone has participated in a game at some point in their life whether that be in sports, video games, board games, or even general play. Alternatively, gamification uses game-design features and gaming principles but for situations that are not game-related, such as learning. Interaction with both games and gamified systems should be voluntary and take place in a safe environment as well as include elements of chance and uncertainty as well as one or more players or users. Conflict is provided in both games and gamified systems for the same reason that rules and outcomes or goals are included for the user to pursue and that is to entice the participant to continue to interact with the system and engage in play more. While games and gamified systems are not entirely different there are key distinctions between the two. The play of games takes place outside of daily life while gamified systems take place in ordinary life such as in a classroom or an office environment. The general goal for games is to excite players to get them to play more while gamified systems are defined by having articulated goals outside of the game experience itself. In the ID field, the goals of gamified systems tend to be learning objectives where external data is relied upon to accomplish these non-game-related objectives to meet the goals that extend beyond play.

Aspects of Gamification Design

Well-designed gamified experiences promote participant exploration by combining game elements such as badges or points with the process of discovery in the real world. Other elements that are commonly utilized in gamified systems are goals, levels, avatars, challenges, and leaderboards. Gamified system design promotes eleven design principles that should be utilized and play a great role in the inclusion of these game elements in gamified systems. In the video below Dr. Kerstin Oberprieler (2017) expands on the concept of gamification and how the various aspects of gamified system design create a canvas for engaging and effective learning experiences.

Personal Experience with Gamified System Design

A recent professional developmental experience provided me with the chance to explore gamification starting with its building blocks and ultimately develop a gamified experience from the ground up. Various learning activities were used to explore and engage in the elements of layout and composition, color scheming through HEX codes, image editing, and typography to create visually appealing and effective designs. Creation of multiple gamified experience plans expanded on the concepts of mechanics, dynamics, aesthetics, and technology as they pertain to gamification design development.

I created the “Mad Scientist of Mass Periodic Table Destruction” conceptualized gamified experience to apply skills gained through the professional development opportunity. This gamified educational unit exposed introductory chemistry students to the periodic table and its elements and element groups through the inclusion of engaging and entertaining gamification elements to create a memorable experience. The task of developing an entire gamified experience from scratch was daunting at first but in time I realized that it allowed me to be my most creative and put all the information I had gained into a product I was proud to create. Although the actual gamified unit never came fully to fruition due to limited time and coding expertise, the chance to combine and put all knowledge and skills to practice was extremely valuable. The concept started from nothing and became prototyped plan through research, storyboarding, and graphic design of visuals that would be utilized. I watched what was once an idea become a physical blueprint. A problem to solve turned into a lesson with a theme and feel generated through narrative and composition of graphics, typography, and color.

I was never an individual who was intrigued by games, especially as I watched my peers become completely engulfed by the gaming world. Before this exposure I assumed that gamification, as it applied to instructional design, was simply the creation of educational games such as Kahoot which I became well-versed in playing through school. Gamification is so much more than that though. As I see it now, gamification is a technique to engage learners of all ages and backgrounds in content through the inclusion of game elements rather than just creating a game. Gamification is a valuable method to developing learning experiences that are unforgettable, just as this experience was for me.

References

TEDx Talks. (2017, December 14). Gamification is key to nudging collective behaviour | Kerstin Oberprieler | TEDxCanberra. [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6F0CuzEu0A