Gamification is not a new concept in the digital world. It was first coined in the early 2000s, but it seems to be getting a lot of attention and focus of late.
The first concepts of gamification appeared in online video games. Players had to pass through multiple levels to gain different points, rewards, and other goodies. Then it moved to online gaming platforms such as başarıbet, where instead of virtual coins and rewards, players were able to win real money.
Seeing the rewards of incorporating gamification in video games, the concept was introduced to education to enrich lessons and make learning more fun. Players are able to earn badges, rewards through bonuses and points, and other goodies.
Benefits of Gamification in Education and Training
Gamification in education comes with several benefits. Both students and teachers have a lot to benefit from a gamified environment, including encouraging players to be active learners, promoting continuous learning, improving the productivity of the teachers and learners, as well as creating fun learning experiences.
- Encourages active learning: thanks to gamification, learners are able to take an active role in their learning by offering them chances to interact with their content. Instead of passively absorbing information, learners have the ability to test their knowledge as they learn and get instant feedback.
- Promoted continuous learning: gamification introduced the element of competitiveness in the lessons. The urge to want to outdo or beat the top score can help promote learning.
- Improves productivity: according to research conducted by MIT students on the effects of gamification in learning, 87% of the respondents said it helped them become more productive compared to the traditional ways.
- It creates a more fun and enjoyable way of learning: not only does gamification help employees and learners stay engaged for longer periods, but it also makes learning more fun.
- Customized learning paths: teachers and education systems can create customized learning paths for different learners. This is especially very important when it comes to helping students with special needs achieve their objectives in education.
While it may offer many advantages to learners, gamification has its shortcomings too. For example, the lack of a standardized system can make it difficult for students and teachers to cope when they move from one gamified environment to another. It can also make students lose focus when learning, as most of the gamified environments are online.
Key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics
How successful is the gamified environment or syllabus? The best way to measure this is through Key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics. These are indicators that measure the progress of the student, their engagement, and achievements. Based on the data collected, educators can determine whether their gamified system is working or not. Some of the KPIs include the following:
- Assignment grades
- Improvements in quiz scores
- Frequency of acquiring the badges
- How fast the challenges have been completed
By tracking these metrics, educators are able to gain useful insights into how effective the gamified environment is and areas that need to be improved. It’s worth mentioning that KPIs and metrics vary from one system to another. You can always borrow ideas online on how to formulate yours.
