Gamification
The profile of gamification is growing within the eLearning industry, with dedicated conferences, books and detailed research being published by experts. More and more organisations are also starting to experiment with gamification techniques. However, there are issues with effectiveness, clearly demonstrated by the quote from Gartner who say that 80% of current gamified applications fail to meet the set business objectives, primarily due to bad design.
So what exactly is gamification?
There is no single definition for gamification. However, in the context of eLearning, it essentially is the use of gaming elements and game design to increase the effectiveness of the learning. Adding value to the experience through the use of gaming elements such as:
- Point scoring and badges
- Leader boards
- Competitive elements and challenges
- Levels and progression
- Rewards and punishment
- Avatars
Is the concept driven by demand or is it a concept that the industry is prescribing?
The jury is out on this one. The first academic papers and research came about in the 1980s and since then many organisations have come and gone who focused on the serious application of games.
An interesting clue as how to perhaps answer the above question can be taken from the below statistics.
- The gaming industry is currently worth $57 billion
- The average gaming consumer is 30 years old
- The gender divide is 55% male 45% female
Providing it is done well, gamification should then have the potential to be a powerful and popular technique. Making the mundane a little more fun and providing a safe environment to make creative and innovative solutions to modern business problems.
Successful gamification
The keys to success with gamification are:
- Don’t use it for the sake of using it
- Set a clear objective that the game is to achieve
- The game needs to effectively transfer learning
- It needs to be right for the audience and demographic you are trying to teach
- The game needs to motivate the learner and add extra interest
- It’s purpose should be meaningful
- The game should provide a platform to make autonomous decisions
- It should provide a pathway to allow the individual to improve
- It should be designed well
- The relevant stakeholders should be involved at every step of the process
At Brightbolts we specialise in creative and effective eLearning solutions. Whether it be a simple TakeAway learning infographic, a Snippet of mobile learning or a full-on Chunk of eLearning, we will provide the solution that best meets your needs.
Please contact us for a chat about your requirement and to find out how we can best help…
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