Online or offline, physical or mental, games have always been an ever-exciting thing for all of us since our growing years. So much so that in school if we got a free lecture, the first thing we would consider doing is to play something with our classmates. It could be games like Tic-Tak-Toe, Hangman, Simon Says and Hopscotch amongst many others. This not only made us way happier but also grew our skills in particular areas. For example, a game like Tic-Tak-Toe taught us skills like strategy, tactics and observation whereas something like a Hopscotch taught us skills like body control, flexibility and coordination.
In the meantime, as technology was evolving, we saw the evolution of digital arcade type video games like Pac-Man and Mario with companies like Nintendo ruling that era. Fast forward to today, we have many popular game development giants like Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, Sony, Activision, and many other companies who are dominating the market and developing some immersive realistic games and digital experiences using tools like Unreal Engine, Unity and CryEngine to name a few.
Now that we spoke about the evolution, let us get back to our topic on how games and gamification can be a great learning modality for your learners whether delivered through classroom or in eLearning formats. But before that, let us take a step back and understand the basic difference between a game versus gamification in the learning context. In simple terms, a game or also commonly known as game-based learning, is an end-to-end active experience which the learner goes through to achieve a particular learning objective within a game framework. These are usually very immersive and can be compared with the games we spoke about earlier. On the other hand, gamification is the use of game elements like timer, rewards, points, badges and leader boards within an instructional setting. The crux of gamification is not in the learning content but using these elements to extrinsically motivate the learners to go through the content and complete that piece of learning.
Here is an interesting reference. In 1998, a study published in the scientific journal Nature, states that playing games releases the chemical dopamine in our brain which is a neuromodulator responsible for the feel good factor and boosts overall learning, motivation and pleasure in a human body. This release of dopamine is equivalent to what is seen after intravenously injecting drugs like amphetamine or methylphenidate which are stimulants directly affecting the nervous system. So now you know, how important it is to spike your learning modules with some games or gamification elements in order for your learners to release the much-needed dopamine.
An interesting survey carried out by TalentLMS on gamification, states the following key findings:
- 33% of employees say they would like to see more game like features in their trainings
- 83% of those who receive gamified training feel motivated
- Gamification in the workplace has a significant impact on employee engagement, motivation and psychology
- 89% employees say that gamification makes them feel more productive at work
- 88% employees say that gamification makes them happier at work
These are again some great data points which will help you decide your learning strategy.
Let us see a few benefits of using game-based learning and gamification in your physical classrooms, virtual classrooms, digital learning or hybrid deliveries:
- Helps in Intrinsically and extrinsically motivating your learners
- Learners feel competitive to get a higher score or rank on top of the leader board which overall helps in motivating them to complete the task at hand
- Boosts overall learner engagement
- Game elements or game themselves help keep the leaners engaged and hooked to your learning content as compared to traditional learning modalities
- Improved learning retention
- With so many distractions around due to the digital outbreak of information, it is imperative to help learners retain what they have learnt, and games help you do just that
- Increased recollection of information
- Games or the use of gamification use visually rich and interactive elements within the whole experience thereby helping leaners recollect much better
- Encourages problem solving and critical thinking
- There are many scenarios and game mechanics one can use which usually enhances the learners critical thinking and problem-solving skills
Having said that, every coin has two sides and following are a few drawbacks to consider:
- They are time consuming and take much of the leaners screen time
- To develop and deliver games requires different skill sets
- Cannot completely replace traditional learning methodologies
- Not always aligned to learning objectives
- Can be a source of distraction for the learners
So, do we still consider game-based learning or gamification in your learning strategy? Absolutely, yes! There will always be a wonderful piece of content you are working on as an Instructional Designer or Content author, and you should always keep an open mind to figure out whether a game experience will help in achieving the end learning objectives. Initially it might seem daunting and an uphill task but as soon as you start drafting and designing the experience, you will be shocked to see the results. To start with, one can try using gamification instead of a complete game-based learning experience as it is comparatively easier to implement. In this way you can also use many of your existing content and add elements to it which we discussed earlier like badges, leaderboards and others to further increase your learner engagement. PassionPro has worked with some of the leading enterprises across industry verticals supporting L&D teams modernize their existing content to immersive gamified learning experience as well as interactive games.
We would be glad to know more and learn how you are leveraging games-based learning and gamification to achieve your learning goals. Is it something new and exciting you have been trying or still contemplating the effectiveness of these learning interventions? Drop your comments below as we are an enthusiastic bunch waiting to learn more from your experiences.