Engage, Excite and Enhance Learning: The Power of Gamification

Hey there! Have you heard about gamification in education? It’s a really interesting topic that’s been getting a lot of attention lately. Basically, gamification is about taking parts of gaming and using them to make teaching more fun and interactive. It’s not just about having students play more video games – it’s about using gaming elements to help students learn better. I think it could be really helpful for teachers who want to make their classes more engaging and interesting. Let me know if you want to learn more about gamification, I’d be happy to chat about it!

Find your inspiration in the gaming world

The gaming industry is a massive global phenomenon that generates billions of dollars each year. Every day, game developers across the world are constantly innovating, using cutting-edge technology and high-end graphics to create the newest and most exciting video games on the market. To ensure maximum player engagement, they employ behavioural scientists and psychologists to fine-tune their games, making them as captivating and addicting as possible.

The impact of gaming addiction is a real problem experienced by many people worldwide. It’s not uncommon for individuals to become so engrossed in video games that they neglect other aspects of their daily lives, such as work, school, and relationships. For instance, I recall experiencing this issue when I was in my twenties, where my studies sometimes took a back seat to my desire for just one more game.

From mobile games to console games, we see gamification used everywhere to capture the player’s attention. As a teacher, you can use gamification techniques to enhance the curricula, utilizing the same ingredients that make gaming so enthralling to keep students engaged.

3 simple gaming ingredients for your teaching

Gamification is a fascinating concept that has captured the attention of many in recent times. It has been the subject of numerous studies and research, and the results have been nothing short of impressive. While many people think that gamification means having students play more computer games, this couldn’t be further from the truth. The beauty of gamification lies in using a game designer’s mindset when planning and delivering lessons, which can lead to an enhanced and engaging learning experience for students. In fact, with careful implementation, gamification has been shown to improve outcomes in various fields such as education, healthcare, and business. As a helpful assistant, I highly recommend that you start exploring the possibilities of gamification and strive to incorporate it into your teaching methods. For an excellent start, here are my three best tips to guide you in implementing gamification effectively.

By just adding three simple ingredients to your teaching, you will get further in your effort to motivate students.

When it comes to teaching, there are many different techniques that can be used to motivate students. One simple yet effective technique is to change the terminology used for assignments. Instead of calling them “assignments,” try calling them “missions.” This small change can have a surprisingly positive effect on students’ motivation levels. It makes the task seem more exciting and fun, like a challenge that needs to be completed.

Furthermore, missions are typically scaled down from typical assignments and have a clear objective. This helps students to understand exactly what they need to achieve and how to accomplish it. To aid this process, consider creating a checklist within your Google document that lists all the steps required to complete the mission. This provides students with a clear roadmap to success, increasing their likelihood of completing it successfully and on time.

Finally, consider designing your missions in a way that encourages student cooperation. By making the completion of the mission a collaborative effort, you can further increase engagement and encourage teamwork. However, it’s important to note that this is not necessary to achieve success. By simply changing the name and design of your assignments, you can create a more motivated class environment.

The progress bar shows the students how far they have come towards the goal in each area. It not only brings structure to what we are doing, but it also gives the student the step-by-step feeling of getting closer and closer to the great reward (to be done / get their grades). This has meant that I have changed my curriculums in a way that they are more like progress bars rather than listing which goals are to be achieved at the end of the project. (The two ways to write the goals are similar, but a progress bar can be checked off step by step.)

I thought for quite some time about how to technically insert a progress bar into Google Docs, but I came to the conclusion that the best thing is to use Google Draw. I created a drawing and includeed to the curriculum at “goals”. By using Google Draw you get a nice layout and you can copy it and use it again over and over. An alternative is to share the drawing directly with the students and let them color-code the boxes when they are done with that part. One of my progress bars looks like this and you may copy it and change the text in any way you want. To insert it into a Google document, select “Insert”, “Drawing” and “From Google Drive”. You can edit it whenever you want by pressing the small “edit” button that appears next to the image.

The third thing that I use to gamify my classroom is awarding medals to students who have performed well on tests or assignments. This can easily be done in Google Classroom by selecting an image of a medal, and sharing it with the students who have passed. The added bonus is that these medals will be displayed on their Classroom wall, increasing their sense of accomplishment and pride for their hard work. While grades are still provided as a formal means of evaluation, a medal carries a different level of significance, something tangible that the student can hold onto and cherish. Overall, I have found that students truly appreciate these small rewards, and it is gratifying to see their faces light up when they are finally awarded their well-deserved medals!

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