By Alicia Rescigno-St. Pierre, Board Secretary
In our last Ed Tech Pick, we discussed the word ‘gamification’ and what this word actually means. We also discussed why gamification has become so popular and the reason for its popularity. For this issue, let’s focus on if gamification is right for your classroom.
Gamification is using a game-like design for non-game elements. What this means is, content and courses can be designed into game play for learners. As this is a trend that is increasing in popularity, is gamification right for your classroom? This all depends on the outcomes and reasoning behind turning content into a game. You would have to look at the overall picture to decide if taking the time in implementing gamification is worth it.
There are a lot of advantages to gamification when you decide to use it in your classroom, especially to engage and motivate your students for learning. Students who enjoy games can enjoy game-like elements and be learning at the same time. Designers can create scoreboards, badges and rewards for students to earn through gameplay and really enjoy what they are learning. This strategy brings learning to a whole new level for independent and a group of learners.
So the big question is if gamification is right for your classroom? As an instructional designer and experience in education, I think this a great motivator for your students and with the right plan and game to meet learning goals, yet it can be. As our society is consistently looking for new ideas of helping students learn, this is a great strategy for educators. This is also becoming widely popular in the training and development field for adults, too!
