Gamification has become one of the buzzwords connected to management, marketing and user engagement. The gamification of education has taken on special meaning, mixing actual gaming with innovation in education management. But according to one consulting firm that has specialized in gamification, simply embracing the idea of gamifying education or school management does not mean it will lead to success.
“Gamification is currently being driven by novelty and hype, so there are a lot of gamification applications out there that we don’t believe are going to be sustainable,” said Gartner Research Vice President Bryan Burke.
“We believe the key to sustainability is ensuring that you are positioning the game with a proper motivation. So that we are motivating people for collaborative behavior primarily with intrinsic rewards rather than extrinsic rewards… That the challenge matches the skill level.”
According to a recent report from Gartner Research, the idea of gamification has already begun to take hold, and to work, in education.
Key Findings
- Gartner predicts that by 2014, 80% of current gamified applications will fail to meet business objectives primarily because of poor design.
- Gamification of education has enormous potential, the researchers argue, writing, when it is done well it turns the “lesson into a game, where in addition to the game layer of points and badges, simulation and animation is used to immerse the students in the environment and allow them to practice new skills in a safe, virtual environment that provides immediate feedback.”
The authors argue, “In its simplest form, game mechanics, such as points, badges and social network integration, are being applied as a game layer to course material to accelerate feedback loops and provide social recognition rewards that increase student/player engagement in learning. In more sophisticated examples, course material is embedded in game environments that include simulation, animation and storylines to further engage student/players. The results are better outcomes in learning.”
Many of the gamification ideas that are expected to fail are connected to the gamification of corporate structure and training. Gartner cautions that expecting existing organizations to accept new incentives or respond to a new gaming structure is often doomed. Instead gamifying works when the goals and outcomes, as in education, are clearly defined.
Still, the authors caution, much time and consideration needs to be put into ensuring that the new game-like organization of a class or a training regime directs participants in the direction that is needed.
“Gamification is still in its infancy, so we have a long way to go” said Burke.
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