Imagine if video games had been invented 300 years before printed books... Perhaps we would hear arguments like the following from an author who visualized just that:
"Reading books chronically understimulates the senses. Unlike gameplaying, which engages the child in a vivid, three-dimensional world, books are simply a barren string of words on the page. Books are tragically isolating. While games engage the young in complex social relationships with peers, books sequester the child, shut off from interaction with others. The most dangerous property of books is that they follow a fixed linear path. They instill a passivity in children, making them feel powerless to change their circumstances. Reading is not an active, participatory process; it's a submissive one."
-Steven Johnson
It may sound ridiculous, but many of today's educators can be heard saying, "Books are good but video games are bad and completely uneducational."
What is Gamification?
Gamification is the use of game design to help motivate others in business and school settings. Here we will be discussing the use of gamification in an education setting. It is NOT making everything a game. Nor is it making everything fun to do. It IS:
Reflective of the social style of your students.
Used to make the LEARNING fun.
The use of multiple items such as badges, points, and levels to encourage and give a sense of accomplishment.
The building of emotions such as trust, security, delight, and discovery.
A guide to learning and mastery.
Increasing difficulty and challenges to continue growth.
Instant testing of learning through a task or challenge.
The chance for students to try, fail, and try again to learn from their experiences.
Gamification is proven to work through multiple studies! Click HERE to read about one such study.
Reflective of the social style of your students.
Used to make the LEARNING fun.
The use of multiple items such as badges, points, and levels to encourage and give a sense of accomplishment.
The building of emotions such as trust, security, delight, and discovery.
A guide to learning and mastery.
Increasing difficulty and challenges to continue growth.
Instant testing of learning through a task or challenge.
The chance for students to try, fail, and try again to learn from their experiences.
Gamification is proven to work through multiple studies! Click HERE to read about one such study.