Gamification and Gamification in Education - Let's Play to Succeed!

Gamification is the concept of applying game techniques to engage and motivate people to play and achieve their goals. There are strategies tapped in the program that also fulfills desires and needs of the user. These stategies reinforce two concepts statues and achievement. These concepts are impoirtant to learning. Simply students want to feel good about themselves and their accomplishments as learners and they want reinforcement and acknowledgement of their achievements. Therefore, gamification can be successfully applied to education. The ultimate results would be an engaged learner, who pays attention to detail and is able to demonstrate problem solving abilities. The student is allowed to become self-directed in their learning and learning achievements. They are permitted through game strategies to make their own choices.

They are able to invest his/her learning and ultimately feel pride in their work. They are able to receive immediate feedback correct their errors because they are challenged to do so or move on to the next successful level. Students are able to see progression of success through built in strategies of attaining certain levels and achieving points (putting a running numerical value on their work). Games are self challenging. Failure is experienced and the immediate opportunity is provided to rechallenge oneself to correct their errors. Trying and retrying helps us learn. Games in education are based on ther Cascading Information Therory (unlocking information continuosly). This theory helps us gamify coursework. The process unlocking information continuously helps students build on their knowledge. It ensures that basic knowledge is achieved before mocking up to another level. Furthermore, the unlocking theory also provides unexpected bonuses to the student unexpectedly that encourage the incentive to play. In addition, through self navagating through the game the student encounters and discovers pockets of information.

Games in school can be used to deliever content about a particular subject, allows students to take on different identities, for example, learn to think like a mayor in SimCity). Furthermore, games help students familarize themselves with technology - the use of PC and mobile devices students can be encouraged to design their own games. They can research a subject matter and utilizes game strategies they are familar with and apply these strategies to create a game. Games in education do not provide a grade, they provide an opportunity. We learn with opportunities. Often it has been said we learn more by taking a test than studying for a test, games allows us this opportunity.

For teachers, games allow them to assess the "whole picture". They are able to witness live students problem solving steps in tackling problems.

My final words on Gamifiication in Education - A way to help kids learn from what they do best - PLAY!