Gamification is an approach for increasing student engagement that involves a variety of activities and rewards. Gamification is a modern educational technique that strategically harnesses the different workings and qualities of gaming culture. It is based on the motivational framework of active education. It helps students become motivated and engaged learners when implemented as an approach to create a love of learning.
Gamification and active learning in higher education
Motivation to learn-Gamification employs a variety of motivational strategies, such as challenges and rewards, to assist students stay engaged in the learning process.
Engaging students in learning-For students who need to learn key ideas, game-based learning methodologies make the topic more engaging and intriguing.
Enriches the Overall Experience-Incorporating gaming aspects in the classroom helps students overcome problems in a fun and interactive way, and it fundamentally transforms the usual assessment methods of using a reward system.
Increased Attention Span-Students have to pay greater attention to what can be taught to them when learning ideas are gamified in an exciting style (getting a badge, receiving feedback).
Teachers must prepare carefully and restructure existing teaching methods to master gamification tactics. The strategy will only work if it is effectively implemented as a whole.
In Grading
We can’t dispute that the old grading system is critical to assessment and the overall learning experience. Educators, on the other hand, make a significant impact in learning results by changing their strategy to grading assignments and accumulating scores.
The goal is to make the course more interesting by replacing grades with an “experience points system,” in which students’ grades are decided by the number of points they acquire at the end of the course. With each homework that seems gratifying to them, students can move towards different levels of experience (similar to games).
Point-Based Rewards System
Earning points stimulates students and make them happy rewarded for their efforts, similar to video games. You may construct a point-based incentive program based on actual classroom activities, awarding points for on-time execution of task, classroom engagement, or whatever else you choose. The scoring system you choose should be appropriate for your classroom and assist your pupils in keeping track of activities. You may even utilise the point-based approach to augment your grade.
Promoting Quests
Turning each week of the semester calendar into a type of quest where students will earn badges for both completion and mastery is one of the creative ways educators can gamify learning in their classrooms. Instead of marks, the aim here should be to recognise student successes with suitable badges to symbolise their accomplishments as more than merely academic.
Competition in the Classroom
When it comes to properly gamifying a classroom, being imaginative and responsive to student interests go a long way. As students’ progress in their study, make sure they are accumulating points, levelling up, and competing against one another in order to stand-in a good class atmosphere while also boosting student accomplishment. This is particularly beneficial in the classroom for establishing processes and behavioural standards.
Encourage Teamwork
Gamification in the classroom is done in a way that raises classroom morale and encourages students to work together in groups. Getting pupils to study, play, and interact together fosters a positive learning environment and instils the importance of teamwork.
Allow students to share incentives, points, or even power-ups as they work in groups. Students would undoubtedly want to put in more effort to assist their team and help their teammates win. When they share the points/rewards and cheer for their buddies, this becomes much more fascinating.