Practical Gamification A.K.A. Gameful Learning

Gamification is not new.

…BUT…

It actually is.

At least, the way we are doing it here.

Points, Badges, Leaderboards, … oh my ….
None of that is new, and here's a secret….
None of that is really what gamification should be about.

Gamification, when done right is NOT about trading your stick for a carrot.

Gamification, when done right is about using those elements from games that help to make games FUN, and compelling.

Gamification, when done right is about using those aspects of games that support us as we learn what we need to learn in order to get to the end.

We are offering a fresh take on/new look at what’s wrong with our current way of teaching/running a course, not from an administrative perspective, but from INSIDE the classroom.

It’s pretty easy/popular to bash formal education, but the truth is, it’s not going away any time soon.
So why not work on change from the inside?
We don’t even need to change everything all at once.
We can make a difference even if we only move in baby steps.
This is how we can effect incremental change.

This site takes a very practical approach to gamification.
Forget the hype and inflated predictions.
The strategies in this site and the books are ones that anyone can implement.

If you implement even some of the strategies described in this site, I can almost guarantee you that your students will be happier, be more engaged in the material, and, ultimately, learn more.

by Katrin Becker

If you are confused about the distinctions between gamification, game-based learning, etc. etc., as MANY people are, have a look here:
(I will be creating a revised edition of this image in my 101 books. For now, if you wish to use this image, please use this citation as the source. )
Becker, K. (2021). What’s the difference between gamification, serious games, educational games,and game-based learning? Academia Letters, Article 209. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL209