{"id":4181,"date":"2014-08-09T11:38:27","date_gmt":"2014-08-09T17:38:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/minkhollow.ca\/beckerblog\/?p=4181"},"modified":"2015-02-07T12:40:38","modified_gmt":"2015-02-07T19:40:38","slug":"gamification-of-learning-designing-digitally-inc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/minkhollow.ca\/beckerblog\/2014\/08\/09\/gamification-of-learning-designing-digitally-inc\/","title":{"rendered":"Gamification of Learning | Designing Digitally, Inc."},"content":{"rendered":"Approximate Reading Time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"BU072083\"<\/a>

Original Image replaced. It belonged to Designing Digitally, and although I had linked it to their site, I did not have official permission to use it. They phoned me and yelled at me. They threatened me. I have my own images that I want protected, and would have been happy to take them down, had they asked nicely. They didn’t. They were VERY hot under the collar. After they yelled at me, they hung up on me. Now, I’m no business expert, but I’m pretty sure that’s no way to do business.<\/p><\/div>\n

A previous post complained about being shut down on several LinkedIn groups because I disagreed with the poster.<\/a> This is another one. It is quite typical for the kinds of posts seen by companies promising to gamify anything you want.<\/p>\n

It makes all the usual claims: gamification makes learning more motivating, engaging, challenging, and fun. Then they go on to mention points, badges, and leaderboards.\u00a0 Though it may not sound like it, I’m actually a big fan of gamification, but it is important to note that much of it isn’t new at all, and much of what is in fact motivating, engaging, and challenging has roots in sound pedagogy. It bothers me when people make claims they aren’t prepared to back up with research, and it bothers me even more when people attribute something to gamification that is not at all unique to it. I don’t like marketing hype. I like honesty. Apparently the two are mutually exclusive.<\/p>\n

Gamification of Learning | Designing Digitally, Inc.<\/a>.<\/p>\n

*Note: as this post seems to have prompted Designing Digitally to respond with considerable hostility, I am adding to this post in order to provide the text on which I am commenting.<\/p>\n

The article linked above said:<\/p>\n

“Experts suggest that challenges should be incorporated into education as a way of engaging learners. Learners who are reluctant might be encouraged to participate by a set of challenges. Utilizing gamification elements in your learning can do a great deal to encourage and engage learners, while challenging them to succeed.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Here is what I said:<\/p>\n

Can you tell us who the experts are that say we should incorporate challenges into learning? Are there any studies that have compared gamified learning interventions with more traditional ones to see if there is any research to back up the claims?<\/p>\n

(note: I’m not trying to be difficult; I am genuinely interested in looking up the research.)<\/p>\n

I do agree that challenges can increase motivation, but that really has little to do with gamification – it has far more to do with sound instruction.<\/p>\n

Other experts* also say gamification is often about regulating behavior, and that the points, badges, leaderboards, and other rewards primarily drive external motivation – which is the opposite of what we actually want in sound learning. The way it is often implemented, gamification is classical behaviorist instruction wrapped in a sexy new name.<\/p>\n

I’ve been doing gamification in my courses since long before it was called gamification, and I consult on the design of gamified courses. I find the term convenient for gathering together a host of techniques that, when well thought-out and designed, can create a highly learner-centered environment, but very little of it is actually new, and that which IS new is rarely implemented in either educational OR corporate settings. I see very little that is new\u00a0in the majority of the marketing literature coming from companies that sell gamification, aside from the name.<\/p>\n

*See my gamification pages for some of my peer-reviewed and other publications on the issue here.<\/a><\/p>\n

Also check out writings and presentations by Sebastian Deterding, Ian Bogost, and Jane McGonigal, among others.<\/p>\n