The term ‘gamification’ has become one of the hottest buzzwords of the current decade. It has been claimed that gamification can be applied to everything from shopping, exercising, and doing chores to training and business, and that it will increase engagement, motivation, and make things fun. How much of what you hear is just hype? Is there something to it? Can classrooms be gamified?
While the term of gamification is new, the underlying concepts for both reward-based and meaningful gamification are not, and have been practiced in the classroom for a long time. In fact, teachers have been using game-based elements for the real world application of teaching content for decades.
At its heart, gamification is about taking elements from games and applying them to non-game settings. This book connects the dots between instructional approaches and strategies that are grounded in solid theory and those elements of gamification that can be implemented in any classroom to help create a more learner-centered classroom that embodies 21st century learning principles. It provides practical, step-by-step strategies that any teacher can employ without having to completely re-design their classroom.