Gamification

​When we play games we get to restart them over and over again to fix the mistakes made previously and get better at them. This motivates us to keep going. At school, students often sit a test or complete an assessment task, get their results and then move on, never having an opportunity to correct their mistakes. Learning needs to provide opportunities like games for students to continually improve and feel motivated. 

​Perceived failures can ultimately lead to success if the student can try again and learn from their mistakes. As educators, we need to understand human-centred design including motivation and creativity. When we assess, it should be woven into our instruction – it should be so seamless so we can give students the opportunity to deeply engage in their learning. We need to create educational experiences that are designed for engagement, rigour, perseverance and problem-solving.

The links below provide more details, research and ideas on how to embed gamification into learning experiences.