Welcome to ”Game On! 7 Gamification Techniques to Enliven Your E-learning.” Thank you for joining us in this discussion on techniques to integrate game design mechanics and game dynamics into your e-learning.
People love to play games. Huge industry. Look at these numbers. And we know that games motivate, and engage people. With the advances in technology and games, gamers are not the only ones putting game mechanics to good use. Educators and trainers are finding ways to use gaming strategies in online learning. People love to play games. But in everyday life, we are often presented with activities we hate, whether it is boring chores or tedious tasks. Can’t just slap a drag and drop somewhere and call it game. Have to compliment the learning objectives. We will contend, in today’s session, that good instructional designers are also good “experience” designers. One type of effective experience to design is a game – whether the training includes some simple game-mechanics (such as points and badges) or is a complex narrative, adventure, intense role-playing simulations, or Quest, game mechanics can be an effective technique to motivate, engage, and teach people. Regardless of SIMPLE or COMPLEX mechanics, long or short game play, the game elements should grow organically from the learning goals (target learner, the content needs …) to create authentic learning experiences. Not something you stick on the end of a course add color and points to the quiz and call it gamified. Sloppy ID is till sloppy ID. And no puzzle, bingo card will fix it. Good training still needs all the qualities of sound instructional design: in fact, I think we will see today that game designers use a lot of the same analysis and approaches that good teachers use. Gamication of e-learning: using game mechanics and game dynamics to design engaging, authentic, learning experiences
This session has something for everyone: gamers, trainers, and those in the “both” category. We are all looking for ways to include games in learning. We’re going to look at specific gaming elements that gamers will be familiar with and we’ll look at specific educational strategies that instructional designers are familiar with. And we’ll look at some ways that these can intersect to create authentic learning experiences. you how these intersect. (points, rewards, leveling up) that you can use to boost engagement, retention, and compliance. All lead to increased ROI. So by the end of the session, our goal is that you’ll not only have an understanding of the theory behind some of the best gamification practices but also some actual examples of how you can apply them in your elearning solutions. TRANSITION: But first, what makes fun, fun?!!!
This group asked, “Can we use fun to change behavior?” http://www.thefuntheory.com/ They said, we hear ”Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator and feel better” a lot. But few people act on this advice. So the question this group asked was, “Can we get more people to choose the stairs by making it fun to do?” Can we get more people to take the stairs over the escalator by making it fun to do? WHY? It was fun. Pleasurable. Rewarding. So what makes it FUN?!
FOR POLL RESPONSE SCREEN: In our audience today, we have a range of experience in terms of what makes games fun. % say..… Getting a higher and higher score Risk, chance, and surprises Connecting with other players Competing with other players All these can be sources of fun. And these four responses actually align with a archetypes of gamers.
These are the 4 archetypes of gamers based on the Bartle Test of gamer psychology, a player personality analyzer that considers your preferences in gaming, and classifies you as an achiever, explorer, socializer, killer All of these are aspects of fun, different types of people often like different types of games. Getting a higher and higher score Risk, chance, and surprises Connecting with other players Competing with other players Achievers – accomplish. “beating” show off status seeing my name on the score board Explorers – discovery own pace, detail, solve puzzles – experience the adventure Socializes - relationships Killers – fighting, destruction, sport, power Combination of all Some things are just plain fun. The option I didn’t include in the poll was the “brain’s natural reward system.” And the fact is that each of these can trigger our chemical reaction -- in the brain.
Educational Strategies for people motivated by ACHIEVEMENT: Celebrate accomplishments (reinforcement) - BOY SCOUT BADGES Build toward mastery incrementally What Is an SRA Reading Program? I am recalling the SRA reading program from my elementary school days. This program, which began in the 50’s and now used worldwide provided reading materials, grouped AND COLOR CODED according to the reading ability and level required. So you moved for example, up in difficulty from color to color…I think purple was the highest. And it was quite a big deal as I recall moving up a level. Dr. Don H. Parker, who died in 2000, began a reading program with 32 students in Florida, in 1950. Science Research Associates published his materials as the SRA Reading Laboratory, a program now used worldwide. Principles SRA Reading Laboratory programs work by color-coding portions of reading materials according to the reading ability level required. It emphasizes the role of the student in directing his own learning, assessing his own skills as he works his way up through the levels. The age range runs from kindergarten age through to grade 12 and beyond.
Educational strategies for explorers might include: Library, reading, researching, museum, GAME MECHANICS….
Example of simple exploration
EXAMPLE FOR EXPLORERS A compelling narrative., gamification builds a narrative that engages players to participate and achieve the goals of the activity. Narrative: risk challenge, story Levels Personalized : choice, meter that adapts to your input Interactive menu: Upon rollover the patient overview becomes visible, kind of a thumbnail of their chart/diagnosis/story, so that the user knows whet they are getting into. In addition, this menu reminds the user upon revisit, who is who, and where they are so they can quickly navigate there for a review. The use clicks to begin working with that patient.
Educational strategies for socializers might include: Team projects, WORKING IN GROUPS Example: texting in class -- as long as it is in Spanish. wiki High tech = in game chat
Gamers have solved the structure of a retrovirus enzyme whose configuration had stumped scientists for more than a decade. The gamers achieved their discovery by playing Foldit , an online game that allows players to collaborate and compete in predicting the structure of protein molecules. After scientists repeatedly failed to piece together the structure of a protein-cutting enzyme from an AIDS-like virus, they called in the Foldit players. The scientists challenged the gamers to produce an accurate model of the enzyme. They did it in only three week s. http://www.nature.com/news/victory-for-crowdsourced-biomolecule-design-1.9872
Educational strategies for killers might include: Examples spelling bees Mathematician or the year
Successful luse Pick a ;menahcni Build off it Compliment the learning Then compliment that core mechanic.