Running head: GAMIFICATION 1

Gamification in Education

Jessica Stansel

University of Arizona South

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An emerging trend in education and learning is gamification. Gamification is the process

of applying game mechanics to a non-game environment. (Dicheva, Dichey, Agre, & Angelova,

2015). In an educational setting, the goal of gamification is to support learning and promote

student engagement and motivation. Although gamification has been used for some time in

business, marketing, and other areas, it is relatively new in the area of education. The interest in

gamification has resulted in research aimed at evaluating its effectiveness, as well as awareness

of the advantages and disadvantages of applying gamification in a learning environment.

It is important to distinguish gamification from game-based learning. Where

gamification is using game mechanics in a lesson or course, in game-based learning the player

achieves certain learning objectives in the course of playing a game. (Herro & Clark, 2016, p.

17). A very early example of this type of game is Oregon Trail, which taught students about a

specific historical period via gameplay. These games can be highly engaging for students and

therefore a good way to teach certain objectives. However, they are usually limited in their

learning objectives and are costly or difficult to create. (Kim, Song, Lockee, & Burton, 2018).

Gamification has been used successfully outside of education for some time. Frequent

flyer rewards and loyalty programs are both examples where customers are rewarded for

reaching certain goals. (Kim, Song, Lockee, & Burton, 2018). Within the area of education,

interest in gamification has been growing steadily, with research summits and increased funding

going toward gamification projects. (Buckley & Doyle, 2016). Several research hubs have also

been founded to investigate the use of gamification in learning, including the Center for Games

& Impact at Arizona State University and the Education Arcade at MIT. (Herro & Clark, 2016).

There are several existing theories related to education that can be incorporated into a

gamified learning context. Likely the most referenced is motivation theory, and its two types of
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motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. In an educational setting, intrinsic motivation is a person’s

desire to learn the material and interest in process of learning itself, while extrinsic motivation is

the motivation to complete a task in order to receive a later reward, for example a good grade.

(Buckley & Doyle, 2016). Gamification can be used to increase both. Intrinsic motivation can be

increased by increasing learner enjoyment in the learning process. However it is extrinsic

motivation that is more visible in gamified settings, with the use of game mechanics such as

points and badges used to reward learners for accomplishing set tasks or goals.

Another educational foundation present in gamification is feedback. Feedback can be in

multiple forms: positive and negative, immediate and delayed. While both positive and negative

feedback have been shown to change behavior and performance, positive feedback generally has

more lasting effects. Immediate feedback is also more effective than delayed feedback. One of

the often cited benefits of gamified learning is that feedback can be provided immediately to

students. In order to be most effective, feedback should “correctly reflect students’ performance

and guide them to improve their performance.” (Kim, Song, Lockee, & Burton, 2018, p. 44).

Negative feedback is not helpful in improving performance if students do not know what they

missed and how to do better. Gamification can provide effective feedback, but it is critical that

the instructor or course designed is aware of the types of feedback that will be most beneficial

for their students. Other theories that can be used in gamified learning are self-determination

theory, social learning theory, and situated learning theory. (Kim, Song, Lockee, & Burton,

2018).

The overall goal of using gamification in an educational context is to promote

productivity and creativity, and motivate through incentives such as badges and rewards. (Herro

& Clark, 2016). However, “merely using game mechanics, like badges and points, should not be
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considered gamification. Gamification should be based on the characteristics of game elements”

(Kim, Song, Lockee, & Burton, 2018, p. 28). While gamification can be an attractive means of

increasing student motivation and engagement, it is important to understand the principles

behind it and how to apply it in order to be most effective.

In order to understand the process of gamification, it is important to be aware of the

different components that make up a game. Buckley and Doyle identify four elements of games.

First, games have objective and specific rules that limit player behavior and choices. (2016).

Games also include reward systems such as points, badges, virtual currency, or prizes. Rewards

can also be used to track progress, for example after earning a certain amount of points the player

attains the next level. The third element of games are rapid feedback cycles, where players

receive immediate or nearly immediate feedback on their performance. Rapid feedback cycles

keep stakes low and can foster a positive relationship with failure. The final element is

competition, which can be implemented through a leaderboard or social element. Competition

can increase motivation in players as they compete against each other. (Buckley & Doyle, 2016).

There are several different theoretical frameworks that have been proposed for the

process of gamification in learning. The MDA framework proposed by Hunicke, LeBlanc, and

Zubek is comprised of mechanics, dynamics, and aesthetics. Mechanics are game elements such

as points and badges, dynamics are how the user interacts with the mechanics, and aesthetics are

“the feeling and emotions that the gamer can experience from playing a game.” (As cited in

Kim, Song, Lockee, & Burton, 2018, p. 59). Another model is proposed by Kim, Song, Lockee,

and Burton called the integrative gamification framework. (2018). The elements of the

integrative gamification framework are story, dynamics, mechanics, and technology. Story is

defined as the educational objectives and any related narratives. Dynamics are the fun
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experiences, whose purpose is to motivate students. Mechanics are game elements, and

technology is the software, hardware, and other pieces that allow the game to function.

There are varying ideas about what game elements are most effective when being

incorporated into a gamified lesson or course. Dicheva, Dichey, Agre, and Angelova recognize

“the most used gamification design principles in educational context [as] visual status, social

engagement, freedom of choice, freedom to fail, and rapid feedback.”(2015, p. 79) Another

study in 2012 “identified four specific characteristics present in game design and whose

application in learning environments consistently leads to success: freedom to fail, rapid

feedback, progression, and storytelling.” (Wiggins, 2016, p. 21). While there is no set agreement

on what specific elements are optimal for gamified learning, it is clear that certain game elements

have been shown to be beneficial.

Kim, Song, Lockee, & Burton outline a five step process for implementing a gamified

course. First, it must be decided what type of game will be used. This could be software

accessed through computers, tablets, smartphones, or some other technology, or a physical game.

If using software, it must be integrated into any existing learning management systems. Next,

instructors must test the gamified content themselves in order to check that the learning

objectives are fulfilled and to be aware of the student experience. After this, the course is taught

to students. After its implementation, instructors should evaluate the effectiveness of the

gamified learning. Finally, any improvements that can be made are added to the course. (Kim,

Song, Lockee, & Burton, 2018).

When created a gamified learning environment, instructors and course designers have the

option of creating game elements themselves, or using an existing platform for gamified

learning. Gamification platforms are not always necessary, but can be convenient and reduce the
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time, cost, and risk involved in creating a gamified course. Some examples of these platforms

are Kahoot, Classcraft, and Gradecraft. (Gupta, P. 2016).

Possibly the most cited advantage of using gamification in education is an increase in the

motivation of students. Multiple studies have posited that gamification improves student

motivation and engagement, and a few have also shown improved self-efficacy and increased

student retention. (Kim, Song, Lockee, & Burton, 2018). Gamified courses are also believed to

promote higher levels of student engagement, because of the active learning and collaboration

found in gamified learning environments.

Some research has also shown that gamified learning improves student success. One

study “showed that the students in gamified courses performed at least 7.2% better than the non-

gamified courses. College students in a gamified cell biology class performed 40% better than

the same lecture-based class” (Kim, Song, Lockee, & Burton, 2018, p. 35). Other studies have

also shown positive results, including a 2016 study by Buckley and Doyle.

An example of gamified learning outside of formal education systems is Duolingo, a free

app for learning languages. Users complete lessons in their chosen language, and are rewarded

with levels, badges, and virtual currency for completing various tasks and maintaining streaks,

where they log in consistently each day. (Kim, Song, Lockee, & Burton, 2018). Because this

example is outside of formal education, its popularity shows that users can be intrinsically

motivated to engaged in learning.

However, while several examples have shown that gamified learning can be beneficial, because

gamification is relatively new to education, more research is needed in this area to be certain of

the benefits.
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Although there can be many positive benefits from the use of gamification in learning,

there are also challenges and potential concerns. One potential issue is that for instructors just

starting to incorporate gamification into their courses, creating effective and appropriate

gamified lessons may be difficult. (Dicheva, Dichey, Agre, & Angelova, 2015). According to

Herro and Clark, “combining highly engaging game design with learning objectives is

challenging, [and] game development requires multiple competencies (not just content)” (2016,

p. 18). While most faculty are highly competent in their subject area and in traditional teaching

formats such as lecture, they may not have the skills required to create a gamified course. A

potential solution to this is collaboration with instructional designers to incorporate gamified

instruction with the course content. Using an existing gamification platform can also simplify

the process of gamifying lessons.

Another concern is the students themselves. Some students may be reluctant to move

from passive lectures to active learning. (Herro & Clark, 2016). In their study on effects of

motivation in a gamified lesson, Buckley and Doyle suggest that students who are accustomed to

traditional forms of assessment may not have as much intrinsic motivation in a gamified

environment. (2016, p. 1172). In the same study, some students reported that they disliked the

competition in the gamified course. The competition element of gamified learning is meant to

increase motivation by allowing learners to compare their performance with peers, so a potential

area of research is to analyze the effectiveness of competition in gamified courses.

Instructors and course designers must also be careful not to prioritize receiving points or

other rewards as the primary goal for students. If the course focuses too much on earning points,

or awards them for too many non-meaningful behaviors, then students may no longer feel a sense

of accomplishment or learning. The learning objectives of the course are the primary goals, and
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points and other rewards should be used to help users visualize and track their progress, but there

should be intrinsic motivation for students as well. (Kim, Song, Lockee, & Burton, 2018, p. 114-

115).

Many gamified courses are delivered online, which brings its own concerns. Generally

students using websites or online platforms will create user accounts that may contain identifying

or personal information. Instructors and others with access to students’ personal information

must be aware of privacy issues and how the information is displayed, shared, and stored. For

example, when using leaderboards or other social elements in a course, instructors need to

consider what student information is displayed. (Kim, Song, Lockee, & Burton, 2018, p. 11).

Gamification continues to be a growing trend in education and other areas. However,

more research is needed in order to evaluate its effectiveness in increasing student motivation,

participation, and engagement, and to determine what game elements are most effective in those

areas. Gamification must not be simply an insertion of game mechanics into an existing course

or lesson. Instructors and course designers must be aware of basic game principles, and use the

game mechanics in a way to support learning and motivate and engage students. Additional

research in this area will help with this task.

It must also be taken into account that “digital media and games are novel areas of

research with few real experts,” and that therefore more training and resources need to be made

available if gamification in education is to grow. (Herro & Clark, 2016, p. 19). Because

gamification is often incorporated with software or other technology, a multidisciplinary

collaboration between instructors, course designers, software developers, and others will be

required to reach the maximum potential in gamifying education. Despite these challenges, the
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potential advantages of gamification in learning mean that it will continue to be a growing area

of interest in education.

In his analysis of gamification in higher education settings, Wiggins argues that

gamification may actually be a “repackaging” or “reimagining” of existing educational theories

and strategies, specifically strategies meant to increase both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.

(2016). However, Buckley and Doyle argue that “the meteoric rise to ubiquity of information

technology has fundamentally altered how individuals find, evaluate and use information and

knowledge” and that because of this, “the development of gamification can be seen as an

example of the continual renewal of educational practice.” (2016, p. 1171). Therefore, while the

theory and some methods behind gamification may be based on more traditional educational

strategies, the current process of gamification is a unique response to the current needs and

capabilities of contemporary students, teachers, educational settings, and technology. More

research and better understanding of how gamification can help students succeed has the

potential to meet these needs.

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References

Buckley, P., & Doyle, E. (2016). Gamification and student motivation. Interactive Learning

Environments, 24(6), 1162-1175. doi:10.1080/10494820.2014.964263

Dicheva, D., Dichev, C., Agre, G., & Angelova, G. (2015). Gamification in education: A

systematic mapping study. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 18(3), 75-88.

Gupta, P. (2016, February 2). Tools, Tips & Resources Teachers Must Know to Learn About

Gamification of Education. Retrieved from http://edtechreview.in/trends-

insights/insights/2293-gamification-of-education

Herro, D., & Clark, R. (2016). An academic home for play: Games as unifying influences in

higher education. On the Horizon, 24(1), 17-28. doi:10.1108/OTH-08-2015-0060

Kim, S., Song, K., Lockee, B., Burton, J. (2018). Gamification in learning and education: Enjoy

learning like gaming. Cham: Springer International Publishing.

Wiggins, B. E. (2016). An overview and study on the use of games, simulations, and

gamification in higher education. International Journal of Game-Based Learning

(IJGBL), 6(1), 18-29. doi:10.4018/IJGBL.2016010102