Gamification in the Classroom | Origin: ED409
This is a general discussion forum for the following learning topic:
Gamification in the Classroom
Post what you've learned about this topic and how you intend to apply it. Feel free to post questions and comments too.
I was aware of gamification in the classroom. However, I was not aware of how in-depth it could go. To turn your entire class into one huge game with levels, quests, boss battles, etc. seems really overwhelming. I use different games throughout the class, like Blooket or Gimkit, but turning a whole class into this feels very overwhelming. I can see how it might improve student engagement and motivation, but I am not sure if I could make it work. I might start small with one class and see how it goes before I build from there.
I was already well aware of using these concepts in a class and I have seen the positive results they bring. I was introduced to more ideas and concepts... some I enjoyed and will probably try to implement myself and others I am not a fan of and will not try. It seems like there is a lot of focus on implementing RPG mechanics (XP, quests, etc.) or just using existing online games with the students. I personally enjoy modeling my classroom activities in other ways; I have mimicked a couple of game shows (family feud, the price is right, jeopardy, etc.) as well as Olympic-styled events (baton races, demonstration of skills, going for personal bests, etc.). I also feel that students understand authenticity and effort and if you take the time to design your own activities tailored to your class and your personality, the students will appreciate that and be more willing to participate and step outside of their comfort zones.
There is a reason gaming is so popular, so incorperating similar concepts just might have an unexpected positive result
Gamification will have a positive impact on student engagement, morale, and promote a healthy atmosphere of competition when utilized properly.
I am happy that I selected this course. The points it made early on about how gamification is not going anyway and that it is best to lean into it are spot on. Also, the ideas presented made a lot of sense and would be a great way to engage students and really make learning come alive. This course provided a lot of good ideas and I will be reflecting on how to bring the content to life via gaming activities.
Reading through many of the comments, I can see that others are very positive about gamification. For myself as a non-gamer, I'm still having problems accepting the idea of incorporating gaming principles into the classroom filled with adults. I don't play video games, so I'm not at all familiar with the gaming terminology, I don't play cards, and the only board games I've ever played are Monopoly, Parcheesi, Checkers, and Chinese Checkers--and those were all when I was a kid. Maybe I've played Monopoly once or twice as an adult.
I am already familiar with gamification, and I have used may different aspects of it. Badges, Boss Battles, and Rankings can be useful tools.
At a recent faculty meeting, during a presentation from our librarians, I experienced gaming while learning more about APA, 7th edition. Colleagues who were enrolled in and/or had recently acquired degrees had the upper hand and remained in the leaderboard position. Myself and two colleagues [our guild] felt confident in the early stages [i.e., easier stages] but then realized how much we did not know when we were knocked off the Top 5 leaderboard :( Overall, it was a fun way to learn and it is easy to see how students can grasp technology while in a social learning theory environment.
I learned that even small additions—like points, badges, or progress tracking—can significantly increase student motivation and engagement when used with clear purpose.
I’ve discovered that weaving gamification into my lectures transforms them into more engaging, interactive, and exciting learning experiences for students.
Gamification can be used to keep students engaged which is beneficial to prevent them from getting easily distracted.
I learned that gamification isn’t “playing games” but deliberately using mechanics, tutorials, quests, guilds, boss battles, XP to drive learning while keeping rigor through guardrails like required assessments, caps on repeatables, and unlocks. In Nursing Fundamentals, I’ll post a five-minute sterile-field tutorial and have students replicate it with a micro-checklist. I’ll frame clear activity goals (e.g., “maintain a sterile field with zero breaks; document the wound accurately”) and run a quest sequence i.e. hand hygiene → PPE → sterile field → dressing, each with brief evidence of completion. The OSCE and SBAR handoff will be required boss battles that must be passed regardless of banked points. I’ll use a simple XP system with caps and an LMS “Skills Passport” progress bar, and I’ll award targeted badges (PPE Pro, Dosage-Calc Ninja, Documentation Ace) that students can showcase in their e-portfolios.
This video contained a plethora of innovative ideas. I am especially interested in the idea of guilds as a modified small-group format
I enjoy gamification in the classroom and learned how to add some more layers to the activities that I have already tried to implement. It was interesting to hear the statistics on gamification and realize that the interest ranges in the demographics
I've learned that adding gamification to my courses, especially the lecture classes, will cause students to be more engaged and make it more interesting
I think the creators of the course are right in saying that gamers have an intense interest and focus on attaining their goals. I think that these are great ideals for the classroom. My only concerns are that students barely get the required work done as it is, and our limited course templates.
After this lesson I have already started a leader board and so far, it has been a huge hit in class. I can't wait to see how it ends and how much confidence my students will gain from this.
I would like to apply the leaderboards and guild leader boards. I think it would get discussions going between the stronger and weaker students to assist each other so they get higher on that board.
I learned that I was already implementing some of the gamification concepts. I also learned that applying quests and missions throughout my units would be very helpful to my students
