The Gamification of Learning and Instruction

What’s in a Game?

Gamification is a powerful tool for delivering corporate training and education. Consider the formal definition of a “game” in an educational context: Such a game is a space where certain factors converge – “players,” “abstract” thinking, “challenge,” rules,” “interactivity,” “feedback,” “quantifiable results” and “emotional reaction” – all within a “system” that provides structure. Games are abstract – they exhibit only certain characteristics of real life – and they present a different reality. The element of challenge keeps the players pushing to achieve a particular goal. Rules structure the game’s reality. Interactivity in games occurs between a player and the game system and among players. Feedback – positive or negative – influences the players’ game behavior. Players react emotionally to different parts of the gaming experience. Since a game is a system, each of these factors influences the others.

Gamification uses these game-based dynamics to engage and educate an audience. Gamification presents an engaging aesthetic interface that affects how players experience a game. The most critical component of gamification is how it promotes “game...