Source: https://www.game-learn.com/gamification-6-must-read-articles/. Accessed:02.01.2019

As I have mentioned it in the previous note, the students of my course had been fascinated especially by computer games. Many of them are playing with these games preferring those, which are linked with a historic topic, like the game Call of Duty. Their question whether we could tech history more effectively through computer games is really important regarding the possibilities and developments e-teaching is offering. Their quoted question also refers to the phenomenon “gamification”.

Gamification is basically the use of game design and mechanics to improve non-game contexts by increasing participation and engagement.

TED-Talk

https://www.ted.com/talk/gabe_zichermann_how_games_make_kids_smarter

In the field of learning this means is an approach to motivate students to learn by applying game elements in learning environments. The goal is to maximize engagement through inspiring them to continue learning.

There are two forms of gamification:

1.) structural with no subject matter changes,

2.) and the altered content method that adds subject matter.

Games applied in learning can be considered as serious games, where the learning experience is centered around particular stories, which have a certain quality in order to achieve learning goals stories.But gamification takes place not only in the field of education. Also, in the so-called corporate world plays gamification an increasing role. What does this mean? Through gamification, or to put it in other words, the gamification of the companies promises to improve productivity, to increase motivation, to boost the creativity, to strengthen communication, to develop special skills etc.

However, if every level of the company and every activity is gamified is there no danger of the disappearing of such feeling like responsibility or seriousness about certain topics and intentions? So, what are the risks of gamification?Kyle Turco wrote in his blog already 2013 about the ethical risks, pinpointing, that (…) “Leaderboards can encourage competition through socialized achievement, but they can also create issues of pride and public humiliation. For example, an employee may lose motivation and lower their self-worth if they continually place last on a company-wide leaderboard.”(https://technologyadvice.com/blog/information-technology/its-not-all-fun-and-games-potential-risks-of-gamification/)

In the field of education, many authors have seen the gamification as a threat for the so-called intrinsic motivation to learn. This means, that the learning what is driven by internal rewards, is “killed” by the continuous external rewards received from the games used in the education.

Sources:

https://historyinvideogames.com/

http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Ch1-Digital%20Game-Based%20Learning.pdf

https://venturebeat.com/2018/09/06/gamification-can-help-education-heres-how/

https://www.game-learn.com/benefits-gamifying-your-company/