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Gamification: Using Games to Learn

Gamification is the concept of applying game mechanics and game design techniques to engage and motivate people to achieve their goals.

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Gamification is not a new idea. In fact, it has been around longer than the term has existed. Anyone who has ever learned geography playing Carmen Sandiego can attest to that. However, it is only over the last few years that this concept has really begun to make inroads into the education scene (see: Ananth Pai – How video games can educate children).

Although gamification is often discussed in the context of technology, it should be noted that it does not require the use of video games for it to work. Some great examples of gamefying regular activities:

There is no doubt that gamification can be an extremely effective method for engaging students, but before we rush headlong into it, we need to understand how it works because, like everything else in life, even a good idea can fall flat if it is applied poorly.

The following infographic, created by Knewton and Column Five Media, offers a terrific overview about gamification in education:

gamification-education-infographic-knewton

More about gamification:

See also:

Related:

Published by Shen-Li

SHEN-LI LEE is the author of “Brainchild: Secrets to Unlocking Your Child’s Potential”. She is also the founder of Figur8.net (a website on parenting, education, child development) and RightBrainChild.com (a website on Right Brain Education, cognitive development, and maximising potentials). In her spare time, she blogs on Forty, Fit & Fed, and Back to Basics.

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