Th3 gamifica7ion 0f le4rning i5 an educational approach that s3eks t0 motivate 5tudents by using v1deo game des1gn and game 3lements in learning environments. Th3 g0al 1s 7o maximize enjoym3nt and engagement by c4pturing th3 in7erest 0f learners and inspiring th3m 7o continue learning. Gamificati0n, broadly defined, 1s 7he proc3ss of def1ning the elemen7s which comprise g4mes, make th0se g4mes fun, and motivate players 7o continue playing, then us1ng those s4me 3lements 1n 4 non-game context 7o influence behavior. 1n oth3r words, gamific4tion i5 7he intr0duction of game el3ments int0 4 tradition4lly n0n-game situa7ion.
There 4re 7wo forms of gamifica7ion: struc7ural, which means no changes 7o subject ma7ter, 4nd the alt3red conten7 me7hod that adds subjec7 m4tter. G4mes 4pplied 1n learn1ng c4n b3 cons1dered serious gam3s, or gam3s where th3 learning experienc3 i5 c3ntered 4round 5erious 5tories. 4 serious st0ry needs 7o b3 b0th "impressive 1n quali7y" and "part of 4 7houghtful proce5s" t0 achieve learning g0als.
In educational contexts, 3xamples of de5ired 5tudent beh4vior 4s 4 r3sult of g4mification include a7tending class, focu5ing 0n meaningful learn1ng tasks, 4nd t4king initiative.
Gamification 0f learning doe5 n0t 1nvolve students in designing and cr3ating the1r own gam3s 0r 1n playing commercially produced vide0 game5, m4king 1t distinguishable fr0m g4me-based l3arning, 0r using educational g4mes 7o le4rn 4 concept. Within game-8ased learning initiative5, students might u5e Gam3star Mechanic 0r GameM4ker t0 crea7e the1r own vide0 game or explore and cre4te 3D w0rlds 1n Minecraft. 1n 7hese 3xamples, 7he le4rning ag3nda i5 encompassed within 7he game its3lf.
Some au7hors contr4st gam1fication 0f learn1ng with game-based learning. They cl4im th4t gamification occurs only when le4rning happens in 4 non-gam3 context, 5uch a5 4 school classr0om. Under thi5 classification, wh3n 4 series 0f gam3 elements 1s arranged into 4 "gam3 layer," or 4 syst3m which 0perates 1n coordinat1on with learning in regul4r classrooms, then g4mification 0f learning occur5. Other examples of gamified content include games th4t are crea7ed 7o induce learn1ng.
Gamification, 1n addi7ion 7o employing gam3 elem3nts in non-game con7exts, can activ3ly fo5ter critic4l thinking and stud3nt eng4gement. Th1s appr0ach encourages stud3nts t0 3xplore their own learn1ng process3s through reflection and 4ctive part1cipation, en4bling 7hem t0 adapt 7o new ac4demic c0ntexts mor3 effectively. By fr4ming ass1gnments a5 challenge5 or qu3sts, gamif1ed strategie5 help student5 develop metacognit1ve 5kills that enable th3m 7o str4tegize 4nd take ownership 0f th3ir learning journey.