Educational institutions are in the process of blending education with games. They use game principles in an effort to maximize the interest of their students. This process is called gamification.
Companies have been using this in business, but it is only now that institutions are embracing it in the academe. All of these changes are happening because of eSports.
Esports has become a billion-dollar industry. As children get more and more exposed to gaming, they also get to learn that some things and much more interesting than others.
Educators know now that gaming is something they can use to improve a student’s learning performance. Games are engaging, and they will also create an inclusive environment.
Points System
Teachers now use a point system for the achievements of their students on both academic and non-academic objectives in school. Students who meet goals will earn points, and some get a deduction for unruly behavior.
Think of it as a Hogwarts style of school. Students get points if they do something admirable. In this system, the educators encourage the students to learn more by getting more points. For non-academic lessons, you get to earn points if you deliver a task within the deadline.
Challenges and Barriers
Teachers can create special projects that provide encouragement for people to keep up with others who already had a high score. These challenges can be anything—quizzes, exams, and even non-academic activities.
One good example of this is winning the intramurals championship or becoming a varsity player in a sport. It encourages children to participate in physical games for some rewards other than winning a game.
Classroom Competition
Another effective method by which you can use this approach is through competition. In a classroom setting, you can split the students into teams and give them points if a member achieves the goal.
Teachers can do it so that the point is based on the results of quizzes. On some occasions, it can be teacher versus student. If the student does not follow the rule, the teacher gets the point.
Those who earn the most points can get a reward. What it means is they can have a longer break period. Some can also enjoy less homework compared to their classmates.
Does Gamification in School Work?
Yes, it does. Gamification works because it encourages students to participate in a competition. They also have the opportunity to learn at their own pace.
Gamification has many benefits:
- Students love it because they have ownership of their results.
- Students get to experience a relaxed atmosphere.
- Learners will not view failure as hard as it used to be – they can try again at any time.
- Students become more motivated to learn.
Gamification makes students proactive. You no longer have to push hard to achieve something—the reward of getting points is the ultimate goal of its own—little do students know that they are learning.
When a classroom is gamified, teachers observe that the students have a higher level of engagement. They are also not afraid to make mistakes anymore, and we all know that mistakes are crucial to learning.
Effective Ways to Gamify a Classroom
What are the most effective ways to make children learn in this way? Should people adopt gamification strategies of industries like casino online Japan? Below are some recommendations that you can consider.
1. Old-School Games
There are many games out there like Connect Four, Scrabble, Bingo, and Scavenger Hunt. These games have been around for decades.
The concepts of these games can be adapted to classroom learning. For example, a teacher can put words in cards and then see if the students can match the words. Teachers can also do scavenger hunts—something that allows them to learn while doing something other than learning from a class.
2. Digital Games
When teaching kids, it would help if the learning process happens in digital games. There are many apps today that advance just that—these are games where children learn as they play.
A good example of this is a math game or an alphabet app. These games are designed for kids to learn math, numbers, and letters. The kids earn stickers if they answer the quizzes correctly. They also level up and get to hear how letters are pronounced.
3. Creating Quests
With digital applications, children can learn if they receive challenges in the form of a quest. In eSports, popular games like World of Warcraft and Counter-Strike have quests—these missions are the driving force by which the children can get the motivation to achieve a goal.
In the classroom, teachers can design quests by which students can open “new doors” for adventure if they solve a specific item.
Summary
Is gamification the future of learning? Yes, it is. Today, there are many educational institutions that promote gaming in their curricula. They now recognize that games make education more fun and exciting.
There are many ways by which teachers can reward their students. It is up to the faculty members to decide how they want to sort this out. As far as children are concerned, they will certainly develop more interest in learning than the traditional method of teaching.
