Gamification Theory_H.vonRuff

Serious games are

• used in gamification.

• part of Game Based Learning.

• do not enhance knowledge acquisition.

• games specifically designed to learn something.

Gamification is not a new term in education because ...

• Jesuits used tokens hundreds of years ago.

• games have been used since new digital resources are available.

• adults played games to learn.

• PIaget had already spoken of learning through games in his Theory of Cognitive Development.

Gamification

• is based on four axes: art, technology, narrative and a set of rules.

• must take into account social practice and should never manipulate the participants.

• is only about points, rewards and competition.

• is based on applications to promote good behaviour.

Jesse Schell says that

• creating a game does not imply being related to the audience.

• the game designer should think about the players.

• infants cannot usually solve the problems involved in games.

• the job of a game is to give pleasure.

Learning by playing

• falls within gamification.

• implies the use of games in learning.

• is not important in the teaching/learning process of infants.

• does not include meaningful information.

Using a playful methodology

• reduces the value of what is being learnt.

• learning is less effective.

• is shown by several studies as less effective and meaningful than traditional learning.

• does not reduce the value of learning and it implies a more meaningful learning experience.