Got Game

I have a new understanding and appreciation of the gaming industry and the benefits games can have across our society but particularly in education. Success and motivation to persist is evident thru games providing the user repeated attempts to achieve the desired outcome. 


Peter Barrett an expert in his technological field has this to say on gamification.

Gamification  can add an exciting element to the learning process and help make previously reluctant learners enthusiastic participants. Done correctly, gamification can have a measurable effect on learning, overall skill acquisition, and knowledge transfer, because it incents timely course completion with satisfactory scores and therefore, results. 

Games foster accountability in students as they evaluate their decisions and see how those decisions have impacted on the results of their game.  This accountability encourages the student to be engaged for the entire process so they achieve optimum results.  
Trial and error is a valuable learning process and a large component in virtual games and simulations.  It enables learning to occur while eliminating  the risk or harm element to real people or equipment.  Games also introduce a level of competition in the class room which research has found increases engagement.  

Karl Kapp's article Show the Learner Visible Signs of their Learning, suggest multiple benefits to gamification in education. 
Some he lists are:

• Demonstrating learner progress
• Lets the learner know where they are in the learning and how far they need to go
• Not related to other students performance
• Scaffolding and using levels provides visible progress and maintains interest

 "One of the strengths of gamification is that it provides visible milestones of the student’s mastery of content in real time (when it is well designed)."