gamification and education: behavioural affordances and deep learning
TRANSCRIPT
Gamification and education - behavioural affordances and deep learning
Marcus Leaning
Interested in gamification and its relationship with learning.◦ Media education in Higher education
Want to look at:◦ The idea of gamification (may skip this bit if everybody
has covered it already)◦ Hamari, Koivisto and Sarsa (2014) analysis and account
of the three part model;◦ Gamification and engagement and why we need more of
something else…
Introduction
The modification of an activity with aspects of games to encourage participation and engagement.
Used in lots of different ways:◦ Conscious engagement to modify own
behaviour – apps to gamify fitness and well being;
◦ Manipulative – get people to behave in a certain way though indirect means.
GamificationFig app – Create your plan from common wellness goals;build a supportive community and share and celebrate your successes!
Not a new concept – star chart, house points, weight watchers…
Term first used by Pelling in 2002/03.
A fast growing industry and area of interest, possibly past its peak in business but not in education and other areas.
Gatner’s hype cycle…
A new field?
2014
Specific definition has been argued over – E.G.:
The idea of gamification
Marczewski (2012)
The application of gaming metaphors to real life tasks to influence behaviour, improve motivation and enhance engagement
Huotari and Hamari (2011)
a form of service packaging where a core service is enhanced by a rules-based service system that provides feedback and interaction mechanisms to the user with an aim to facilitate and support the user’s overall value creation
Deterding et al. (2011)
the use of game design elements in non-game contexts
Kapp (2012) using game based mechanics, aesthetics and game thinking to engage people, motivate action, promote learning and solve problems
Central to these definitions is the understanding that gamification is a process applied to an existing service or experience which will result in a different (and hopefully enhanced) experience for users.
Moreover, the transformations will involve the use of various aspects of games – either:◦ games design – making the activity into a game◦ elements or mechanics – using bits of games
Kapp (2012) argues gamification is only truly the former).
Defining gamification
Deterding (2011)- games design involve rules distinguishes between games (rules) and play (free play – less rules).
Draws upon Callois’ (1961) spectrum of paidia (play -no rules) – ludus (rules and often competitive).◦ ‘Purist’ gamification is design driven activities bound by
rules;◦ ‘gamish’ gamification is more about play, not rules.
Rules and play
Game studies scholars (Fransca, 2003) add the idea that games utilise a different form of semiosis to that historically used in textual analysis – games require an analysis of the ludic experience (participation) not simply the narrativistic one (observer).
What is it like to play the game rather than watch it.
Forms of semiosis
Gamification involves adding a different form of experience to an activity, adding a new layer to an existing process that incorporates a new level of symbolic or ludic meaning above and beyond the merely instrumental activity of the task.
The gamified aspect has a semiotic value distinct and additional to the instrumental action of the original activity.
The new layer of meaning provides a greater experience for the user and encourages participation with the transformed activity.
Gamification is new forms of meaning
Hamari, Koivisto and Sarsa (2014) identify three components to a gamified activity:◦ Motivational affordances - the opportunities
the gamified activities give the subject; ◦ Psychological outcomes - the resultant change
in feeling about an activity during and after the activity;
◦ Behavioural outcomes - the change in behaviour following the gamified activity.
Understanding the user’s experience
Most research on engagement – getting people to engage with education or training or the core ‘wrapped up’ activity eg:◦ increasing participation in training, education and instruction
in general (Kapp, 2012), ◦ various classroom activities (Charles, Bustard, & Black, 2011;
Cronk, 2012; Kapp, 2012; Sheth, Bell, & Kaiser, 2012) ◦ e-learning platforms (Denny, 2013).
Very much Hamari, Koivisto and Sarsa’s (2014) first category of motivational affordances.
Most research is about how to secure ‘engagement’ - do stuff to win the game or play it better - very little research on psychological and behavioural outcomes – what happens post engagement.
Education and gamification
Lots of research distinguishes between:◦ ‘surface’ learning – in which students gaining only a
superficial understanding of a topic, specific facts and figures which will serve them in assessment or activity
◦ ‘deep’ learning – more profound, critically aware form of learning in which students become aware of the structures, main ideas, principles and forms of successful application of their knowledge (Biggs and Tang, 2007).
Gamification that focusses upon engagement and motivation - Hamari, Koivisto and Sarsa’s first category - seems to fall into the first category.
A problem for (higher) education
Deep learning has similarities to Hamari, Koivisto and Sarsa’s second and third aspects – the psychological and behavioural changes.
Very few studies that look to attainment in core activity (performance in assessment) or the longer term or deeper impact rather than uptake / engagement.
Those studies that have been done see mixed results:◦ Positive - Barata, Gama, Jorge, & Goncalves, (2013);
Denny, (2013).◦ Limited or no impact (Leaning, 2015) or mixed results and
impact upon other areas (Domínguez et al., 2013).
What is missing…
Attention needs to be paid to the latter two of Hamari, Koivisto and Sarsa’s triumphiate.
Move attention away from the ‘quick win’ –recognition that engagement is just the start.
Studies which explore ongoing psychological and behavioural transformation rather than just participation.
Not yet a mature industry (still 5 years away) – still at the persuasion stage where sales are linked to the short term measurable – not the longer term and often unquantifiable - result.
Require a slight shift of focus
