Encourage users to explore. This will help users to keep themselves engaged. Be mindful about not punishing a certain type of exploration.
- Consider: creation, collection, socialization, exploration, etc.
- Examples: Minecraft, Pokemon, WoW, Stanley Parable
“People cannot influence their own motivation and actions very well if they do not pay adequate attention to their own performances.” – the conditions where something occurs, and the result
Action > Feedback > Motivation > Repeat
Feedback Loop = Engagement loop = Learning loop
At the heart of game thinking is learning. Engagement leads directly to learning
Loop basics – provide info about knowledge, skills, or behavioral development in real time; allow for opportunity to change and retry; have clear goals and indications of feedback
Progression Loop — the “player’s journey” through the entire experience, series or steps
These require deliberate action, and thoughtful consideration to work effectively
- Introduce new stimuli or changes into engagement loops
- Introduce a negative feedback loop
Gamification solutions require dozens of questions (there needs to be a lot of content in order for the thing to work and not become quickly repetitive)
Good multiple choice questions requiring more than rote recitation require more time to create
Types of Multiple Choice Questions
The further down the list you go, the greater you will need to understand the info to correctly and actively answer the question.
- Recall question — rote memorization, does not reinforce or test understanding
- Application question — recognize the info and apply to a situation
- Evaluation question — extension of current knowledge
Using Point Systems
Points can feel really cheap unless they are applied thoughtfully and carefully
- Tie points to performance — you get more points when you do better
- Use points to give deeper, immediate feedback — gauge understanding
- Indicate relative value of activities — certain actions or answers are worth more points, can be used to direct learners in a direction (ex. Prevent guessing)
- Provide variability and replayability — add more dimensions so that learners can still improve even if they know most of the answers
Badge — visible sign of mastery/achievement; if the badge has little or no relevance to people in the group, the badge will quickly lose value
Badge Prestige (perceived value)
- Perceived difficult of earning the badge
- Proper validation of the badge
When badges are predictively earned and broadcasted beforehand, it can be linear motivation
When badges are not broadcasted, they are nonlinear motivation (secret achievements); it can be a reward for exploration
Leaderboards can create a competitive environment for points or badges. However, they can also be demotivating for people who are further down on the board.
You need to develop a strategy to motivate as many learners as possible with leaderboards and not accidentally demotivate people (think Duolingo’s tired leaderboards)
Well designed leaderboards can provide direction and motivation
Losing can be frustrating, demotivating, and not fun, but with competition, someone has to end up at the bottom. This means that you are at risk of alienating someone who loses.
Deemphasize Winning to combat this
Limit praise for winners, offer a small/no prize for winning, emphasize learning aspects; remind learners that failure is part of the learning process; reframe success to a shorter timescale, or only personal progress
Or use cooperative games instead of competitive, where people have to collaborate to succeed
Reflection is key to true learning, so try to lead learners towards doing so
Some users will only focus on winning, and will try to cheat in order to do so
How to Minimize Cheating
- Test and Retest (try to find ways to cheat, and fix those issues)
- Monitor Continuously
- Consider methods that aren’t exactly cheating, but could be interpreted that way by other learners
- Establish and Check System Parameters (dotting i’s on if all settings are correct)
Structural Gamification — application of game elements to propel a learner though content with no alteration or changes to the content
The content stays the same, but it’s inserted into a game framework
The number of structural gamification tools has expanded and diversified, many measure behaviors and actions as well