How Does Gamification Increase the Number of LMS Users

Gamification is the application of games and/ or game elements in non-game environments. 

Education is one of the industries where gamification techniques have been used for years. Learning basic skills of logic, math, and communication through a game is one of the most efficient ways to engage students of all ages. 

As traditional schooling seems to be boring for the new generation of students, teachers start searching for new ways to engage and motivate students. And learning application providers should keep pace with the latest trends in education to ensure the best experiences for both teachers and students.  

A new approach involving game elements in the study process promises to transform the students’ perception of learning as a “routine”.

Let’s see how gamification can be used in learning applications to increase students’ retention.

More to read about online education:

• Use of Web and Mobile Applications in E-Learning
• 10 Challenges of E-Learning during COVID-19
• Use of Web and Mobile Applications in E-Learning
• 5 Main Roles of Artificial Intelligence in Education
  

Contents:

• Gamification in education
  • K-12
  • Colleges & universities
• Gamification elements for learning applications
• Key takeaways

Gamification in education

Teachers are into gamification for many reasons: 

Although the concept and elements of gamification are basically the same for students of all age groups, the appearance and application principles can vary from elementary school to university. 

K-12

Elementary school

We should admit: children love gadgets and video games. And every learning activity connected to these two raises their interest and doubles the focus. So gamification seems to be one of the most effective ways to teach kids.

The key element of any game is problem-solving. So using the game-based techniques we teach children to cope with a series of challenges that get more and more complicated in order to advance.

Children learn better through personal experience gained from pushing buttons and manipulating screens together with bright visuals and soundtrack.  

Introducing the game-based elements in the classroom, a teacher ensures children to get instant feedback and learn on their mistakes.

One of the winning ways to introduce gamification into the educational process is using the gamified learning management system. A gamified LMS helps children become part of the digital learning society, gaining the skills of:

• Computer literacy (how do laptops, Internet, and a typical web platform work); 
• Self-discipline (it’s up to the child to upload homework or remember to message a teacher);
• Netiquette.

Secondary school

An 8th grader plays video games an average of 5 hours per week

Learning Federation

Secondary school is the place to find a balance between conventional teaching methods (lectures, reading, etc.) and gamification. Young students with an experience of acquiring and polishing skills through games should start searching for other ways of gaining knowledge to be well-prepared for colleges and universities. 

It’s time to start using only elements of gamification to achieve a specific goal instead of a gamified learning system. 

Generally, gamification in the classroom does not necessarily involve using devices all the time, but it’s important to teach children that learning could be fun and the Internet could be used not only for entertainment. 

Colleges & Universities

70% of college students play video games at least “once in a while.”

Pew Internet Research

60% of college students are regular game players

Learning Federation

Gamification of the educational process is still relevant for college & university students as it helps gain loyalty and retain motivation. 

The older students are, the more complicated approach is required to engage them. Besides, at this stage, gamification techniques extend well beyond the classroom or zoom lessons to reach different objectives: 

Geocaching is the game based on solving riddles for getting a place coordinate. Individually or in teams, you can encourage your students to spend time outdoors acquiring knowledge of the subject in a practical way. This game can be used to onboard foreign students, create a friendly environment for a group of students, or build a team spirit with due attention to the learning process. 

So, together with universal gamification elements that could be integrated into learning applications, custom solutions can be used with equal success in colleges & universities.

Gamification elements for learning applications

Statistics show how many students across the globe play games. Why not take their passion and bring it to the academic world?

In general, educators have to search for the proper gamification applications themselves and it would be great if we help them apply this approach by integrating the gamification elements into learning management systems they use. 

In fact, we use the same gamification elements for all students’ ages and customize it according to end-user needs. Their proper integration into your learning application increases its chances of being noticed by both teachers and students as well as extends the number of users. Let’s see which functionality in learning application helps engage and motivate the students:

Function	Gamification elements	Why needed
Demonstrate progress	● Badges ● Levels ● Points	Apparent progress and instant feedback encourage students to work more to reach the next level. The result of their work is visible right away compared to conventional learning techniques. Besides, leaderboards can be used to display not a personal but team progress cultivating a healthy competition & motivating students even more.
Personalize	● Naming ● Avatar ● Customization	A possibility to customize everything to personal needs turn students to loyal advocates of a learning application and increase their engagement.
Reward	● Bonuses ● Collectibles	Rewards is a tangible recognition of a student’s success. Starbucks or amazon certificates, privileges in the classroom, etc. are a good motivator for students to continue working hard.
Capture attention	● Quest ● Narration	A fascinating story which accompanies the learning process adds sense to studying and makes it more productive.
Discipline	● Schedule ● Countdown	Time shortage forces students to make quick decisions and learn to get their thoughts together under pressure.
Socialize	● Chat ● In-built messenger ● Personal helper	Communication with friends and fellow students through games helps build skills of social interaction, team spirit, create and strengthen the social connections in the class/ group. So this becomes a good alternative for face-to-face meetings during online learning.

Each of the above-mentioned game elements can be successfully implemented in a learning application to engage and motivate students.

Key takeaways

? Game techniques involve students in a competition that helps most of them perform better.

? Students get instant feedback and immediate rewards instead of long-term value that seems to be unreal. 

? Except for “hard” skills, gamification helps develop “soft” skills such as problem-solving & strategic thinking. 

The best thing about gamification is that it could be applied in e-learning equally well as in the classroom. While many educators complain about the inefficiency of online learning & remote teaching, gamification can be the way to involve students in the learning process and keep them motivated, improving their academic performance and building loyalty towards your learning application. 

Now, when nobody knows what to expect from the next academic year, it’s high time to polish your learning management system by adding the gamification elements to increase the number of users and their satisfaction rate.

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