Digital Delights - Avatars, Virtual Worlds, Gamification

Regardless of whether you are designing eLearning deliverables for adult learners or for young students, gamification in eLearning can help to make the overall eLearning experience much more effective. If learners are having fun and are getting excited about learning, then they are more likely to actually acquire information. Even a subject matter that may be dull or complicated can be absorbed more easily, because learners are actually enjoying the process and are actively participating. In fact, you can even integrate gamification into your eLearning courses in such a way that learners won't even know they are acquiring new information. Knowledge absorption simply becomes a byproduct, as they are focused on achieving rewards and accomplishments within the eLearning course. This is often when real learning takes place, however, as the boundaries that often hinder the learning process are removed. For example, learners don't have to deal with the stress that can be associated with learning, because they are too busy having fun and enjoying the eLearning course.

The author explains that the gamification of learning is an educational approach to motivate students to learn by using video game design and game elements in learning environments. The goal is to maximize enjoyment and engagement through capturing the interest of learners and inspiring them to continue learning. Gamification, broadly defined, is the process of defining the elements which comprise games that make those games fun and motivate players to continue playing, and using those same elements in a non-game context to influence behaviour.In other words, gamification is the introduction of game elements in a non-game situation.