Motivating and Engaging Students Using Gamification

Maryville University

Karen Fletcher

Game Player Data

• Forty-five percent of all players are women• Sixty-two percent play with others (in-person or online)

Entertainment Software Association. (2013). 2013 sales, demographic and usage data. Retrieved from http://www.theesa.com/facts/pdfs/ESA_EF_2013.pdf

Today's student will spend 10,000 hours playing computer and video games by the age of 21

- Jane McGonigal

McGonigal, J. (2011). Reality is broken: Why games make us better and how they can change the world. New York, NY: The Penguin Press.

10,000 hours. . .

• To mastery…• Gladwell’s Outliers

• Formal instruction in school grades 3 through 12• 997 hours per year

• National Center for Education Statistics

National Center for Education Statistics (2013). Education indicators: An international perspecitive. Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs/eiip/eiipid24.asp

Gamification engages users and changes behavior with the best ideas from games, loyalty programs and behavioral economics

- Gabe Zichermann

Zichermann, G. (2013, February 5). Gamification of marketing webinar [Video file]. Retrieved from http://youtu.be/vfu6sUwSdtg

Motivation

Positively Changing Behavior

Engagement

Amotivation

Extrinsic

Intrinsic

Motivation: Self-Determination Theory

Am

otiv

atio

n

Don’t Care

Ext

erna

l Reg

ulat

ion

Told What to Do In

troj

ecti

on Make it Our Own (Status)

Iden

tifi

cati

on Can See Value

Inte

grat

ion

Goals & Activity Align

Intr

insi

c

Enjoys, Internal

Ryan, R. & Deci, E. (2000, January). Self-Determination Theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. Retrieved from http://media.library.ku.edu.tr/reserve/resspring09/psyc510_NAksan/Mar16th.pdf

Psychological Needs for Intrinsic Motivation

Ryan and Deci

1. Competence

2. Autonomy

3. Relatedness

Daniel Pink

1. Autonomy

2. Mastery

3. Purpose

Pink, D. (2009, August 25). Dan Pink: The puzzle of motivation – A TED Talk [Video file]. Retrieved from http://youtu.be/rrkrvAUbU9Y

Engagement Loop Player Journey

Zichermann and Werbach referenced this

Action

Feedback

Motivation

Action

Feedback

Motivation

Action

Feedback

Motivation

Action

Feedback

Motivation

Onboarding

Novice

Expert

Master

Pyramid of Gamification Elements

Dynamics

Mechanics

Components

Big Picture Grammar: Narrative,

Progression, Relationships

Challenges, Cooperation,

Feedback, Rewards Achievements, Avatars, Badges, Collections, Content Unlocking,

Leaderboards, Levels, Points, Quests, Social

Graph, Teams

Werbach, K. (2013, April). The pyramid of elements [Lecture 4.2]. Coursera. Retrieved from https://class.coursera.org/gamification-002/lecture/41

DynamicsNarrative• University

Seminar• Community• Communication• Critical Thinking

• Create better critical thinkers while studying games and gamification

Progression

• Level up:• XP: eXperience

Points

• Quests• Titles

Relationships

• Freshman class of 21 students– Guilds of 3

• Peer mentor• Professor

Big Picture Grammar: Narrative,

Progression, Relationships

Mechanics

• Challenges• Class projects, discussions, and assignments

• Cooperation• Group reading presentation and group project

• Feedback• From instructor, peer mentor, peers and from group project recipients

• Rewards• Grades, badges, profile, praise from group project recipients

Challenges, Cooperation, Feedback, Rewards

Components and Learning Environment

PBLs: Points, Badges, Leaderboards

Achievements, Avatars, Badges, Collections, Content Unlocking,

Leaderboards, Levels, Points, Quests, Social

Graph, Teams

XP (eXperience Points): Discussion forum statistics, attendance in class and events, completion of quests

Components and ePortfolio

Gamer Tag, Guild Name and Image, Avatar Name and Image, Student Profile Information, Badges Earned

Achievements, Avatars, Badges, Collections, Content Unlocking,

Leaderboards, Levels, Points, Quests, Social

Graph, Teams

Components and Learning Environment

Checklists/Challenges, Restrictions, Quizzes/Apply for Badges,

Intelligent Agents

Achievements, Avatars, Badges, Collections, Content Unlocking,

Leaderboards, Levels, Points, Quests, Social

Graph, Teams

Checklist/Quest

Components and Learning Environment

Checklists/Challenges, Restrictions, Quizzes/Apply for Badges,

Intelligent Agents

Quiz/Application

Achievements, Avatars, Badges, Collections, Content Unlocking,

Leaderboards, Levels, Points, Quests, Social

Graph, Teams

Components and Learning Environment

Checklists/Challenges, Restrictions, Quizzes/Apply for Badges,

Intelligent Agents

Unlocking/Restriction on Completion

Achievements, Avatars, Badges,

Collections, Content Unlocking,

Leaderboards, Levels, Points,

Quests, Social Graph, Teams

Components and Learning Environment

Checklists/Challenges, Restrictions, Quizzes/Apply for Badges,

Intelligent Agents

Unlocking/Restriction on

Time

Achievements, Avatars, Badges,

Collections, Content Unlocking,

Leaderboards, Levels, Points,

Quests, Social Graph, Teams

Components and Learning Environment

Youngling

Padawan

KnightMaster

Titles based on number of experience points

Taken from Star Wars

Achievements, Avatars, Badges,

Collections, Content Unlocking,

Leaderboards, Levels, Points,

Quests, Social Graph, Teams

Perceived Benefits

• How our students are learning• Positively changes behavior

• Rewards success (Everyone earns an F unless)

• Engagement• Intrinsic Motivation• Social

Motivation

Positively Changing Behavior

Engagement

Lessons Learned (so far)

• It is not all about PBLs• Points, Badges, Leaderboards

• What do you want your students to learn?• Do Dynamics and Mechanics first

• This is an iterative process• It won’t be right the first time• Plan on student involvement

• Learn, Read, Watch• Books, Webinars, Courses, TEDTalks and YouTube

• Fun or Whistle While You Work

Karen Fletcher

Assistant Professor

John E. Simon School of Business

Maryville University

650 Maryville University Drive

St. Louis, MO 63141

(o) 314.529.9691

kfletcher@maryville.edu

www.maryville.edu