eLearning Gamification: 6 key benefits
Here at TheLearning LAB in Geneva / Genève, Switzerland, we put our Learners before everything else. After all, the entire concept of course design revolves around ensuring that the platform is a suitable educational environment for the Learner.
Human beings are motivation-driven creatures, and when it comes to the process of learning, we know that the one thing which works is to ensure that the materials they use are engaging and motivating. If your materials are bland and uninspiring, your Learners will struggle to make their way through the course even if you do everything else right. You could have intuitive learning paths, colourful designs and put thought into the shaping of the learning management system, and yet, you may fail to achieve authentic engagement. TheLearning LAB knows how you can combat this and can tell you why your course can fail even though you think you’ve ticked every box.
It is because the one thing humans need more than a sense of motivation is a sense of being rewarded for their actions…
Offering incentive and driving motivation through the offering of rewards is a central concept of gamification. They can earn reward points to exchange for badges, end up on a leaderboard visible to everyone, or even just be given a visual GOOD JOB pat on the back in-game. In addition, mini-games can function as quick knowledge-checks and assessments of knowledge retention. The opportunities are virtually endless, as gamification can be tailored to meet the exact needs of your organisation.
Without further ado, our team presents to you the six key benefits of using Gamification as part of your eLearning courses!
1. Gamification improves the learning experience
By providing an aspect of refreshing differentness to the course, splitting up the more formal learning done through e.g. text and video, gamification makes the learning experience more user-friendly.
2. Gamification provides Learners with instant feedback on their performance
Learners can instantly see their results, presented in a gentle way, and are encouraged to return to and revisit learning materials if they feel they are in need of doing so. This type of immediate assessment provides a motivation for learners to take responsibility for their own knowledge development.
3. Gamification meets the needs of virtually all types of Learners
Whether a text, video or audio-preferring Learner, gamification ticks the boxes for everyone. It brings out a sense of fun and motivation that is universal. It beautifully combines visual and text elements, and can even include audio, to produce an immersive experience to the Learner.
4. Gamification boosts recall and retention
Gamification allows the Learner to approach the information from a different angle, and put it into practice in a way which solidifies their retention of the subject matter. Our brains appreciate seeing the same information in different formats, as it minimises information fatigue. Revisiting topics and testing through gamification feeds into the brain’s needs for reward and gives the Learner a distinct boost in their attempts to master the subject matter.
5. Gamification motivates and brings out a competitive spirit in Learners
Leaderboards, badges or a point system can be a fantastic way to encourage friendly competition amongst Learners. By having only a Top 10 leaderboard, rather than a full ranking system, you avoid the risk of shaming people if they are in the lower percentiles. You don’t want someone to be at place #150 and feel demotivated!
6. Gamification helps Learners feel in control of their knowledge acquisition
Us humans like control, we like to feel as though we make some decisions. Gamification allows the Learner this control, as they can self-test as often as they wish, repeat the games, revisit information, watch their abilities improve and not need external intervention from an educator. Encouraging self-sufficiency means creating behavioural change, which will translate into the workplace as a whole. It produces Learners who are problem-solvers.
There you have it, the six key benefits of gamification for eLearning courses in a nutshell. If your interest is piqued, you can contact us at TheLearning LAB to have a talk about the options that are available to enhance your existing eLearning platform, or start a new one altogether! We know that there is a wealth of content out there on eLearning as a whole, and are more than happy to help you navigate what can be a complex maze of sources and conflicting information.
Contact our eLearning agency, based in Geneva and Lausanne but active on an international scale, and let us help you design the innovative and engaging eLearning content you seek. Our courses are always tailored to your Learners’ individual needs and your organisation’s vision. We don’t do blanketing, mass-marketed content, we do individual user experience design that sees the people behind the organisation and focuses on providing an authentic learning experience rather than just a learning platform.