How to Use Gamification in eLearning
Published
February 20, 2019
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When learning doesn’t feel like learning it becomes highly effective. How can this be achieved? One word: Gamification.
Gamification is the process of turning a mundane task into a game. Doing so lowers mental barriers to absorbing information which improves the likelihood of knowledge embedding in long-term memory. Gamified learning motivates learners, leads to better engagement with content, and is proven to enhance message retention.
When combined with microlearning and mobile learning, gamification training software is taken to another level: short, topical training lessons feel like smartphone games… not work. SC Training (formerly EdApp)’s gamification tools allow you to quickly and effectively gamify your learning material by simply adding it to existing gamified templates, all you need to bring is knowledge, questions, and answers.
How To Use Gamification In Elearning #1 – Prizing and Real Rewards
Rewarding learners further improves gamified learning and motivation. SC Training (formerly EdApp) offers direct recognition of course completion, performance, and frequency-of-use through a simple, gamification-based reward system. Users are allocated stars according to your own criteria that they can then use to redeem real rewards (which reflect your budget). They can see their progress towards the next reward by viewing their profile.
While you can offer the chance to win a single, large prize, our experience dictates that offering multiple, small prizes (such as free coffees or food vouchers) is more effective for training programs.
How To Use Gamification In Elearning #2 – Competitive Learning with Leaderboards
By implementing our Leaderboards feature, you can further improve learner motivation by displaying performance on a leaderboard. You can do this for individuals, groups (or groups of groups): pushing competitive learners to succeed while inspiring stragglers to do better (and not let the side down). Whether it’s being rewarded with vouchers, time off work or a luxury company off-site, training will be something that learners want to do.
How To Use Gamification In Elearning #3 – Automated Gamification
Our game templates are ready to be populated with your content: whether that’s with an aim of reinforcing existing learning or teaching something new. You can use your microlessons with our mobile-focused LMS or export them to SCORM in order to integrate with (and/or augment) your existing Learning Management System. You can SC Training (formerly EdApp)’s rapid authoring tool for free in perpetuity by signing up in the box below: creating a gamified lesson takes minutes.
These templates have been tried and tested by thousands of daily learners with the results being closely analyzed by an expert team of instructional designers: we know what a great, gamified microlesson looks like – all you need to do is provide the learning content. The gamification templates have the highest engagement and replay rates: learners love them!
How To Use Gamification In Elearning #4 – Gamified eLearning Courses Get Completed
Typical eLearning courseware sees completion rates of under 20%. Conversely, interactive microlessons regularly see completion rates of 90% and beyond. That rate is often higher when gamification is used. Some learners even retake lessons (of their own volition) in order to get a higher score or beat their best time. It’s not hard to see why gamified microlearning is transforming the L&D industry.
How To Use Gamification In Elearning #5 – Examples of Gamified Lessons
There’s a library of interactive microlesson examples for you to peruse. Below are just some of the game templates that you can easily use with your own learning material: add weighted scores or timers to make things even more engaging.
Find a word – Look for answers in a word search grid
Swipe it right – Turn True or False questions into a Tinder-style game
JeopEdy – Become a game show host with Jeopardy!-inspired learning
Missing Word – Demonstrate understanding to find the missing word
Image pair – Get learners thinking by connecting words with images
Scratch to Reveal – Scratchcard game mechanics for learning
Memory – A children’s stalwart brought in an effective adult setting
More game templates – Check out our other game templates
How To Use Gamification In Elearning #6 – More than gamification
SC Training (formerly EdApp) offers much more than games. Our new Brain Boost spaced repetition app feature uses the highly effective, Spaced Repetition learning technique to offer up automated revision of content that a learner is struggling with. By repeating learning at increasing, scientifically-derived intervals, knowledge becomes embedded before it’s had a chance to be forgotten. For this and other learning tools, check out our LMS features.
How To Use Gamification In Elearning #7 – If you would like to learn more about how SC Training (formerly EdApp) is the ideal LMS for your training strategy
Check out SC Training (formerly EdApp)’s features here. If you want to learn more about SC Training (formerly EdApp)’s mobile-focused LMS and authoring tool, get in touch at enquiries@edapp.com. You can also try SC Training (formerly EdApp)’s Mobile LMS for free by signing up here.
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Author
Guest Author Daniel Brown
Daniel Brown is a senior technical editor and writer that has worked in the education and technology sectors for two decades. Their background experience includes curriculum development and course book creation.