Gamification in eLearning was all the rage back in 2015. But in recent years, it has seemly dropped off the radar of many eLearning companies. What was lauded as a new way to make learning stick has now turned into a shrug of the shoulders. But does gamification still have a place in learning content creation? And, more importantly, is it possible to make it more suitable for adults?
We think gamification in eLearning is a great way to increase engagement and retention of information. When done right. In this article, we’ll explore gamification for adults, its biggest challenges, and how these can be overcome to supercharge learning, retention and recall for pretty much any topic. Let’s go!
Game On: What Is Gamification in Learning?
Gamification for eLearning involves using video game design and elements such as quizzes, challenges, missions, points, badges, and leader boards, within a learning experience.
This approach to eLearning content design works on the theory that games, and a sense of competition, captures the interests of learners, making content more engaging and enjoyable.
Level Up: What Are The Benefits Of Gamification?
There are a number of benefits to using gamification within learning experiences.
Increased Motivation & Productivity
When learners are incentivised to reach a goal through rewards, they are more motivated to achieve. For example, using real-time leader boards creates a sense of competition, which spurs users on to gain a high-score. Of course, to do this they need to engage with, assimilate, retain and recall the information within the training. Which they’re more likely to do when they’re going head-to-head with their colleagues. Let’s face it, everyone wants to come out on top if given the chance!
A Sense Of Ownership
While there are a number of ways to encourage ownership of learning and development, gamification is another valuable tool in your arsenal. In gamified eLearning content, users become central to the story and the driving force behind the narrative. If the experience is immersive and the rewards compelling enough, learners are more likely to be intrinsically motivated to engage.
Learners Get Immediate Feedback
Research has proven that the quicker feedback is given, the more effective it is. Quizzes and games are great ways of giving learners immediate feedback. They can also be used to let them know where they are in their learning journey. For example, a gamified learning path with different levels lets learners see how far they have come. Similarly, quizzes or assessments with immediate feedback highlight the areas they need to work on. And give them a sense of achievement when they pass!
It’s Fun
When eLearning is boring, there is no incentive for learners to engage. While it might be essential to their job role,this isn’t enough to immerse them in the topic. Gamification, on the other hand, is fun and engaging. It uses psychological levers to tap into what motivates different people and uses them to its advantage, which is very powerful when used correctly.
Critical Hit: The Challenge Of Using Gamification
Gamification can be an amazing way to motivate learners and help them to take control of their own learning journey. That being said, it is not without its challenges. Here are a few to consider (and some tips to overcome them).
But…Aren’t Games For Children?
One of the biggest criticisms of gamification is that it’s childish. An infantile way of teaching that doesn’t really add any value. While this criticism does carry a ring of truth to it, this is really down to the type of gamification that is being used and the execution of it, as opposed to the concept as a whole.
Statistics from various studies have consistently shown that gamification adds a wealth of value. For example, according to The 2019 Gamification at Work Survey:
- 33% of respondents reported they would like more game-like features in their employee training software.
- 83% of employees that received training featuring gamification felt motivated and only 13% felt bored or unproductive.
- 89% of respondents said that when a task is gamified, they feel competitive and eager to complete it.
There’s no doubt about it, gamification adds tonnes of value ranging from increased productivity to better employee engagement.
Too Much Of A Good Thing
Gamification in work-based learning and eLearning should be a novelty more than it is a given. As with anything, too much of a good thing can be tiresome and lead to burnout. Which is not what you want when it comes to your learning content!
For these reasons, gamification should be appropriately planned and used strategically in training. The above results don’t come because gamification is shoe-horned in at every opportunity. It’s so effective because they are designed around the user experience with a focus on pre-defined goals, and executed in a way that aligns with business objectives.
Power Up: How To Use Gamification In eLearning
So, how can you overcome the above challenges and use gamification to your advantage? Simply by changing your gamification style to accommodate an adult audience! Video games are still as popular as they’ve ever been, even among adults. In fact, 26% of Americans aged 34-54 still play video games once a week (Source: Statista), and the fact they’re aimed at adults is a big factor in this. Clearly, there’s still an appetite for gaming, and thus gamification, in the older age bracket. So there’s certainly an argument for using it in your eLearning content.
Here are several ways you can do this…
Reward & Incentivise
We’ve all seen knowledge checks with badges as a reward, but what do they actually do for your eLearning? It’s one thing to give your learners an arbitrary badge or high score within a module, it’s another to actually make use of these tools in the course itself.
A way to use rewards and incentives more effectively is to use them as currency. Earned 500 points? Here’s an easier question in the knowledge check! Won two badges? Use them to skip a section or to buy a hint. Using rewards and incentives to aid progression is a gaming trope that can be well-utilised in eLearning. What’s more it gives learners flex to progress in a way that works for them.
Use Storytelling To Your Advantage
Treating your learners like adults, and giving them something to spend their hard-earned capital on is just one way of using gamification. Another way is to use an over-arching narrative, or story, that relates to your company or the topic being covered.
Is your company in retail? Have your learner undertake the journey of a customer as they enter the store. This will help them to better understand how they can improve the customer experience. Or, if you need to train staff on fire safety, take them on a narrative journey of your fire procedure. Show them the consequences and successes of following your fire safety plan using a personalized character or avatar.
Make The Purpose Clear
Learning is at its most effective when users understand why they are doing it. Having a random game dropped in just for the sake of it isn’t going to cut the mustard. In these situations, your learners will simply wonder what the point is and lose interest faster than you can say gamification!
In every activity or game, your learner should clearly understand why and how it applies to them. To do this right, be sure to spend time outlining what you want to achieve through eLearning and gamification to design an experience that is aligned with that outcome.
Press Start On Gamification
So, there you have it. Games aren’t just for children. In fact, when used in the right way they can be really effective in helping adults to learn – and supporting them to be more productive at work! The above examples are just a few ways you can use gamification to great effect, but it doesn’t stop there. There’s plenty of scope to integrate gaming elements into your learning experiences whatever your business sector or niche.
We really hope that above advice provides you with some inspiration for your own eLearning content. If you need some help in creating bespoke eLearning experiences that leverage gamification for better engagement and motivation, give us a call. Let’s make something unique together that your employees will love.