By Kerry Wong, Lead Simulation Designer
1. You must be an experienced player
Many people think that if they don't play games regularly, they may not easily pick up games used for learning. However, the point of gamification in learning is to integrate game elements in the learning process to motivate participation and engagement among the learners, regardless of experience.
As a Benjamin Franklin quote goes "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn". Gamification in learning works best when learners are involved, it doesn't matter if they are not doing well in the game. It's the process that matters, meaning games aren't only meant for the pros.
2. Games are not meant for learning
Growing up, most of us have been told by our parents that games are bad for you, it hinders your learning and you're better off hitting the books the old-fashioned way. This simply isn't true.
Depending on the learning outcome you want to achieve and proper game-design, gamification can be a very conducive way for people to simulate real life experiences that prepare them to deal with scenarios they might face later in life. This is done by offering them a chance to roleplay and test their possible responses in a safe environment.
3. Games are for nerds
Gaming is often seen as too complex, and only for the nerds. While we are definitely in the age of the geeks, gamification in learning is often made simple to encourage understanding and engagement.
As an example, Think Codex has a strategic thinking training that uses a simple board game setup to help teach complex theories in bite sizes, making it easier for learners to understand and apply it in the game.
4. Games are for young people
Older generations tend to be a bit hesitant about gaming, as they didn't grow up with as much video game exposure as the younger generation today. But saying it’s only for young people is a myth of course, some of the oldest games include chess, go, checkers, poker, etc.
We believe that gamification can be used to target any age group by focusing on different kinds of behaviours and motivators, that align with different types of intelligence, motor skills and preferences. For example, a survey conducted based on Marczewski’s Player and User Types Hexad found that people within the age of 40-50 tend to be philanthropist; Philanthropist prefers collaborating with people and tend to learn through reflective observation. You can find out your own player type here!
5. Gamification is just hype
Some people have written off the rise of gamification as just a "phase", but we think that gamification is here to stay, as we at Think Codex have seen how gamification has fostered better understanding and synergy in the workplace.
With such incredible results and great feedback from our clients, we are sure that gamification's growth in Malaysia and around the world will continue.