Reflection #5: Gamification in Eduation

EDCI 336 Reflection #5

Reflection on gamification

Over the last few weeks I’ve viewed a number of very interesting presentations on gamification.  As someone who really enjoys video and board games, I’ve always been interested in how we could use games to promote learning.  

We did an in class competitive quiz that was very fun in many ways, but I can also see that approach being extremely problematic for some learners.  Students are already often comparing themselves to their peers in a stressful way, and competitive tests around learners are potentially harmful.  When you’re playing a game you need to understand all the rules of the game, and if games are overtly connected to assessment students will realize and adjust their learning accordingly.  Something that is fun under certain parameters, can be unnecessarily stressful under others but also unhelpful. There always seems to be the problem of focusing on curriculum and content, rather than simply how to win the game.  

I really believe in making time for play, I see value in using games in education if they promote fun and engagement, but when they become overtly competitive that can defeat the purpose.  Competitiveness in games in what’s fun for a lot of people though, so implementation of games in education will always have to account for this.