Gamification in Education: Theories Behind Learning Management System

         By Dmitry Siakatski

        Keywords

        Gamification, Game-based learning, E-Learning. 

        Introduction

        Gamification has been popular in online learning for several years, but its appeal extends beyond digital education. While it often finds its most effective use in online classrooms, many early implementations focused on enhancing engagement and commitment in traditional face-to-face settings.

        As E-Learning has progressed significantly, numerous organizations and educational institutions are prioritizing gamification strategies to make their programs more engaging and impactful. Learning Management Systems (LMS) provide various gamification options, but these strategies vary, as do the methods for integrating them into courses. To discover the most effective and unique ways to incorporate gamification into your online courses, it's important to understand how different gamification approaches serve distinct objectives.

       What Is Gamification?

       

        The brief and clear definition of gamification can be described as “enhancing existing organizational systems by incorporating game elements to boost participant engagement.” This concept is easily applicable to motivating learners in both traditional education and corporate training, given the widespread appeal of games and sports across cultures.

       While many examples of gamification are inspired by video games, the underlying theories often reference earlier examples, such as "quiz bowl" classroom games and points-based progress tracking, which teachers have utilized for decades before the term gained popularity.

       When determining the best way to build online engagement with these tools, it’s beneficial to replicate systems from digital games, as they share similar inputs and presentation constraints.

       Behind Gamification in Education

       The concept of gamification, which originally emerged in the early 21st century through customer loyalty programs and other game-based marketing strategies outside of education, only gained significant attention in educational literature starting in 2011. This makes it a relatively recent field, even though aspects of gamification were used in educational contexts long before they were formally recognized in academic research. By combining traditional game elements used in physical classrooms with game theory and various motivational theories from learning psychology, a new interdisciplinary theory of gamification has emerged over the past decade.

       Today's gamified classrooms are influenced by several established research areas:

       - Self-Determination Theory

       - Flow Theory

       - Efficacy Theory

       - Game Theory

       - Game Design Theory

       - Instructional Design Theory

       - Universal Design for Learning

       Although there is ongoing debate in the literature about the best model for explaining, researchers generally agree on its fundamental principles. For gamification to be successful in education, it must incorporate the best available technology with the design elements of the learning environment. This means that the most effective uses of this theory will differ between in-person and online classrooms and that various types of content within a single course may require different game elements.

       Conclusion

       Regardless of the target audience, a custom LMS with user dashboards and machine learning tools to enhance engagement offers the best way to optimize the learning experience.

       By tailoring the tools available to both instructors and learners to meet their specific needs, you create a highly relevant environment that aligns with the learning objectives of each course.

       While there's no single formula for creating the ideal online learning experience, research shows that gamification in education is most effective when it is closely aligned with the context of the classroom. Keep this in mind when collaborating with experts to develop your LMS.

 

       References

            1. Athanasios Christopoulos and Stylianos Mystakidis. “Gamification in Education.”  Encyclopedia 2023,3, 1223–1243. https://www.mdpi.com/journal/encyclopedia

            2. Manzano-León, Ana, et al. "Between level up and game over: A systematic literature review of gamification in education." Sustainability 13.4 (2021): 2247.

            3.  Oliveira, Wilk, et al. "Tailored gamification in education: A literature review and future agenda." Education and Information Technologies 28.1 (2023): 373-406.     

            4. Singgih Subiyantoro, I Nyoman Sudana Degeng, Dedi Kuswandi, and Saida Ulfa. “Developing Gamified Learning Management Systems to Increase Student Engagement in Online Learning Environments.” International Journal of Information and Education Technology, Vol. 14, No. 1 (2024)