How Gamification Can Benefit Online Learning

There’s no doubt that online degrees have opened up a whole new world of educational possibilities for students seeking flexibility and accessibility. However, this learning format also has challenges, such as keeping students engaged and motivated. One of the most popular methods of addressing these issues is gamification, which is the application of game design elements in non-gaming contexts. Through gamification, passive learning experiences can be transformed into more interactive ones that are both immersive and rewarding for students. 

What Exactly Is Gamification in Online Education?

Many people think that gamification is simply the addition of points and badges, but there is more to it than that. The primary goal of gamification is to make the learning experience more engaging and provide students with a sense of accomplishment for reaching goals and milestones. This can typically be accomplished with the following elements:

Levels And Progression: Instead of one overwhelming course that can be daunting to start and finish, gamification can break down the course into a series of levels. As players progress through the course and reach milestones they experience a sense of accomplishment that motivates them to keep going.

Points and Badges: These are virtual tokens of success that reward players for achievements and serve as motivation for earning more.

Interactive Challenges: The use of interactive challenges, especially ones that mirror real-life scenarios students might experience in the workplace can help students with their problem-solving skills while making the topic more engaging.

Leaderboards: The use of leaderboards can encourage friendly competition among students and motivate them to try harder. Leaderboards in online learning spaces offer a way for students to see how they compare to others who have already completed the work. 

What Are The Benefits of Gamification in Online Education?

It Enhances Student Engagement

Completing an online course requires self-motivation and perseverance, which can lead to some students dropping out if they don’t feel engaged. Gamification can make learning more engaging by making the experience more interactive and enjoyable. If students feel invested in the course and are rewarded for their efforts they are more likely to see it through to completion.

It Improves Learning Outcomes

Gamification can present certain course elements in a more engaging manner which leads to improved learning outcomes. For example, the use of interactive elements, such as quizzes or simulations can lead to a better understanding of the topic. 

It Boosts Motivation

The long-term goal of any student studying online should be to complete their courses and earn their degree, but gamification can add a sense of purpose and progression along the way to keep them motivated. The use of badges and progress trackers offers tangible milestones that encourage students to keep going and try harder. 

It Helps Develop Soft Skills

Certain gamification elements can help soft skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, and time management which are extremely beneficial in the workplace. 

It Can Make Learning More Accessible

Students all have different learning styles and gamification can make the process more accessible for certain students. Elements such as adaptive challenges can also cater to different students.

It Encourages Lifelong Learning

Gamification fosters a mindset of continuous improvement, which can encourage students to continue learning even after earning their degrees. 

It Improves Productivity

When students don’t feel motivated to study it can drastically decrease their productivity and they often waste valuable time procrastinating. Gamification can help students stay engaged and get through the work faster, which makes them more productive. 

How Does Gamification Prepare Students For Careers?

There are several ways in which gamification can make the learning process more fun and engaging while also preparing students for their future careers. For example, nursing degrees might feature virtual patients for students to diagnose and treat while law students might participate in a virtual courtroom to demonstrate their skills. 

What Are The Challenges of Gamification in Online Degrees? 

Gamification can be a powerful tool when used correctly, but some challenges need to be addressed for it to be effective.

Over-Gamification

While gamification can make learning more fun it should never be the sole focus. If overdone, gamification can cause students to focus more on the rewards than the learning process which can be detrimental to their studies in the long run. In extreme cases, learners might also turn to cheating to reach their goals. 

Equal Access

Some gamified learning experiences require the use of technology such as virtual reality, which might not be accessible to all students. This can put students with limited resources or disabilities at a disadvantage if not addressed by learning institutions.

It Can Be Expensive

The development and implementation of gamified elements in online learning can be both time-consuming and expensive to maintain. Additional resources for technical support and updates might also be needed. 

Conclusion

Gamification has proven to be much more than just a passing fad and has reshaped the manner in which many online degree programs are delivered. Thanks to gamification, elements such as disengagement, lack of motivation, and poor retention that have long been issues in online learning are effectively addressed. For students, the gamified elements of online learning will continue to get better as technology improves and more institutions embrace this form of teaching.