Educational Gamification Vs. Game Based Learning: Comparative Study
Summary
This research paper compares and contrasts different approaches to using games in education, namely gamification, game-based learning (GBL), and educational games. The authors explain the theoretical support for using games to improve learner motivation and engagement. They define key characteristics of games and highlight the benefits of using games in education, such as attracting participation, providing novelty and challenge, and allowing for experiential learning. The paper then delves into the specifics of gamification, which involves using game design elements, mechanics, and thinking to enhance non-game contexts. It also discusses GBL, which uses games to encourage participation and make learning more interesting. The authors conduct a comparative analysis of gamification, GBL, and educational games across various dimensions such as concept, objective, challenges, techniques, and benefits. The study concludes by emphasizing the potential of these game-based approaches to create engaging learning experiences and develop important skills for the next generation of jobs.
Key Topics
- Game characteristics: Games have several defining characteristics, including being fun, circumscribed in time and place, having uncertain outcomes, being non-productive, governed by rules different from everyday life, and accompanied by an awareness of a different reality.
- Benefits of games in education: Games can attract participation across demographic boundaries, assist in goal-setting and behavioral change, allow performance measurement on various tasks, help examine individual characteristics, maintain undivided attention, provide novelty and challenge, develop transferable IT skills, and act as simulations without real consequences.
- Gamification: Gamification involves using game design elements, mechanics, and thinking to enhance non-game contexts and motivate participants through tapping into desires for competition, achievement, recognition, and self-expression.
- Game-based learning (GBL): Game-based learning uses games to encourage participation and make learning more interesting, especially for difficult, technical, or boring subjects, as well as for hard-to-reach audiences and complex understanding processes.
- Comparative analysis: The research paper compares gamification, game-based learning, and educational games across dimensions such as concept, objective, challenges, techniques, and benefits, highlighting their differences and potential applications in education.
- Future implications: As the next generation of jobs will require increased technology use, problem-solving, and complex communication, game-based approaches can create engaging learning experiences and develop important skills for the future workforce.
Abstract
Computer games have grown in many directions. Many studies and systems deals with different elements such as ”Fun” and ”pleasure” in the game structure to improve a learners motivation in the field of educational learning. In this paper, we will explain different theoretical support for the benefit of using game in education and learning. We will also demonstrate the difference among those methods such as , Game Base Learning(GBL), educational game and Gamification in education. A clear description among these new terms with explanation of the possible impact on teaching and learning will be presented. Games can make learning concept more enjoyable for students and provide a platform for their creative thought. Games will of- ten act as learning triggers inducing lively discussion on learning concepts amongst students following game play. A couple of new ways of teaching like Game Based Learning and Gamification can be applied to enhance the learning procedure of students in various age levels.
Reference
Al-Azawi, R., Al-Faliti, F., & Al-Blushi, M. (2016). Educational Gamification Vs. Game Based Learning: Comparative Study. International Journal of Innovation, Management and Technology, 131–136. https://doi.org/10.18178/ijimt.2016.7.4.659