Leveraging gamification for refining learner experience in online education

EdTech has seen a massive growth in past couple of years. And gamification in the EdTech industry would take this to next level. The technologies like Al, Big Data, cloud technology, loT, mobile learning, and VR have enriched gamified learning

- Shubhradeep Nandi

Introduction

Generation Z often spends nights playing online games. Ever heard of any learner on an online learning platform coming close to that? I doubt it. More than 90% of such learners do not finish or even start the programmes they have registered for! Many who finish do not start another one. The moot question is, why are these students abandoning the ship mid-sea? As Todd Tauber states in Quartz magazine, a plausible answer is that online educators are still thinking about classrooms in online learning.

Statistics indicate that online gamers and online learners are showing upward trends. While online learners are snowballing, showing a 600% increase in enrolments between 2016-21, gamers outnumbered online learners 15:1 in 2021. The charts show unmistakable trendlines.

What if we can bring the zeal and engagement of Gamification to online learning? What if we can make online learning fun?

Executive Summary

The article highlights the benefits of leveraging amification to make online learning more engaging and persuasive.

The quality of online learning is defined by engagement and satisfaction. This article will characterise the average profiles of learners on online platforms and compare them with the average profiles of gamers. It will identify the reasons behind boredom in online learning as compared to intense engagement in Gamification.

With the basics in place, the paper will define Gamification and the components of game design elements. It will appreciate instructional design challenges and quote existing use cases in online learning. It will also explore Gamification's personal and social dimensions, highlighting the innovative substitution of in-class experiences.