On tonight’s show, Maurice Coleman, Tom Haymes, Paul Signorelli, and Jill Hurst-Wahl were joined by Jared Bendis to talk about gamification. And we started with the commercial, dark side of gamification, then moved quickly to gamification in the world of education. Gamification in education can cause students to focus, collaborate, and engagement.
Quick notes:
- Gamification is control manipulation.
- What is the difference between a game and a puzzle? A puzzle is designed to be solved. At the start the puzzle designer has the power. Once solved, the player has the power. It is an exchange of power. A puzzle is solved only once.
- With a game, the outcome is unknown. The power shifts back-n-forth while playing the game. Games can be motivational.
- What do you learn in a traditional game? Nothing.
- Games teach process, not content. Education is about content.
- The magic circle! (Okay…listen for that explanation)
- Small amounts of gamification can work in education.
- Simulations are not games. There is nothing better than a good simulation. Simulations always work. [BTW Facebook is a simulation of our real life social networks.] You can apply what you learned in the simulation elsewhere.
- The flow channel which keeps you playing the game. (Another thing to listen for.)
This was an awesome show! Based on the after show conversation, we’ll have to have Jared back again.
Resources:
- Jared Bendis. The Dark Side of Gamification – A Response
- Natasha Dow Schüll. (2014) Addiction by Design: Machine Gambling in Las Vegas. (paid link)
- (2019) Practical advice on matrix games
- Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. (paid link)
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