Game-Inspired Design

Abstract

This paper describes research and development around two gameful courses that reimagined their assessment systems to better support student autonomy and promote engagement. We present results from an ongoing classroom-based research study that signals the success of these designs and, in so doing, explore key elements of what we call gameful design: the process of redesigning core elements of a learning environment to better support intrinsic motivation. We describe this process and discuss a set of promising practices for the design of gameful courses. Results from three studies indicate that gameful course design is positively related to students working harder and feeling more in control of their class performance.

The physiology of play: potential relevance for higher education

“…Although application remains both limited and privileged, this is considered to be a promising starting point for further development of 'Playful Universities' with 'Playful Curricula' and 'Playful Academics'. Such curricula could, for example, make use of existing playful teaching approaches like gamification (Markopoulos, Fragkou, Kasidiaris, & Davim, 2015), role play (King, Hill, & Gleason, 2014), curricula co-design (Aguilar, Holman, & Fishman, 2015), and escape rooms (Samantha Jane et al, 2017). There is a plethora of playful learning tools on the market ranging from simple quiz-based platforms to full gaming systems.…”

Playful learning: tools, techniques, and tactics

“…Nerantzi and James 2015). Examples of these playful approaches include: digital game-based learning (Bolliger, Mills, and White 2015); traditional games (Khan and Pearce 2015); gamified learning systems (Markopoulos et al 2015); game-building (Cheng 2009); role play (King, Hill, and Gleason 2015); simulations (Pelletier and Kneebone 2014); the use of mini-games and playful interludes (Crocco, Offenholley, and Hernandez 2016); murder mysteries (Jennings 2002); quest-based learning (Dikkers 2016); physical block play (James 2013); escape rooms (Clarke et al 2017); and playful curriculum re-design (Aguilar, Holman, and Fishman 2018). While many pedagogic approaches described in the research literature might broadly be defined as types of playful learning, it is common that they do not self-identify as such.…”

OneUp: Supporting Practical and Experimental Gamification of Learning

“…However, although the developers of these platforms claim that they are suitable for all academic levels, they are designed with K-12 education in mind, where the focus is on class management and reward systems. An exception is Gradecraft [40], a system that applies gamification principles for tracking, predicting, and rewarding students' progress and provides learners with choices in selecting paths through a course. With a focus on learning analytics, it lacks a game engine for defining and driving gamified activities and the assortment of gamification elements used is limited.…”