Gamification & Learning

Presenters: Raymond Pun, Cal State Fresno; Stanislav Bogdanov, Adelphi University

“When we think of games, we think of fun. When we think of learning we think of work.” James Paul Gee

Gaming can equal learning – games allow players to learn by experiencing, without realizing that they’re learning. But making games is hard, costly

Gamification – use of game design elements and game mechanics in non-game contexts (e.g. lives, gaining or losing points for right or wrong answers)

Why gamify?

• Make library instruction more fun and engaging
• Drive participation or awareness
• Increase attention, interest, and improve overall user experience

Research – BJ Fogg’s Behavior Model, Jane Mcgonigal, James Paul Gee
Fogg Behavior Model – make games not too easy, not too hard.

Games’ key positives:

• Problem solving
• Meaning and bigger purpose
• Increase resilience to face challenges
• Empower learners
• Enhance understanding

Educational games examples

• Duolingo – app to learn languages. Well-ordered problems – break down learning into smaller chunks, building up to harder challenges
• NCLEX RN Mastery
• McDonald’s Training
• Medieval Swansea
• KnowRe (K-12, build custom map curriculum)

Learning by experience & providing just-in-time information if problems come up

Library games examples

• NYPL’s “Find the Future” – 500 games found 100 artifacts, worked in teams and wrote about them, published in book
• Adelphi Libraries’ “mobiLit” Treasure Hunt
• Digital Badges – for skill accomplishment, motivation to participate, motivation collaboration
• Promoting Games – International Games Day (ALA), Murder in the Stacks (research game)
• From UCLA to Library of Congress: Game Collecting Program (consoles)
• Making Games: The Tools – GameSalad, Construct 2, GameMaker, Stencyl
• Construct 2 – can expand if you know HTML and JavaScript

Gamification Principles and Tips

• Well-ordered problems – early problems are designed to lead players to form good guesses about how to proceed when they face harder problems later on in the game
• Pleasantly frustrating challenges – players feel the game is challenging but doable and their effort is paying off
• Just-in-time information – players do not need to read a manual to start

Ingress – Google online game that allows them to get new information for Google Maps