Abstract
Leveraging elements of game design and theories of human motivation, gamification provides a variety of techniques to engage learners in novel ways. Our Clinical and Translational Science Award created the software platform (Kaizen-Education©) to deliver gamified educational content in 2012. Here, we explore two novel use cases of this platform to provide practical insights for leveraging these methods in educational settings: (1) national training in rigor, reproducibility, and transparency and (2) attainment of learner competency (n = 7) as a gauge of curricular effectiveness across Master of Public Health degree tracks (n = 5). Data were captured in real time during player interaction with Kaizen-Education© to provide descriptive analyses of player engagement in both implementation examples. We then assessed item analysis to assess knowledge gain and competency attainment. We have just begun to leverage the potential for gamification to engage learners, enhance knowledge acquisition, and document completion of training, across various learning environments. We encourage a systematic approach to gamification applying insights from self-determination theory to learners and learning environments, a methodical approach to game design and rigorous analysis after implementation to generate evidence-based insights to maximize educational return for time invested.
Highlights
Games are competitive, focused on winning, and characterized by structured, rule-based play
While reports exist on the use of gamification to enhance focused educational settings, we report on two novel uses of our gamification platform to display areas of untapped potential of these techniques
For the 20 questions employed in the game during January 2017 to October 2019, the percent of individuals answering each specific question correctly ranged from 38% for a question concerning the definition of a p-value to 99% for a question focusing on sex as a biologic variable
Summary
Games are competitive, focused on winning, and characterized by structured, rule-based play. Gamification is the application of game design elements in any nongame context, such as a learning activity or course, facilitating achievement of learning objectives and enhancing learner engagement [1]. Self-determination theory provides a lens for analyzing gamification This theory postulates that learner motivation is in one of three states (amotivation, intrinsic, or extrinsic motivation), each with a “regulation” essential to how motivation is achieved, and that intrinsic motivation outperforms extrinsic motivation leading to more effective learning [2]. Gamification, through tools like goal setting, learner control, and engagement, can address these psychological needs and become a fulcrum for spurring a learner to the intrinsic part of the motivational spectrum [4, 6, 7]
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