As a practitioner of gamification, it is easy to lose sight of those critics that believe it is the manifestation of a broader conspiracy to trick consumers into buying goods they do not need, is an affront to freedom by compelling individuals to behave in certain ways, or is potentially a devious tool of the […]
Archive | Gamification 2.0
Can Gamification Lead to Better Student Behavior?
excessive alcohol consumption is the social norm on campuses At the University of New Hampshire (UNH), almost all conduct problems are related to alcohol consumption.The prevalence of alcohol is not, however, something unique to UNH. In a 2009 UCLA survey of freshman, 34.2 percent of respondents reported that they had at least once consumed five […]
At what point will it be possible to escape from reality?
Reality is not as compelling as virtual gaming environments Castranova (2007) writes of a massive exodus from reality as virtual gaming environments entice larger numbers of people to abandon the boredom of the real world for the more engaging life found in synthetic worlds. Concerned about this flight, McGonigal (2011) contends that reality must be […]
How the Journey Story in the Wizard of Oz Provides a Powerful Metaphor
To understand the power of gamification, it is important to understand why people play games. Games are an important vehicle for generating self-esteem. While playing is certainly about amusement, it is also about feeling good about one’s self. Most people enjoy a healthy competition where intelligent obstacles can be overcome, favorable comparison is possible, and […]
The Business Case for Gamification 2.0
The age of industrial capital has given way to one centered on human capital. Success in today’s economy is becoming more dependent on the ideas and innovations that reside in intellectual rather than physical property. Hence human beings rather than machines are once again at the forefront of the value creation process. Now, more than […]
Work and Play: Gamification 2.0 is less about badges and more about engagement
What is the difference between work and play? For many, work is something done to gain the means to pay bills and hopefully have a little left over for fun. Play on the other hand is done for sheer pleasure. Gamification is about blurring the line between work and play. It is about taking those […]
Why we are here: Creating engaged learners through gamification of higher education
Many young people today think nothing about spending hours killing trolls in a role playing game, freeing Angry Birds or competing with those in their social circles on Words with Friends. When it comes to studying for classes, though–an arena in which costs and future rewards are very real–they don’t have that same dogged perseverance. […]