Motivating and Engaging Students Using

Gamification

Karen Fletcher

Maryville University

 Forty-five percent of all players are women

Sixty-two percent play with others (in-person or online)

Game Player Data

Entertainment Software Association. (2013). 2013 sales, demographic and usage data. Retrieved from
http://www.theesa.com/facts/pdfs/ESA_EF_2013.pdf

Today's student will

spend 10,000 hours
playing computer and
video games by the age
of 21
- Jane McGonigal

McGonigal, J. (2011). Reality is broken: Why games make us better and how they can change the world. New
York, NY: The Penguin Press.

 To mastery
Gladwells Outliers

Formal instruction
in school grades 3
through 12
997 hours per year
National Center for
Education Statistics

10,000 hours. . .
National Center for Education Statistics (2013). Education indicators: An international
perspecitive. Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs/eiip/eiipid24.asp

Gamification engages
users and changes
behavior with the best
ideas from games, loyalty
programs and behavioral
economics
- Gabe Zichermann

Zichermann, G. (2013, February 5). Gamification of marketing webinar [Video file]. Retrieved from
http://youtu.be/vfu6sUwSdtg

Motivation: Self-Determination Theory

Ryan, R. & Deci, E. (2000, January). Self-Determination Theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. Retrieved
from http://media.library.ku.edu.tr/reserve/resspring09/psyc510_NAksan/Mar16th.pdf

Ryan and Deci

Daniel Pink

1. Competence
2. Autonomy
3. Relatedness

1. Autonomy
2. Mastery
3. Purpose

Psychological Needs for Intrinsic Motivation

Pink, D. (2009, August 25). Dan Pink: The puzzle of motivation A TED Talk [Video file]. Retrieved
from http://youtu.be/rrkrvAUbU9Y

Engagement Loop Player Journey

Zichermann and Werbach referenced this

Pyramid of Gamification Elements

Challenges,
Cooperation,
Feedback, Rewards

Big Picture
Grammar:
Narrative,
Achievements,
Progression,Avatars,
Badges,
Collections,
Relationships
Content Unlocking,
Leaderboards, Levels,
Points, Quests, Social
Graph, Teams

Werbach, K. (2013, April). The pyramid of elements [Lecture 4.2]. Coursera. Retrieved from https://class.coursera.org/gamification-002/lecture/41

Big Picture
Grammar:
Narrative,
Progression,
Relationships

Dynamics
Narrative
University
Seminar

Community
Communication
Critical Thinking

Create better
critical thinkers
while studying
games and
gamification

Progression
Level up:
XP: eXperience
Points

Quests
Titles

Relationships
Freshman
class of 21
students
Guilds of 3

Peer mentor
Professor

 Challenges
Class projects, discussions, and assignments

Cooperation

Challenges,
Cooperation,
Feedback,
Rewards

Group reading presentation and group project

Feedback
From instructor, peer mentor, peers and from group project recipients

Rewards
Grades, badges, profile, praise from group project recipients

Mechanics

XP (eXperience Points):
Discussion forum statistics,
attendance in class and
events, completion of quests

PBLs: Points,
Badges,
Leaderboards

Components and
Learning Environment

Achievements, Avatars,
Badges, Collections,
Content Unlocking,
Leaderboards, Levels,
Points, Quests, Social
Graph, Teams

Gamer Tag, Guild

Name and Image,
Avatar Name and
Image, Student
Profile Information,
Badges Earned

Components and ePortfolio

Achievements, Avatars,
Badges, Collections,
Content Unlocking,
Leaderboards, Levels,
Points, Quests, Social
Graph, Teams

Checklists/Challenge
s, Restrictions,
Quizzes/Apply for
Badges,
Intelligent Agents

Components and
Learning Environment

Checklist/
Quest

Achievements, Avatars,
Badges, Collections,
Content Unlocking,
Leaderboards, Levels,
Points, Quests, Social
Graph, Teams

Quiz/
Application

Checklists/Challenge
s, Restrictions,
Quizzes/Apply for
Badges,
Intelligent Agents

Components and
Learning Environment

Achievements, Avatars,
Badges, Collections,
Content Unlocking,
Leaderboards, Levels,
Points, Quests, Social
Graph, Teams

Checklists/Challenge
s, Restrictions,
Quizzes/Apply for
Badges,
Intelligent Agents

Components and
Learning Environment

Unlocking/
Restriction on
Completion

Achievements,
Avatars, Badges,
Collections, Content
Unlocking,
Leaderboards,
Levels, Points,
Quests, Social Graph,
Teams

Unlocking/

Checklists/Challenge
s, Restrictions,
Quizzes/Apply for
Badges,
Intelligent Agents

Components and
Learning Environment

Restriction on
Time

Achievements,
Avatars, Badges,
Collections, Content
Unlocking,
Leaderboards,
Levels, Points,
Quests, Social Graph,
Teams

Master

Titles based on
number of experience
points

Knight
Padawan

Youngling

Components and
Learning Environment
Taken from Star Wars

Achievements,
Avatars, Badges,
Collections, Content
Unlocking,
Leaderboards,
Levels, Points,
Quests, Social Graph,
Teams

 How our students are learning

Positively changes behavior
Rewards success (Everyone earns an F unless)

Engagement
Intrinsic Motivation
Social

Motivation

Engagement

Perceived Benefits

Positively
Changing
Behavior

 It is not all about PBLs

Points, Badges, Leaderboards

What do you want your students to learn?

Do Dynamics and Mechanics first

This is an iterative process

It wont be right the first time
Plan on student involvement

Learn, Read, Watch

Books, Webinars, Courses, TEDTalks and YouTube

Fun or Whistle While You Work

Lessons Learned (so far)

Assistant Professor
John E. Simon School of
Business
Maryville University
650 Maryville University Drive
St. Louis, MO 63141
(o) 314.529.9691
kfletcher@maryville.edu
www.maryville.edu

Karen Fletcher