We are facing an engagement crisis in online classrooms, and the trend of gamification in education could be the key to solving this problem. Some particular features in games such as user-centered environment and challenge-reward mechanism now have been seen in academic lessons.
Menu
The learners’ engagement crisis
In a typical classroom environment, learners need to maintain at least three core interactions: with the teacher, with classmates, and with the lesson content itself. These multidimensional interactions are the key to retaining students’ interest and willingness in acquiring knowledge.
For teachers, the interaction leans toward reception and feedback. Before Covid, particularly in Vietnam, the main form of learning remained tightly in the traditional teacher-centered classroom model. A typical class often involves two sides of participants: the teachers delivering the lessons and the student listening, acquiring the knowledge. Still one of the most important roles of the teacher is to point out the mistakes and answer their questions in an immediate and direct one-to-one way, which cannot be achieved through active self-study via books and the internet.
For classmates, the concept of interactions to them can be defined as either competitive or motivating. Social communication between classmates helps students become more aware of their level compared to their peers, increasing their motivation to accomplish common goals.
With the lessons themselves, it is the interaction based on initiative. Learners need to actively explore and analyze the amount of knowledge set out for themselves. In a traditional educational environment, this “forced” proactivity will be assessed through the entrance and exit tests, to ensure students master the knowledge in the program.
But the Covid 19 pandemic also marked the transition from traditional offline learning to online platforms. This somewhat abrupt transition has inadvertently become the solution to overcome the shortcomings of the traditional educational model. When the distance between teachers and students, among the students themself is replaced by a small screen, active interaction from learners becomes more important than ever. Multiple-choice tests are scored transparently and accurately based on technology, built upon a fair, autonomous, and flexible learning environment.
However, studying online for a long period of time also, learners start to suffer its drawbacks: stress, distraction, and reduced motivation. Without the constraints of the classroom environment, surrounded by distracting electronic devices, students are losing interaction with their own knowledge.
Previously, we had an analysis of the trend of gamification – what is gamification in learning and mobile apps example. This article will dig deeper into why gamification can stimulate learner interaction and thereby, increase their interest and learning time.
Psychology of learning versus psychology of games playing
To explain why Gamification can boost learners’ interaction and interest, we need to analyze the difference between human psychology when studying and when playing games.
How do we learn? Actually, according to education expert Marianna Pascal, with the majority of Southeast Asian students, we standardize learning according to the goal: “not to make mistakes”. Don’t do the math wrong, don’t answer the question wrong, don’t circle the wrong answer in the test. This mindset is formed through the traditional test-score value in Asia, which puts high pressure on learners. The consequence is a didactic but stressful environment, with students interacting in a forced and restrained manner.
But the way we interact on the video game platform, or any game, is completely different.
When we play games, all we focus on is hitting our goals and making progress. Players can be knocked down by monsters and go to the wrong map, but after many trials and failures, they are still excited to go again and again until they win. Each player has their own journey. To gain rewards, they can spend the whole day manipulating the game. If needed, they will actively learn from in-game instructions or consult the experiences of other players. That is how video games make players interact: to give them excitement and throw the ball into their court.
Let learners interact the way they do with games
Along with the trend of gamification in education, today’s learning programs and applications have made great strides in integrating game features into the learning process, to foster motivation and initiative of learners. Some of the aspects that can be mentioned are:
Firstly, let it all center around the learners. Personalized journeys – a feature commonly found in role-playing game genres – have been creatively incorporated into the 4.0 classroom model. Instead of letting learning revolve around the passive acquisition of knowledge from teachers, programs like Elsa Speak, Duolingo design curricula accustomed to each individual. Instruction and feedback will come from “virtual assistants” or “learning partners”, equivalent to the role of “mentors” in role-playing games, leaving the central character role for learners.
Secondly, promote exchange and competition among classmates. This feature is similar to the MOBA (Multiplayer online battle arena) experience. Such games can strongly connect people with similar interests and experiences on that platform. Similarly, learning programs are also creating a common playground for students to connect and compete for rankings and prizes. The above factor is expected to increase interaction between classmates, even on online platforms.
Thirdly, retain learners through the features of entertainment games: unpredictable rewards, eye-catching graphics, and countdown timers. The elements that attract players in entertainment games are now also being applied smoothly in classes, lectures, online learning programs, with the goal of enhancing the experience and learners’ connections to content knowledge. No longer just dry lectures and exercises, students will experience lessons like conquering attractive games.
GOGA – Optimizing gamification into English learning
GOGA, the upcoming game-based English learning application by X3English is expected to set a new milestone for the trend of gamification in the online education industry. GOGA engages with learners by building a multi-dimensional, personalized virtual environment according to each student’s journey, through which:
Learners will be accompanied by a virtual assistant through artificial intelligence (AI) technology, which can accurately identify and score their English pronunciation errors. This is like having a native “mentor” on their side to point out and fix their problems, helping them improve day by day.
GOGA Arena with the Challenge feature brings the MOBA game experience into practicing English in pairs. Learners will experience competing, ranking, and leveling up with classmates from all over Southeast Asia.
Along with that, to optimize the comprehensive features of video games, the GOGA learning program integrates features such as selecting and building user avatars, converting lessons into treasure-hunting missions and challenges, with countdown timers.
The GOGA app beta version will be released on January 15. Please follow the fan page GOGA or Website Goga.ai to update the latest information about the project.