gameful designfor online educationSebastian DeterdingMAGIC Lab, Rochester Institute of TechnologyGame On: Exploring Innovative Pedagogies Symposium,Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia, September 2, 2013

cb

<1> introduction

about me

⎫⎬ ⎭

learninG

bbc: A game of me

RIT: Just press play

game design + online learning?

4 Forms

pointsTracking, Feedback

badgesGoals, surprise

leaderboardsCompetition

incentivesRewards

»Gamy« feedback layer1

gamefully structuring learning2

full-fledged games3

Learning through game design4

in the public mind

moocs!

with badges!

= khan academy!

problemsolved!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/auntiep/4310267/sizes/o/

delicious scalability & analytics!

very, very old wine ...

flickr.com/photos/the-consortium/5304929409

Gold StarsThe single worst way of

motivating learning

+

frontal teaching(Almost) the single worst

educational material

Peter F. Drucker

»There is surely nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency what should not be done at all.«

what executives should remember (2006)

<2>how not?

Margaret Robertson

»Gamification is an inadvertent con. It tricks people into believing that there’s a simple way to imbue their thing ... with the psychological, emotional and social power of a great game.«

can’t play, won’t play (2009)

Confusion

#1

Theodore Sturgeon

»Ninety percent of everything is crud.«

sturgeon‘s revelation (1958)

what achievements? How designed?

Games are not fun because they are games, but when they are well-designed.

Con(fusion) #1

Confusion

#2

Earn 1,000,000,000,000 points

Score: 964,000,000,000,000(You rock!)

»Fun is just another word for learning.«

Raph Koster

a theory of fun for game design (2005)

Raph Koster

»Fun from games arises out of mastery. It arises out of comprehension. It is the act of solving puzzles that makes games fun. With games, learning is the drug.«

a theory of fun for game design (2005)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/diego_rivera/4261964210

Extrinsic motivation

Intrinsic motivation

http://www.flickr.com/photos/areyoumyrik/308908967

Edward Deci, Richard Ryan

»An understanding of human motivation requires a consideration of innate psychological needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness.«

the what and why of goal pursuit (2000)

The fun in playing games chiefly arises from intrinsic enjoyment, not extrinsic incentives.

Con(fusion) #2

Not fun Funhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/sulamith/1342528771/sizes/o/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/photonquantique/3364593945/sizes/l/

Raph Koster

»Fun is just another wordfor learning.«

through interesting challenges

a theory of fun for game design (2005)

Goals ...

+ Rules ...

= Interesting challenges

+ Feedback ...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bodgerbrooks/1315419080

= Experiences of competence

Game atoms

model/skill

rule system

goal

success! / failure!

actions

feedbackimmediate/progress

challenge

Confusion

#3

http://www.flickr.com/photos/apartmentlife/6559123353/

Earn 1,000,000,000,000 points

Score: 964,000,000,000,000(You rock!)

feedback without challenge

feedback without challenge

gamy looks without challenge

disconnected challenge

game challenge = learning goal

Learning goal=

Game atom

the atomic intrinsic integration approach (2011)Alejandro Echevaria et al.

»Gaminess« is not a feature you can just add – it is restructuring learning goals into game atoms.

Con(fusion) #3

Confusion

#4

Johan Huizinga

»First and foremost, all play is a voluntary activity.«

homo ludens (1950: 7)

Edward Deci, Richard Ryan

»An understanding of human motivation requires a consideration of innate psychological needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness.«

the what and why of goal pursuit (2000)

Fun Voluntary

Voluntary Fun

the undermining effect

feedback

perceived as

controllingthwarts

autonomy

motivation

perceived as

informingsupports

competence

+

–

Deci & Ryan 2012

We don’t play games voluntarily because they’re fun – playing games is fun because it’s voluntary.

Con(fusion) #4

<3>how?

gameful designRestructuring learning to support competence, autonomy, and relatedness, using game atoms as a lens

http://ww

w.flickr.com

/photos/mike52ad/4675696269

http://ww

w.flickr.com

/photos/mike52ad/4675696269

Goals: Intransparent; lack of small steps

Rules: Often intransparent

Challenge: Not adjusted to individual skill

Feedback: Slow, demotivating decay instead of building and perceiving progress

Game atomscompetence?

http://ww

w.flickr.com

/photos/mike52ad/4675696269

Goals: Little choice in what to do when and how, little connection to personal needs

Challenge: Demonstrating proficiency, not inviting exploratory trial and error

Feedback: Often controlling, highly serious consequences

Game atomsautonomy?

learning goal = game atom

Structured flow of goals

scaffolded challenge, dynamically adjusted

progress feedback

forgiving feedback

http://www.flickr.com/photos/amrufm/2593920251/sizes/z/in/photostream/

Meaningful choice

… vs. Quality and Varietyunlimited redoing

challenge-based learningO’Mahony, et al (2012). A Comparison of Lecture-Based and Challenge-Based Learning in a Workplace Setting: Course Designs, Patterns of Interactivity, and Learning Outcomes. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 21(1), 182–206.

<4>in summary

Peter F. Drucker

»There is surely nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency what should not be done at all.«

what executives should remember (2006)

– e.g. gamified MOOCs

gameful designRestructuring learning to support competence, autonomy, and relatedness, using game atoms as a lens

Seebit.ly/194vAnifor a recent overview of further design patterns.

sebastian@codingconduct.cc

@dingstweets

codingconduct.cc

Thank you.