Gamification in education is an increasingly utilised technique in classrooms due to the advantages it offers. It is a form of teaching that involves playful and interactive elements to encourage student participation. This method boosts motivation and knowledge assimilation through practical and enjoyable exercises.
If you haven't yet implemented it in your classes and want to know its benefits, this article explains the advantages it provides and the objectives it pursues in the educational field.
Gamification in education is a learning method that uses game-like techniques. Therefore, it employs elements of competition, challenges, rules, and rewards. Its main goal is to stimulate the assimilation of concepts in a fun and collaborative way where students participate actively.
Gamification also allows teachers to use innovative techniques and practical examples that students can relate to. Moreover, it presents daily challenges that facilitate the implementation of learning situations as outlined by the LOMLOE and related to the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda.
For example, a playful exercise on the classification of biodegradable and contaminant waste will help students become aware of the importance of caring for and preserving the environment.
As we briefly explained, gamification in the classroom proposes a different and innovative way of learning. However, its objectives go beyond that, serving as a vehicle to foster creativity, problem-solving, and mental agility, among other skills. Let's look at some of the main goals in detail:
Increased Motivation One of the most notable aspects of gamification in education is the interest it generates among students. Instead of creating a boring and tedious learning environment that prioritises memorisation, it creates a fun setting where the student is the protagonist. This way, the student must actively participate, resulting in a significant increase in their motivation.
Assimilation of Concepts Gamification involves using interactive educational resources and practical situations that enhance the understanding of taught concepts. This internalisation and application to everyday life situations help students better assimilate certain concepts.
Problem Solving By introducing game-specific characteristics, students face challenges they must solve. This approach encourages students to put their knowledge into practice and apply it, exercising aspects such as memory, logic, attention, coordination, and spatial awareness.
Reward System Every game includes a reward, which doesn't have to be material but can be the simple satisfaction of solving a problem. In this sense, gamification provides an incentive for students' efforts. At the same time, it promotes a healthy and collaborative competitive environment with their peers.
Improvement in Academic Performance All the previous objectives aim to help students achieve better results through effective knowledge assimilation. Therefore, gamification also seeks to have a positive impact on academic records and, generally, a better learning environment.
As we have seen, the proper use of gamification positively impacts both students and teachers. Among other advantages, it increases student engagement, stimulates social and emotional skills, and fosters creativity and critical thinking. Here are some of the benefits of this technique:
Greater Engagement Using gamification makes students connect practically with the content they learn, thus having a higher engagement in assimilating it. It also helps students feel like protagonists of their own learning.
Development of Social and Emotional Skills Gamification involves collaborative games among classmates and stimulates their social and emotional skills. Moreover, students must manage aspects such as frustration or empathy, for instance, when they lose a game or need to support their team to win.
Increased Collaboration The previous point is closely linked to collaboration among students, as most games are designed to create group experiences. This encourages students to work with their peers, even when there might be less affinity between them.
Creative and Critical Thinking Another benefit of gamification is that it fosters creativity and critical thinking. By proposing practical and playful exercises, students must apply a wide variety of knowledge where reasoning and imagination play a fundamental role. This way, students are expected to have an active role with analytical and critical capacity.
Close Bonding Lastly, another advantage of gamification is the strengthening of bonds among classmates, as well as between students and teachers. It creates a relaxed environment where students perceive the teacher as someone approachable who seeks to support them in understanding the content.