Gamifying e-learning in online learning communities
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KeremDaldal|11152776 UniversityofTechnology,Sydney 2012
Gamifying e-learning in online learning communities
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KeremDaldal|11152776 UniversityofTechnology,Sydney 2012
IntroductionThisreportarticulatesastrategicapproachforintegratingthebestaspectsofgamedesignwith onlinelearningcommunitiestocreateelearningplatformsandenvironmentsthatamplify engagementandthequalityofknowledgeconstruction.Thefirstsectionofthisreportwilloutline thetheoreticalbasisforthisapproachbysummarisingconceptsunderpinningconstructivist learningmodels,onlinelearningcommunitiesandgamification.Thenextsectionofthisreportwill explainhowgamificationandonlinelearningcommunitiescanbeintegratedbydesigning elearningplatformsthatcreatetangiblegoalswithmanageablerulessetgoalsfor learners/participantsthatfittheircapabilitiesprovideclearandtimelyfeedbackandeliminate distractions.
Theoretical backgroundConstructivismOverthepasttwodecades,constructivistmodelsofeducationhavebecomemoreprominentin elearningdesign(Koohangetal2009).Incontrasttoothermodelsthatrelymostlyon knowledgeacquisition,wherebyknowledgeisseenasbeingtransmittedonewayfromteacher tolearner(Sfard1997)constructivistmodelsarelearnercentredandaimtokeeplearners engagedbyenablingtheminbecomingactiveintheprocessofknowledgeconstruction (EgenfeldtNielsen2006Koohangetal2009).ForHonebein,thegoalsofconstructivistmodels aretoexposestudentstomultipleperspectivesembedtheirlearningincontextsthataresocial,
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KeremDaldal|11152776 UniversityofTechnology,Sydney 2012 relevantandrealisticencouragethemtotakeownershipofthelearningprocessandallowthem tobecomeawareoftheirroleintheknowledgeconstructionprocess(1996,inKoohangetal 2009).
Online learning communitiesOneofthebestwaysinwhichconstructivistmodelsofelearninghavebeenimplementedisin thedesignofonlinelearningcommunitiesthatutilisetechnologiessuchaswikis,blogsand discussionforums.Thesesortsofelearningimplementationsacknowledgethepowerof collaborativelearningenvironmentstoinformthroughtheaggregationofknowledge(Kilpatricket al2003).TheytakeadvantageofRedmond&Lock'sfourphasesofpracticalinquiryinwhich: learnersarepuzzledorseeaproblem searchforinformationorexplanations aggregatetheirknowledgeinordertodevelopasharedunderstandingand developasolution(2006). Theabilityofallparticipantstointeractwith,publishandtendtothecommunityfacilitatesan environmentwhereinnovativeexplorations,experimentations,andpurposefultinkerings oftenformthebasisofasituatedunderstandingemergingfromactionnotpassivity(Brownand Adler2008,p.14).Itshouldberememberedthatit'snotenoughtojustimplementthetechnology andexpectlearningtotakeplacesuccessfulonlinelearningcommunitiesfoster'anexperience oftogethernessthatextendsthroughtimeandspace'(Wengeretal2005,p.2).Instructional designersshouldbedesigningthesecommunitiessothat'learnersarenewcomersandpotential reformersofthepractice'and'teachersarethepreserversofitscontinuity'(Sfard1997,p.6).
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KeremDaldal|11152776 UniversityofTechnology,Sydney 2012
GamificationGamesareanaturalfitforconstructivistlearningmodelsbecausetheyaredesignedtobe deeplyengagingandcollaborative(Johnsonetal2011Prensky2002Sanchez2011).The 2011HorizonReportsuggeststhataspectsofgamesthatmakethemengagingforplayersare replicableforeducativepurposestheseinclude'thefeelingofworkingtowardagoalthe possibilityofattainingspectacularsuccesses[and]theabilitytoproblemsolve,collaboratewith others,andsocialise'(Johnsonetal2011).Whilethereportindicatesthateducationalgames canbedifficulttodesignwell(Johnsonetal2011),thisdoesn'tmeanthatinstructionaldesigners can'ttakethebestelementsofgamedesignandusethemtoscaffoldtheirelearningdesigns. Indeed,Deterdingetaldefinegamificationas'theuseofgamedesignelementsinnongame contexts'(2011,p.2)themostimportantoftheseelementsbeingtheabilityofgamestokeep playersengagedandmotivatedbycreatingasenseofcognitiveflow(Baron2012Prensky 2002Sanchez2011).Greatgamedesignachievescognitiveflowby: providingplayerswithtangiblegoalsandmanageablerules settinggoalsthatarerelevantto(andreflectiveof)players'capabilities deliveringfeedbackthatisclearandtimelyand keepingplayersontrackbyeliminatingdistractions(Baron2012).
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KeremDaldal|11152776 UniversityofTechnology,Sydney 2012
'Flow,boredom,andanxietyastheyrelatetotaskdifficultyanduserskilllevel'(Baron2012,p.1).
A strategic approach to integrating gamification with online learning communitiesIntegratingthebestelementsofgamedesignintoanonlinelearningcommunitycankickstarta positivefeedbackloopwherebylearnersaremotivated(throughcognitiveflow)toexchange knowledgeinthecommunitywiththeircontributionstothecommunityresultinginaproliferation ofsocialinteractionandongoingimprovementstothequalityofknowledgeinthecommunity thus,motivatinglearnerstobecomeevenmoreactiveinthecommunity.Suggestionsfor achievinggamifiedcognitiveflowinonlinelearningcommunitiesfollow.
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KeremDaldal|11152776 UniversityofTechnology,Sydney 2012
Create tangible goals with manageable rulesWithsomequestionandanswer(Q&A)stylelearningcommunities,thesegoalsmightbe selfmanagedasparticipationcouldbedrivenbytheidentificationofaproblemencounteredon thejob,inthefield,etc.EveninestablishedQ&Alearningcommunitiesandcommunitiesof practisecomprisingofexpertsinthefield,thereareatleastestablishednormsandguidelinesto ensurethatcontributionsarerelevantandthatinteractionsarepeaceable.Withotherlearning communities,suchasthosethatareestablishedineducationalinstitutions,learnersmightbe completelynewtoanareaofknowledgeandmightnotevenknowwhichquestionstoaskand howtheycancontribute.Thepresenceofteachersandotherexpertsisessentialinthesetypes ofcommunitiesandtheyshouldbeassigningtasksthatsetlearnersonindividualand collaborativequeststoexploreandconstructknowledge.Theyshouldalsobepresentto answerquestionsandprovideguidancewhenlearnersencountertrouble.Baronstatesthat:
Flowbreaksdownwhenaplayerdoesn'tknowwhattheirgoalsare,howthey're expectedtoaccomplishthem,orwhichnewgametechniquesthey'resupposedtouseto solveapuzzle.Whenthishappens,gamersdisengageandaremorelikelytostop playing(p.2).
Thesameappliestolearners,buteducatorsshouldn'thavetobearalltheburdenespeciallyat thescaleofmassiveopenonlinecourses(MOOCs).Learningmanagementsystems(LMSs) andotherlearningplatformsshould: bedesignedsothatinterfacescuelearnerstothetask/sathand beawareoflearners'tasksandprogressandonlyprovidenewandimportantinformation andtaskswhenlearnersaren'thighlystimulatedwithothertasksandinformation 6
KeremDaldal|11152776 UniversityofTechnology,Sydney 2012 allowlearnerstoexperimentandtryvariationsofapproachestotasksand allowlearnerstovisualiseahierarchyoftaskssothatit'scleartothemhowsmaller tasksfitintolargergoals. 3DGamelabisagoodexampleofalearningplatformthatimplementsmanyoftheseprinciples.
Set goals for learners/participants that fit their capabilitiesManygamesmakeuseofcomputercontrolledenemies/charactersthatdynamicallyadapttothe players'skilllevelsothatplayers'stressandperformancearekeptwithinazoneofoptimal performance(Baron2012).Atpresent,teachers/expertsfillthisroleineducationalcontextsby assigningtasksthattheyfeelareappropriatetothetheirlearners'skilllevelandsome educationalplatforms,suchasCodecademyorTreehouse,enablelearnerstochoose paths/coursesthattheyfeelareappropriatetotheirskilllevel.However,thisisn'tanexact science,soinstructionaldesignersanddevelopersshouldenvisionsystemsthat: arecapableofgaugingstudents'skilllevelsanddynamicallyassigningorsuggesting tasksthatareappropriatetoindividuallearners canautomaticallymatchgroupsoflearnerstogetherincollaborativegroupsbasedon skillleveland/or providelearninganalyticsthatwillallowsystemadministratorstodoso.
Provide clear and timely feedbackFeedbackthatisclearandtimelyallowsplayersofgamestomakeconnectionsbetweenactions andoutcomes,allowingthemtounderstandhowtheirprogressonshorttermandlongterm goals(Baron2012).Intermsofconstructivistlearningmodels,similarimplementationsin educativecontextswillletlearnerstakeownershipofthelearningprocessandenablethemto becomeawareoftheirroleintheknowledgeconstructionprocess.Gameshavelongused 7
KeremDaldal|11152776 UniversityofTechnology,Sydney 2012 progressbars,badgesandexperiencepointstohelpplayersintrackingtheiradvancement throughthegame.3DGamelab,Codecademy,TreehouseandStackOverflowareallexamples oflearningsystems/platformsthathaveutilisedtheseaspectsofgamingtodrivemotivation. StackOverflow,inparticular,isinterestingintermsofhowitletsuserstoupvoteothers' contributionstothecommunityearningthemreputationpoints,badges,andinturn,more privilegestocreatecontentinthecommunity.Instructionaldesignersanddevelopersshould takecare,however,thatthesearen'tsimply(ab)usedasbehaviouristrewardsforpositive behaviour(EgenfeldtNielsen2006)theyshouldbeanaccurateandinformativereflectionof learners'outcomesand/orcontributiontothecommunity.
Eliminate distractionsAsoutlinedearlier,extraneousinformationshouldbekepttoaminimum,whilenewtasksand informationshouldbereservedfortimeswhenlearnersaren'toverlystimulatedwithother objectivesandinformation.Italsogoeswithoutsayingthatuserinterfacesshouldbedesigned alongbesthumancomputerinteraction(HCI)principlesandshouldnotbeclutteredorreplete withunnecessaryfeatures.Oneoftheissueswithonlinelearningcommunitiesisthatthe quantityofparticipants'contributionscanbeasdetrimentalasitcanbebeneficial.Alarge amountofcontentcanmeanthatusefulinformationgetsburiedbeneathinformationthatmightbe lessuseful.Searchfunctionalityhelpsofcourse,butanovelwayofensuringqualitycanbeto crowdsourcequalitycontroltothecommunityasQuoraandStackOverflowhavedoneby allowingparticipantstoflagthemostusefulanswers.Deterdingetalexplainthatsomeofthe greatestpromisesofgamifiedsystemsistheeaseofaccessto'moreecologicallyvaliduser dataonthedifferentkindsofexperiencesandnaturalcategoriesthatarisefrominteractionwith thesesystems'(2011,p.6).Lookingintothefuture,crowdsourcedqualityc