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Gamifying Adult Education

Human behaviours common to children and adults alike can be stimulated through game-like strategies (Gamification Co, 2012) and so gamified learning, when implemented appropriately, can be successful for learners of any age, not just in schools, but in broader educational and training scenarios. Monika Ambrozowicz (in Logarta, 2014), outlines that “new technologies are so natural for both children and adults that they can greatly support education”. Schoolchildren and adult learners can both benefit from learning environments that offer the ability to learn from mistakes and gamification can provide this, with a reduced sense of stress and clear goals that help learners to stay focused (Gamification Co, 2012). By making learning a levelling-up process, individuals progress at their own speed, repeat levels until mastered and feel an immediate sense of satisfaction with each achievement.

Companies are therefore also embracing gamification, adapting game mechanics for use in platforms such as incentive programs, online courses and employee training (Bowman, 2015). In some cases, employers use game-like achievements as a motivational tool to replace monetary rewards. With game techniques applied to the work environment, businesses can increase productivity and rebrand everyday tasks as entertainment for employees, “even the most mundane tasks can be successfully gamified to increase engagement” (Laird, 2013). In the example of Salesforce Motivation, Laird notes that team competitions, leaderboards, and rewards are are built around customised challenges for staff. This system motivates sales teams and focuses them on their goals.

Gamification techniques are even being applied to solve problems in third-world and developing countries. The loyalty program m.Paani discovered that more people in third-world countries own mobile devices than toilets (Chou, 2015) and by applying a game-like system, m.Paani developed a scheme where customers earn points by purchasing mobile credit from specific companies. Points can then be converted into “sanitization products or water-related infrastructure for the entire village”, resulting in a competitive and social experience that motivates people to participate and rewards villages for their teamwork.

m.Paani: Making the Connector the Water Connection (Akanksha, 2011)

A key difference between generations of learners is that adults are often driven to learn a specific subject for themselves, whereas children may need more persuasion. The impact of these differences is addressed by Growth Engineering (2015), which examines the considerations required when gamifying experiences for adult learners. Mature learners are more aware that they are training and have defined learning goals that they either want or, in the case of employee training, have to achieve. Therefore, gamified learning programs for adults must offer freedom and a broad range of learning materials, such as videos, music, text, graphics and interaction, to suit individual schedules and learning methods. Growth Engineering (2015) believes that adults can carry “negative memories of learning in school”, suggesting that any game elements must offer positive angles to the experience, with less focus on winning, and more focus on encouragement and motivation. Unlike children, adult learners often have the option to simply give up if the learning experience is not enjoyable or successful.

 

 

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Bibliography:

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Logarta, M. (2014). The gamification of education: Why playing is the future of learning. [online] GMA News Online. Available at: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/365281/scitech/technology/the-gamification-of-education-why-playing-is-the-future-of-learning [Accessed 10 Jan. 2016].

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