Today, April 28th, is celebrated the education day. The date is an opportunity to reflect on the news in this area. The use of gamification to improve student learning is one of them.
The term "gamification" was coined in the early 2000s by British programmer Nick Pellingfaz and introduced the idea of using techniques of games (games, in English) to motivate the population to unravel issues in a dynamic way and that, in the end, bring prizes (rewards).
What is gamification?
According to the book "Gamification in education", gamification is based on the action of thinking like a game, using the systematics and mechanics of the act of playing in an out-of-game context.
The book points out that gamification is not necessarily participation in a game, but the use of the most efficient – such as mechanics, dynamics and aesthetics – to reproduce the same benefits achieved with the act of to play.
Caê Lavor, Director of Educational Solutions at SAS Plataforma de Educação Escolha: "Gamification is based on the idea that people are naturally attracted to challenges, rewards and immediate feedback, characteristics that are common in games, online or no".
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Gamification in education
Specifically in education, the gamification technique allows the use of game concepts in order to engage and motivate students to perform certain tasks or achieve goals. In this case, computers or tablets can be used in the classroom, for example.
Director Caê points out that, in education, gamification can be applied in different contexts, such as, for example, offering schools the opportunity to Motivate your students to change behaviors, acquire new skills and achieve goals in an engaging way that is different from the traditional day-to-day of classes.
Gamification, according to the director, creates opportunities for students and teachers to work with feedback in different ways. different, as it is based on the use of elements from digital games (challenges, rankings, little stars, evolution of phases, prizes, etc.).
"The idea of gamification to improve learning in education is to use tools that stimulate competition and generate engagement with questions and answers challenges, success and error data and the possibility of more interactive classes", explains the director.
Caê states that it is important to emphasize that the use of technology must be seen as a means, and not the purpose of the process. Thus, the use of gamification tools in education must always be accompanied by a purpose.
Advantages of using gamification
Adopting gamification tools in the classroom can bring benefits to students and teachers. Check out some benefits:
More interactive and dynamic learning
Increased student participation and improvements in the learning process
More engagement and responsiveness from students
Student grades on average 21% higher
Feeling of adventure or mystery in your class
Use of gamification in entrance exams and Enem
Caê Lavor points out that, in case students are in the preparation phase for entrance exams and Enem, the use of gamification is a good alternative for studies. The director explains that, at this stage, this tool can be used individually and specifically.
"Students already in the final stages of preparing for college entrance exams and Enem can and should make use of gamified platforms to ensure the performance of tests and feedback on their points of improvement. One of the examples are the personalized exercises, which generate challenges adapted to the result in the test of each student, acting on the real needs of evolution in an individualized way", she comments.
By Silvia Tancredi
Journalist
