The topic that most interested me in class this week was gamification. This term means taking mundane tasks and making them game-like in order to create more interest and motivation. There are many places where gamification can be useful. We are, obviously, most interested in its effect on education. Using games as a part of teaching helps students to view what they are learning as fun, and not as work. Games also give students a chance to try over and over again to better grasp a concept, it gives them a chance to learn at their own pace.
Gamification is also used in fitness. The Nintendo Wii and the X-Box Kinect have released countless games that make working out playful. Instead of doing a boring routine, players can compete against each other to exciting music. Some of these games are aimed at exercise, such as Zumba or Wii Fitness, but others just seem to be games that are unrelated to exercise, but are still physically demanding.
A third place where gamification is used is in marketing. Companies use "games" to keep their customers coming back. One example of this is punch cards. Many businesses have punch cards that reward the customer for each new purchase they make. This causes the customer to keep returning because when they reach a certain number of punches, they usually get something for free. Some companies have competitions that give out prizes, or certain percentage discount. These competitions usually take place online, so there is an influx of traffic onto such company's website. I feel that these methods are extremely effective. People are always looking to better themselves, and competition and gamification plays to that fact, and other benefits come of its use.
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