We have shared several articles on our blog about how using computer games in the classroom can be a great benefit to student learning including an article just a few weeks ago about a project called MAGICAL that incorporates the actual creation of computer games into classroom curriculum. So it will come as no surprise that the business world is joining in this trend with something referred to as “gamification”.
According to a Pew Research Center report, gamification is “interactive online design that plays on people’s competitive instincts and often incorporates the use of rewards to drive action — these include virtual rewards such as points, payments, badges, discounts and free gifts; and status indicators such as friend counts, re-tweets, leaderboards, achievement data, progress bars and the ability to level up.” These gamification elements can be seen in the popular fitness applications such as GymPact and Nike+ where users are offered virtual awards for their achievements. There are also badges awarded by other applications such as Yelp and Foursquare that allow users to “check in” at various business locations using GPS enabled devices.
One of our favorite resources for education technology news and information, edutopia, recently published an article on this gamification phenomena, restating the value many educators find in gamification: “Educators have also begun to adopt the reward structures of video games, such as badges for meaningful achievements, into their lesson planning. Integrating gamification into the classroom is best accomplished when teachers begin to think of themselves as not just educators, but also game designers.”
Now that you are aware of the existence of gamification, you will begin to notice it all around you. Just as educators have found gaming elements to be great at providing motivation and incentive for learning, corporations and marketers are finding these same things to be an effective tool for enticing and retaining consumers. Expect to see more and more gaming elements in future applications and Internet sites.
If you find the idea of gamifying the classroom or business world interesting, perhaps a career in the computer game design industry might be for you. Gatlin International has an eLearning course to help you realize this goal. Gatlin International’s Video Game Design course and Virtual Internship Experience will allow you to learn computer games design at your own pace. This award winning online course and training program is an appropriate starting point for students who seek a professional career as a computer game designer and developer. It is also well suited for enthusiastic amateurs and gamers looking to explore this exciting field as a recreational endeavor.
Combining concepts in computer graphics, computer aided instruction and marketing, Gatlin International’s Video Game Design course is easy to use. There is no prior game or graphics programming background required to enroll in this course; students will acquire the skills needed through Gatlin’s project centered Virtual Internship. Your daily work in a game design job will depend largely on the specific job path you take. You can choose to focus your work on any phase of the computer game design process, from the initial planning, to designing characters and environments, to programming. To register for this course or to view more details, visit the Gatlin International website today.