EXTRA: Current research

There is a really wide, unfocused pool of research on gamification. No one seems to use the term the same way twice. I define gamification as the incorporation of game elements (typically video game or table top role playing game) elements into every day life. For me, this does NOT mean playing games often or using games in my practice. To me, games are a good tool for teaching in general and aren't tied in to gamification. In other words, if you use games to teach, that's fantastic, but it's not gamification. True gamification, or game immersion, happens when the participants/players start to see everything they do as having a value that is tangible and is helping them to improve. In gamification, this tangible value is entirely artificial, but representative of real value. For example, if a student receives 50 xp (experience points) on their paragraph, they see themselves as having gained experience points that will help them get to the next level of the game. In reality, they learned and practiced writing skills that will help them craft their thoughts and ideas and improve their communication skills. The real value is never hidden, but the xp gives them something tangible that they can appreciate now, rather than in some uncertain future.

But I digress. My point in making this post was to talk about how difficult it is to find good research to support the concept of gamification on the classroom. I know I've linked Extra Credits before; they were my inspiration and biggest ideas source. But there are a few others who have influence my view of gamification.

Since I'm posting this from my phone, I'm going to go ahead and publish this post now, and I'll cone back and link my other gamification sources later on a real computer. Ta!