The concept of gamification has been around for years – the Boy Scouts of America use it with their badge system – but the increase in popularity of video games has recently cemented its place as a valid learning tool. Through collaborating, creative thinking, failure and a rewards system, young Millennials and Gen-Zers are now learning to problem-solve through a rewards system that emulates aspects of video games.
Andrew Hicks of The Alliance Labs realizes the benefits of gamification in education and has implemented it into his own curriculum. Through a feedback system based on achievements and a badge system for academic growth, The Alliance Labs has created a self-paced program to encourage learning. There are several motivating factors to collect the badges, one being the amount of badges a resident has directly affects how much they are paid.
In addition to gamification being a great way to motivate students to learn, it has many other benefits:
- Research has shown that people are literate in different ways. Current teaching models only appeal to one learning style which fragments the success of students. Gamification appeals to the largest set of literacies by encouraging creative problem-solving and letting the students learn through their own choices.
- Companies are beginning to catch on to the gamification trend and are implementing it into apps – such as Duolingo – and many businesses are looking for ways to incorporate it into their HR programs and even marketing campaigns.
- New teaching trends continue to question current practices. The current education system does not fit all students. Gamification excels at reaching the largest amount of literacies; teaching students to not be afraid of failure; to see the value of learning from mistakes; and how to solve problems by thinking outside-the-box.
Please let us know if you are interested in speaking with Andrew Hicks to learn more about the applications of gamification in education and how The Alliance Labs implements it into their program.
About The Alliance Labs
The Alliance Labs, a top Chicago digital agency, has created an internal school committed to creating opportunities for Chicago’s dedicated and talented youth to create careers in technology. These future workers are given real-world employable skills that are practiced, challenged and perfected through the work their digital agency does for its clients.