Learning is much more fun and productive in a game-oriented environment. A study revealed that 80% of the learners found eLearning gamification much more productive while 67% were more motivated to learn from a gamified course compared to a traditional course.

As a member of this society, everyone requires a playful experience where a reward is given for achieving something. Embracing adulthood does not eliminate the need of getting appreciated and motivated. More than monetary rewards and verbal appreciations, Gen Z enjoys satisfaction in being recognized and appreciated publicly. 

Don’t you enjoy when your Youtube video clicks 100k views or when you get new followers on Instagram or Twitter? Similarly in a workplace or a classroom, a learner’s performance is augmented in a rewarding gamified learning environment.

What is eLearning Gamification?

“Gamification is the use of game elements and game design techniques in non-gaming contexts.” (Kevin Werbach, 2012). The role of gamification in eLearning is rapidly increasing as it proved to be a great asset in training and educating employees and students respectively. Through gamification, audiences can be engaged in the learning process and it can help the learners in knowledge retention and increasing engagement.

The eLearning industry is revolutionized thanks to the emergence of gamification as it provides a fun environment to learn and enjoy at the same time. The amazing tools and features have upgraded the learning experience. eLearning gamification has enabled the eLearning platforms to create courses with much more flexibility and creativity; hence, learning has become a joyful activity.

The Brandal Hall Group has labeled gamification as a positive disruption for learners and they believe it has the potential to elevate the digital learning process. eLearning gamification aids the cognitive learning process by involving the learner in real-time scenarios that are relevant to their organization and institutes; thus, augmenting the understanding of the learners.

Benefits of eLearning Gamification

eLearning Gamification has proved to be a great edition for many eLearning platforms. Here are the few top benefits:

1. Enhances Learning Experience 

Gamification can uplift the entire learning experience for learners of all ages. What would you rather enjoy and remember: a simple MCQ Quiz of 30 Questions or a scenario-based game involving a mix of activities covering different topics while applying for a job? Tracking the progress or evaluating the knowledge and aptitude of a candidate based on a few MCQs may become unfair while a gamified test would provide the learner multiple levels to prove themselves. 

Even from the organizational point of view, a gamified test would help them select a much better candidate for their employees. eLearning gamification is a great method to train employees about company policies, new concepts, and technologies. Similarly, students would feel less burdened while giving a gamified test compared to a one-dimensional test.

2. Makes eLearning Fun and Interactive

Behind every learning process, there are goals and objectives that need to be achieved. Those goals and objectives cannot be accomplished when the learner is not excited about learning more. With gamification, the learner is able to interact with the course content that is designed with a lot of creativity thanks to the endless possibilities offered in eLearning gamification.

An Indian learning platform: BYJU’S have revolutionized the eLearning industry in India with the help of eLearning gamification. They have targeted K-12 education and have been successful in a short span of time. Their worth was estimated at USD $16.5 Billion in June 2021 and they are currently the world’s most valuable educational technology company. This example reinforces the importance of eLearning gamification and how the world learning dynamics are shifting towards gamification.

3. Improves Learners’ Retention

Generally, learners are unable to retain 50% of the learning lesson within the first hour. However, with eLearning gamification, the learner’s retention is boosted. In gamified lessons, real-world scenarios are replicated that helps the learners to relate it more, compared to a conventional textbook example. Hence, the learner absorbs the knowledge much more quickly and retains it for a longer period of time.  

4. Promotes Company’s Learning Culture

Many corporations are heavily investing their resources in designing games for the recruitment and onboarding process for their newly recruited employees. eLearning gamification can help organizations to promote their company’s culture not just for new employees but, can also educate the entire workforce about new technologies and policies.

eLearning Gamification Tools

There are a large number of gamification elements that can be implemented in your training or eLearning program. We have shortlisted a few of them that you can consider while designing your online training program.

• Leaderboards

A leaderboard is a ranking-based system that can be a useful tool in motivating learners. It is ideal for those learners who feel more motivated and productive after being acknowledged and praised publicly. In the corporate world, employees are given bonuses and benefits for performing better in training; hence leaderboards can be a great tool to use. 

However, it must be implemented carefully as competition can negatively impact few learners that can lead to lower motivation and productivity. 

• Points & Rewards

Points can be earned after completing certain tasks or the number of hours in training or learning. In a points system, learners are able to get certain rewards and discounts after collecting a certain number of points. It is a good mechanism to motivate learners to do better in the course.

• Certificates & Badges

Everyone loves to collect medals as it symbolizes pride and achievement. In eLearning, certificates and badges are awarded on completion of courses. Learners can strive harder to collect more badges for their online eLearning collection. It is a motivation booster for most learners.

• Contests

Another gamification tool is to run contests within your eLearning platform by setting goals such as completing a number of courses in a certain time period. For example, a free iPhone for all those learners who completed 50 courses in the month of December as part of a Christmas contest.

Achieving Goals with Gamification

The ultimate purpose behind eLearning gamification is to achieve eLearning goals that are set up by the learning and development team of a company or the course instructors in the case of educational institutes. Here are some goals that can be achieved with the help of eLearning gamification:

• Develop a Bond with the Company 

It is hard sometimes for new employees to fit in the company culture, but with the help of some introductory courses, that gap can be filled much quicker. A gamified course can help the new employee visualize the company culture much easier. By completing the course, the employees can be given a badge or a souvenir or a gift hamper making them feel welcome.

• Educating the Employees about the Policies and Guidelines

The most tedious and boring task for an employee is to read long documents of policies and guidelines. There is also a high chance that most of the employees won’t read them and would just skim through, leading to confusion later on. This goal can also be achieved with the help of a gamified course on policies consisting of videos, scenarios, and quizzes for the employees.

• Providing a Demo about Rewards and Bonuses 

The reward system and bonuses mechanism made by the human resources department can get too complex for some employees. With the help of eLearning gamification, the complexity of the system can be broken down into smaller modules within a course, making it easier for everyone to understand and learn about them.

Final Thoughts

Now that you have understood the importance and benefits of eLearning gamification and how it can play a pivotal role in achieving your organizational and learning goals, it is a good time to consider gamification for your online courses and training programs.

Implementing gamification correctly can be challenging, but with Edly you can get detailed consultation and a free demo to make this possible. Edly will help you get the best eLearning gamification experience catered to your target audience at an affordable cost and with professional support.