1. Gamification
for
Second Language Acquisition
The good,
the bad,
and unusable
Geraldine Exton, James Patten, Liam Murray
CSIS Department, University of Limerick, Ireland
{geraldine.exton; james.patten; liam.murray} @ul.ie
2. Introduction
• The immersive capability & thus inherent
massive influence of games
• “All learning has to be based on experience,
no matter what tools we’re using” (Gee, 2015)
• Classic games are well designed “problem
spaces” where we can tackle challenging
problems
• GFI – (goodness of fit index) –
–Games = well designed a/effect spaces
3. Introduction - Gamification
• Gee: “Gamification can be good and
gamification can be evil. It has been taken
over, at least in America by business.”
• Motivation? Or manipulation?
• Gaming + education – can they be blended?
• Definition: “the use of game-like elements in
non-game contexts” (Deterding et al, 2011)
4. Focus
• Focus of game design entertainment
• Focus of gamification engagement
• Engagement ≠ Entertainment
• Entertainment
– Is elusive
– No clear road map for entertainment
5. Game design
• Game design nuanced, creative activity
– Mechanics only a small part of what works
– Uncertainty and our compulsion to master it
(Costikyan)
– Learning and mastery (Koster)
– Joy of gameplay – meaningful choices (Juul)
• “Myth” of game design as a solved problem
– Cannot guarantee effectiveness of a small part
applied elsewhere
6. Gamification – the term
• “Gamification” – term designed to elicit
positive association
• Divisive
– Chocolate covered broccoli (Gee, Bogost)
– Exploitationware (Bogost)
– Pointsification (Robertson)
• Splintering of advocates
– “gameful design” as against gamification
7. Gamification – potential negatives
• Motivation of those behind it
– Business analytics
– Data mining
– User manipulation
– Commodification
– Make mundane tasks worse
– Data collection/usage/privacy
8. What is Gamification?
• Confusion about what constitutes gamification
Supermarket clubcards/loyalty programmes
• Just using badges, etc, not gamification?
Games already in use in the classroom, but
are they gamification?
• Class charts/leaderboards
• Badges/stickers
• Games, eg. Bingo
• Remember the core
9. Gamification in education
• Educational perspective different from
commercial application
• Criticisms valid
– Ferrara: gamification has an “impoverished,
cynical, and exploitative view of games as
inherently frivolous and mostly useless.”
– Slap elements on and hope for the best!
10. Gamification in education
• Core experience/key goals in system to
influence entire design process (Romero)
• Use Guiding Principles – Ferrara
– Define core message
– Tie message to win strategy
– Meaningful choices
– Keep it real
– Self-directed discovery
• Tie elements to motivation
11. Gamification and Motivation
• Self Determination Theory
• Ryan and Deci
• Three components to be fulfilled:
• Spectrum of motivation
From amotivation to intrinsic motivation
Competence Autonomy Relatedness
Skill mastery Choice Social connectedness
13. Gamification in Duolingo
COMPETENCE
• Duolingo home page:
skills tree
(achievements)
• High emphasis on
mastery of skills
• Achievements, badges,
content-unlocking,
discussion forums,
leaderboards, levels, points,
social graphs, virtual goods
14. Gamification in Duolingo
AUTONOMY
• Duolingo “lingot” store
• Choice re: avatars,
discussion forums,
gifting and virtual goods
(lingots)
• Avatars, discussion
forums, gifting, virtual
goods
15. Gamification in Duolingo
RELATEDNESS
• Duolingo discussion
page
• Discussion forums:
communities of practice
• Avatars, badges, content-
unlocking, discussion
forums, gifting,
leaderboards, levels, social
graphs, virtual goods
16. Conclusion
• Caveats
– Longevity vs novelty
• “framification” works – but does it maintain interest?
– External motivators detracting from intrinsic
motivation
• Future
– One tool in a “motivation suite”
– Social/face-to-face (Duolingo/Decker & Lawley)