Rules for the use of gamification and video courses
What is essential when creating gamified online courses? How to use educational video content? Increasingly, many experts argue that the use of gamification and video content should be carefully considered and aligned with the training objectives.
Does gamification increase student satisfaction with the course?
Of course, gamification affects learning outcomes. To do this, in one study, the creators of the experiment divided the students into two groups. One group underwent training and knowledge testing with elements of gamification, the second without. During thirteen weeks, students completed three assignments, passed three tests, and passed one final exam. The difference was in additional bonuses. One group received bonuses for regularly participating in discussions, and the second group received bonuses for achieved points.
The study showed no statistically significant differences in satisfaction with online learning among the two groups of students. But those who took the course with elements of gamification rated it higher. Students noted that they liked the bonus system, which showed them how to apply the knowledge gained in the classroom to the business world.
Does gamification affect student performance?
It turned out that students who took regular online courses and courses with game elements did not differ significantly. But at the same time, if students participated in-game activities in parallel with the study of the course, then their academic performance was higher at all stages of assessment, and the final score was 7-10% higher than among students who did not participate in the activities. If you do not know how to implement gamification in your educational project, you can order a test script from writing services.
Patterns and tips
- When students are well motivated to achieve learning success, they will achieve it, regardless of gamified elements in the online course.
- When working on an e-learning project, always clarify whether your vision of the result matches the customer’s vision. It is not enough to define the project’s goals, as the customer may present the result differently.
- Don’t use gamification in teaching just because everyone does it. Think about whether it will help you achieve the desired result. The experience of some companies has shown that bonuses (an integral part of gamification) do not motivate people. They only work for overachievers. For everyone else, you need to use other methods of motivation.
- Game elements should be included in the testing and not in the theoretical material of the course. The practice has shown that this is the structure of the course that works best. Perhaps this is because testing is the most challenging part of the course, and the use of the game makes it easier to overcome this milestone.
Even if you can shoot a video, you don’t have to do it because it is a fashion trend. Use videos only when genuinely warranted by the learning objectives. When is it recommended to use video:
- it is required to immerse the student in context, details;
- complex things need to be shown and explained;
- you need to allow students to learn at their own pace and independently control the speed of learning.
What tasks the video helps to solve:
- informing;
- explanation of the topic;
- demonstration of a product or service;
- involvement in the topic, problem.
The length of the video depends on the learning goals you are pursuing. The shorter the video is, the better. The optimal video length is one minute. In this case, 80 people out of 100 complete the viewing. If the video is about five minutes long, only fifty percent of the viewers will watch it, and less than twenty will watch the video with a duration of twenty minutes. But this does not mean that any video should run no more than a minute. If the video contains valuable information, listeners will watch it to the end, whatever its length.
When creating video content, remember to maintain a balance between development speed and entertainment. Both are important. For example, if the goal is to simply and quickly convey new information, you should not create something interactive.
Course participants should easily find and watch videos, for example, on YouTube or the company’s website. Remember the accessibility and usability of the content. Consider how your target audience will view it on smartphones, tablets, desktops, or various devices.
Prepare your script for video gamification
Even if you are well versed in the topic, it is necessary to work out the script. It will help:
- Structure your video presentation, think over these and tips that will make the lesson richer and more valuable.
- Avoid unnecessary pauses and interjections. There will always be a cheat sheet at hand if you suddenly get lost and lose your train of thought.
Start with the most interesting facts or briefly describe what the lecture will be about. In the middle, expand the topic of the lesson in as much detail as possible. At the end of the script, summarize and go over the key points again. Make a quick preview of the next lesson. The viewer should always want supplements.
Based on the script, you can storyboard a training video. A storyboard is a series of thumbnails that show you what key scenes will look like. Remember that gamification doesn’t need too much artistry and expressiveness. It is worth paying attention to this, so as not to distract the student’s attention.