Some arguments for and against gamification, with a specific emphasis on how to make it work well in second language acquisition settings

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

12. Gamification in Duolingo

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)