Here at Sumdog, we’re dedicated to making learning as fun as possible! Our fun and interactive games help boost engagement in young people while building their confidence in maths, spelling and grammar. We therefore believe that the use of gamification in education is not only incredibly exciting, but an increasingly important tool for learning. Want to learn more about how the benefit of gamification on education? Keep reading!
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So, what exactly is Gamification?
By definition, gamification is the implementation of game-design elements in non-game contexts and environments. Simply put, gamification is about transforming what would typically be boring and tedious tasks into a fun, game-like experience.
In the field of education, traditional learning methods can often become monotonous and non-engaging for young people which can prevent them from reaching their fullest potential. Similarly, conventional teaching methods tend to group large numbers of pupils together and thus fail to recognise and tailor to the unique learning styles of individual children. With the introduction of gamification in education, teachers are able to optimise classroom learning by creating an environment that is both challenging and rewarding and can cater to the learning requirements for individual pupils.
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Five key benefits of Gamification in Education:
1. Increased engagement
Perhaps the biggest benefit of gamification in education is that it promotes high levels of engagement among young people. By introducing interactive games to classroom learning, children are much more likely to actively participate and enjoy lessons.
2. Clear objectives
Another great benefit of using gamification in the classroom is that is provides pupils with direct goals. Whether they’re trying to build a rocket or score points in a basketball game, having a clear aim boosts their motivation and creates momentum to succeed.
3. Instant recognition and feedback
One of the most important aspects of learning for children is receiving recognition for their work and feedback on their progress. An amazing aspect of using gamification during lessons is that it offers instant feedback. This way, pupils are able to monitor their own learning and understand their strengths and weaknesses.
4. Greater retention
Not only does gamification make classroom learning more enjoyable overall, it also helps pupils to retain more of the skills they learn. In fact, a recent study shows that 78% of teachers agree that digital games have improved their pupils’ mastery of curricular content*.
5. Creates a personalised learning experience
As no two children are the same, neither should their learning experiences be. By introducing gamification in education, pupils are able to embark on their own personalised learning journey. In turn, this gives children a sense of pride and ownership in their classroom learning and encourages them to reach their full potential.
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What next?
So, now you know some of the amazing benefits of gamification in education – why not give it a go? With over 30 games to choose from, try out Sumdog’s personalised maths, spelling and grammar practice in your classroom and see what your pupils can achieve!