Introduction

Gamification has gained much attention in recent years for its ability to increase motivation, whether it is convincing customers to take specific action, inspire employees to work harder, or encourage individuals to meet their personal goals. Gamification, simply put, is taking game like elements and applying them to non-game scenarios. This is not a new concept—the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts have used gamification elements for the last century through their badge system, and airlines have used loyalty point systems for many years.

As gamification has proven to have the ability to motivate customers to take actions, many educators hope that gamifying learning can motivate students as well. Yet its application to the K-12 education space is still rather limited and research in its effectiveness is inconclusive. Educators who are interested in implementing gamification into their lessons should consider their goal and learning style of their students. This article details three important factors to consider when planning a gamified learning experience: motivation, generational differences, and design. The article also includes examples of applications that use gamification in music learning that can be applied by arts managers.

Considerations for Gamification

Motivation

The current literature on how gamification relates to motivation is inconsistent, some believing it to have positive effects while others claim it has neutral to even negative effects. According to a study by Hanus and Fox, “gamified courses can lead to lower levels of intrinsic motivation, satisfaction, and empowerment (Chan, 447).” Furthermore, a research study conducted at Singapore Polytechnic suggested that using leaderboards and point systems can have a detrimental effect on learning. This can further be supported by the self-determination theory, which identifies the three basic psychological needs for intrinsic motivation to be: competence, autonomy, and relatedness. External feedback provided through gamification—such as leaderboards and points—has the potential to be informational or controlling. When informational, it increases the student’s perceived competence, leading to higher intrinsic motivation. If, however, the gamification process results in controlling feedback where they feel limited by the system, the student will likely feel a reduced sense of intrinsic motivation. An example of this could be the usage of a leaderboard where only the top performers are listed (Chan, 448).

Rebecca Rufo-Tepper, from Institute of Play, claims that “though quizzes and leaderboards can be effective mechanisms for creating extrinsic motivations (which might lead to repeated play and reinforcement of content), we believe that the real value in games and game-like learning is to help people realize the intrinsic value of doing something (Wolper).” There is little doubt that gamification increases extrinsic motivation, which can be especially important for repeated drills and tasks.

This can be useful for music learning, where students often need to repeat a drill over and over to master a skill. Educators should be cautious when using these games however, to ensure that they do not have any negative repercussions on intrinsic motivation.

Generational Differences

Research suggests that generational groups share “social traits and learning orientations,” which is often impacted by their exposure to technology (Crappell, 1). Generations experience different relationships to technology that allow them to adopt or even expect their integration. In order to implement gamification in an affect way, one must understand what generation they are serving and how they are likely to respond to the technology. According to Courtney Crappell, The Center for Generational Kinetics has labeled generational periods into the following categories:

·       Gen Z, iGen, or Centennials: born 1996 and later

·       Millennials or Gen Y: born 1977 to 1995*

·       Generation X: born 1965 to 1976

·       Baby Boomers: born 1946 to 1964

·       Traditionalists or Silent Generation: born 1945 and before

*Note: The generation breakdowns above are from Crappell. Gen X and Gen Y are more commonly divided around 1980.

These different generations lean toward varying learning styles. Figure 2 illustrates the common learning styles by generation.

There has been a lot of research on why gamification works so well for Millenials and Gen Z. According to HR Technologist, there are three main reasons that gamification works so well for these generations:

1.     They are digital natives that are used to competing for attention through social media.

2.     They want to “make an impact and find fulfillment,”—ie the Zuckerberg Effect.

3.     They are used to instant feedback and want to understand their achievements, goals, and progress.

As younger generations grow more accustomed to gamified experiences it will be even more important to incorporate these experiences into learning environments. Educators should consider why students in these generations respond positively to gamification, so that they can have the intended effect.

Design

The game design should be at the core of any gamified experience. When gamification started trending about a decade ago, many businesses attempted to join the movement, gamifying all types of business elements. As this was happening, Gartner conducted a studying estimating that 80% of all gamified apps would fail due to poor design. Proper design is essential for successful gamification and must be done with the subject in mind. There is no one type fits all for gamification. According to Karl Kapp, assistant director of the Institute for Interactive Technologies and professor of instructional technology at Bloomsburg University, there are three best practices for designers to follow when developing gamification design (Wolper):

1.     It must address a real business need. In the case of education, this could include aligning with curriculum requirements or new skills.

2.     The “learner should be undertaking the same cognitive thought process as they do on the job.” Again, this could be extended to curriculum goals or national education standards.

3.     Stress engagement over fun.

Examples of Gamification in Music Education Apps

Gamification can be especially effective when students need to repeatedly practice a drill or skill, like in music learning. Students who are at the beginning stages of music learning must repeatedly practice note identification, which can become tedious. Apps that gamify this repeated practice of learning notes can make it fun and engaging. An example of this is the Note Rush app, which allows users to select the notes they want to work on and then assesses the student’s ability to identify each note by using artificial intelligence to match the pitch of their instrument to the note displayed. The app uses the game dynamic of time pressure to engage students, and uses rewards like stars to motivate them. This app can be very effective at increasing students’ motivation to learn new notes early on. The game, however, is very simplistic and likely does little to encourage long term, intrinsic motivation. This is true for many education apps that do not immerse the student, but rather focus on only one skill or component (Crappell, 12). Figure 3 lists some notable music apps that can be used for skill or drill based learning.

Conclusion

Although there are many success stories of gamification, its long-term effects in education are still largely unknown. Educators should take time to consider the purpose for using it and consider how their students will respond—especially regarding motivation and generational differences. So far, gamification of repeated skills or drills seem to be most effective. Music educators and institutions can take advantage of this by using this technology in their lessons.

With these key elements in mind, arts managers can consider implementing elements of gamification into their programming, especially in education programs. In order to best support this integration, it is important to offer teacher training so instructors can best understand elements of gamification and any technology that may be necessary. Through the use of gamification, arts institutions have the potential to increase audience engagement and offer unique, interactive experiences for their patrons.

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