LEARNING MADE FUN WITH GAMIFICATION

For us ’90s kids, Monopoly, or as some of us called it, Business, was serious business! This classic board game wasn’t just about collecting cash… it gave us our first lessons in money management. Then there was Chinese Checkers, a colourful game with marbles that was more than just fun. It sharpened our brains and strategic thinking. Speaking of brain games, this correspondent’s father had a tradition: after every exam, he’d gift her puzzles and building blocks. It was his way of making learning fun while sneaking in critical thinking and problem-solving skills. And remember ‘Taboo’? The game where you had to describe a word without using the “forbidden” words? It pushed us to think creatively and communicate quickly, a skill that comes in handy even now.

Let’s be honest. Learning is always better when it feels like play. Kids absorb things effortlessly when they’re engaged and having fun, without the usual pressure of studying. Fast forward to today’s world of advanced gamification, where interactive and immersive experiences make learning even more exciting. With elements like points, badges, levels, and rewards, there’s a built-in sense of achievement that keeps learners hooked. It’s a smart way to boost motivation, push through challenges, and actually retain what we learn because, in the end, who doesn’t love a good game?

“Games have always been used as a part of teaching. We have used Scrabble, Monopoly, Uno and Pictionary. These have been games that we have used for language instruction, for literacy, for math, and even for financial literacy. We use Monopoly to teach financial literacy. It’s because of the fact that the whole digital spectrum has come into learning that everybody thinks gamification is only digital learning, but that’s not the case. If you look at how Minecraft has been used to create universes that students write about, that’s intentional use of games for learning outcomes. Teachers can also use apps such as Kahoot. Technology has made access to these kinds of tools quicker and easier. The important idea is the balance of using games. As an educator you need to understand the timing of using a game in a lesson, the appropriateness of the content, the relevance to that particular class. Gamification should not be used just to make something exciting. If you look at a class that is using a quiz game, students are having fun, but they are also engaging with the content very differently. Keeping in mind the purpose and knowing what students will gain from using games is extremely important to planning a lesson using games,” said Shefali Jhaveri, Head of Learning, Canadian International School, Bangalore.

A study by the Federation of American Scientists found that students remember only 20% of what they hear. When visuals are added, this increases to 30%. Another study showed that 67.7% of students found gamified courses more motivating than traditional ones. Research at the National Technical University of Athens, Greece, found that challenge-based gamification improved student performance by 89.45% compared to lecture-based learning. This shows that making learning more interactive can lead to better results.

“The global gamification market is expected to register a year on year growth of 25% to reach USD 70 - 90 Bn. Smartphone penetration in India is nearing 50% and this massive user base along with high speed 5G access will boost the demand for gamification. The growing application of gamification systems to shape human behaviour, drive innovation, improve productivity, enhance engagement and skill development is fueling this growth. Educators have found that gamification increases engagement by up to 50% and improves learning outcome by up to 35%,” said Jaideep Kewalramani, COO and Head of Employability Business, TeamLease Edtech.

Modern learning uses gamification with points, badges, and leaderboards to make education more engaging. VR and AR create interactive experiences, while AI personalises learning and gives feedback. Apps like Kahoot and Duolingo make learning easy and accessible anytime. A report by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) shows that using active learning, humour, and technology in statistics education helps students understand concepts better, boosts confidence, improves retention, and enhances performance.

“With the increasing popularity of VR and AR, the Metaverse is becoming an integral part of higher education. Complex subjects such as medical sciences, architecture, and engineering can be taught more effectively through virtual simulations, reducing the need for expensive lab setups. For instance, a University leveraged immersive VR experiences to introduce students to the field of healthcare, inspiring many to pursue careers in nursing and medical sciences. The future workplace will be dominated by Gen Z and there’s no denying that they are natural at games. This generation is ‘born digital’ and an overwhelming 70 percent of people under 25 prefer gaming over other forms of entertainment. Gamified learning will be a natural environment for them to acquire education,” said Kewalramani.