A Design Framework for Adaptive Gamification Applications

The application of gamification does not always achieve the expected results due to the shortcomings of the quite common one size fits all approach of standard gamification concepts. We therefore propose a design framework that can inform systematic development of adaptive gamification applications. The developed framework draws on the current body of gamification literature, focusing on the emerging research stream of adaptive gamification. It provides design paths and design principles that translate the individual elements into concrete guidelines to assist the design practice. The framework has been successfully applied to the design and implementation of a prototype application using gamification to incentivize knowledge exchange on an existing online platform for physicians in practical medical training. The evaluation in a case study indicated positive user acceptance and increased system usage after the introduction of the developed adaptive gamification solution

Gamification of Assessment Test through Multiple Question Paths to Facilitate Participants’ Autonomy and Competence

Gamifying activities to make them more game-like is one of the hottest trends in various fields, including education. Among the factors influencing the success of gamification for education are the participants’ sense of autonomy and competence, which can be facilitated with the incorporation of multiple learning paths. However, the use of multiple question paths in gamified assessment tests is still under-studied. This mixed-method study was aimed at exploring the matter through a paper-based and gamified assessment test in higher education. A controlled experiment was conducted in a calculus course in an informatics department. The experimental group (n = 38) undertook a gamified written test, and the control group (n = 37) undertook a regular one. The gamified test consisted of several Hard and Medium Questions, and each participant would choose a question path containing some of the questions. Nine question paths were available with varying ratios between Hard and Medium Questions, and the participants were allowed to ask for two hints on the Hard ones. A questionnaire, based on the EGameFlow model, was used to assess the gamified test. The results show that the gamified test was able to facilitate the participants’ sense of autonomy but not their sense of competence, which was due to flaws of the test. Two additional positive effects of the test on the participants’ knowledge improvement and Flow experience are identified. The path selection pattern among the participants and the flaws of the gamified test are also discussed

Leaderboards in Gamified Information Systems for Health Behavior Change: The Role of Positioning, Psychological Needs, and Gamification User Types

Leaderboards are widely used in gamified information systems (IS) for health behavior change (HBC) to evoke both instrumental and experiential outcomes within users. In literature, however, they are often discussed controversially as they are perceived positively by some users but discouraging by others. In this work, we investigate under which circumstances users’ position on the leaderboard influences their attitudes toward an mHealth app. Based on self-determination theory and the gamification user types hexad, we conducted an online experiment among 179 potential users. The results support our hypotheses that positioning influences perceived competence and relatedness, which alongside perceived autonomy positively impact users’ attitude. Yet, our findings do not support the assumption that the relationship between needs and attitude is moderated by gamification user type. This finding reinforces recent research which questions the effectiveness of user type-based gamification and calls to focus on general need satisfaction

A Research Agenda for the Why, What, and How of Gamification Designs: Outcomes of an ECIS 2019 Panel

This report summarizes a panel session on gamification designs at the 2019 European Conference on Information Systems in Stockholm, Sweden. The panel explored a research agenda for gamification design. The panel considered the “what, why, and how” to analyze state-of-the-art gamification research. We present an adapted definition of gamification as one outcome of the workshop to better describe what gamification is and what it can be used for. We discuss “why” and “how” to employ gamification for different contexts. Researchers and practitioners can use the report’s research questions and insights to gamify information systems, identity outcomes that gamification concepts address, and explore new ways to gamify. Overall, we present new areas for future research and practice by identifying innovative ways to bring existing gamification concepts to a more impactful level

Towards a comprehensive methodology for applying enterprise gamification

Gamification as a new concept uses game elements in a novel way to engage users of a non-gaming system and can be used in many domains within an enterprise, to implement the organizational processes with lower costs, higher quality or in a more efficient way. Although there are many researches on gamification but a few studies can be found in the organizational gamification and there are few research works about framework and methodology for designing and implementing organizational gamification in the literature. The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive methodology for the enterprise gamification. This research is an attempt to overcome the mentioned gap via presenting a methodology by applying some important issues including organizational, humanity and gamification aspects together to design and implement customized enterprise gamification solutions through reviewing the related literature and experts’ commentaries. The evaluation of the methodology showed that it is an appropriate and perfect way to design gamification solutions in an organization, besides the enterprise needs to provide the necessary conditions for its implementation. This paper forwards an important debate on a comprehensive methodology for applying enterprise gamification, which explains how to properly use gamification in enterprises to increase productivity and better communication with employees, and thus contributes to literature on internal and enterprise gamification

Environnements virtuels émotionnellement intelligents

Les émotions ont été étudiées sous différents angles dans le domaine de l'interaction homme-machine y compris les systèmes tutoriel intelligents, les réseaux sociaux, les plateformes d’apprentissage en ligne et le e-commerce. Beaucoup d’efforts en informatique affective sont investis pour intégrer la dimension émotionnelle dans les environnements virtuels (tel que les jeux vidéo, les jeux sérieux et les environnements de réalité virtuelle ou de réalité augmenté). Toutefois, les stratégies utilisées dans les jeux sont encore empiriques et se basent sur des modèles psychologiques et sociologiques du joueur : Courbe d’apprentissage, gestion de la difficulté, degré d’efficience dans l’évaluation des performances et de la motivation du joueur. Or cette analyse peut malmener le système dans la mesure où les critères sont parfois trop vagues ou ne représentent pas les réelles compétences du joueur, ni ses vraies difficultés. Étant donné que la stratégie d’intervention est très influencée par la précision de l’analyse et l’évaluation du joueur, de nouveaux moyens sont nécessaires afin d’améliorer les processus décisionnels dans les jeux et d’organiser les stratégies d’adaptation de façon optimale. Ce travail de recherche vise à construire une nouvelle approche pour l’évaluation et le suivi du joueur. L’approche permet une modélisation du joueur plus efficace et moins intrusive par l’intégration des états mentaux et affectifs obtenus à partir de senseurs physiologiques (signaux cérébraux, Activité électrodermale, …) ou/et instruments optiques (Webcam, traceur de regard, …). Les états affectifs et mentaux tels que les émotions de base (basées sur les expressions faciales), l’état d’engagement, de motivation et d’attention sont les plus visés dans cette recherche. Afin de soutenir l’adaptation dans les jeux, des modèles des émotions et de la motivation du joueur basé sur ces indicateurs mentaux et affectifs, ont été développés. Nous avons implémenté cette approche en développant un système sous forme d’une architecture modulaire qui permet l’adaptation dans les environnements virtuels selon les paramètres affectifs du joueur détectés en temps-réel par des techniques d’intelligence artificielle.Emotions were studied from different angles in the field of human-machine interaction including intelligent tutorial systems, social networks, online learning platforms and e-commerce. Much effort in affective computing are invested to integrate the emotional dimension in virtual environments (such as video games, serious games and virtual reality environments or augmented reality). However, the strategies used in games are still empirical and are based on psychological and sociological models of the player: Learning Curve, trouble management, degree of efficiency in the evaluation of performance and motivation of the player. But this analysis can mislead the system to the extent that the criteria are sometimes too vague and do not represent the actual skills of the player, nor his real difficulties. Since the intervention strategy is influenced by the accuracy of the analysis and evaluation of the player, new ways are needed to improve decision-making in games and organizing adaptation strategies in optimal way. This research aims to build a new approach to the evaluation and monitoring of the player. The approach enables more effective and less intrusive player modeling through the integration of mental and emotional states obtained from physiological sensors (brain signals, electro-dermal activity, ...) or/and optical instruments (Webcam, eye-tracker, ...). The emotional and mental states such as basic emotions (based on facial expressions), the states of engagement, motivation and attention are the most targeted in this research. In order to support adaptation in games, models of emotions and motivation of the player based on these mental and emotional indicators, have been developed. We have implemented this approach by developing a system in the form of a modular architecture that allows adaptation in virtual environments according to the player's emotional parameters detected in real time by artificial intelligence methods

Ahora o nunca: un estudio empírico de la gamificación en la educación superior en línea sobre la motivación de los estudiantes de ELE

La ludificació representa una eina amb un gran potencial dins del context educatiu per aprofundir en aspectes que tenen a veure amb la motivació, la implicació, l'esforç i la col·laboració. Aquesta metodologia innovadora és motivadora i activa en l'alumne un vincle amb els continguts que promourà, principalment, la millora en l'adquisició de coneixements i habilitats. Tanmateix, calen més estudis empírics per identificar els factors clau que afecten l'efectivitat de la ludificació amb la finalitat d'augmentar la motivació dels estudiants dins l'àmbit de l'educació superior en línia. En conseqüència, aquest projecte sorgeix de la importància de continuar l'estudi del potencial de la ludificació per sistematitzar-ne l'aplicació i, així, oferir als estudiants un aprenentatge de més qualitat i més significatiu. Per tant, el propòsit d'aquesta investigació és determinar els factors clau que impulsen l'efectivitat de la ludificació i proposar un model d'aplicació en l'educació superior en línia. Les dades recopilades s'han analitzat aplicant una metodologia mixta en què s'utilitza una anàlisi estadística quantitativa i una anàlisi qualitativa per validar el sistema ludificat i demostrar-ne la validesa. L'avaluació en profunditat del sistema ha demostrat que el model proposat és estadísticament significatiu i té un impacte positiu en l'efectivitat de l'aplicació de la ludificació en un context educatiu superior en línia.Gamification represents a tool with great potential in education. It allows for going into greater depth in aspects linked to motivation, engagement, effort and collaboration. This innovative methodology is motivating. It leads to students engaging with content that fosters, above all, improvements in the acquisition of knowledge and skills. However, more empirical studies are required to identify the key factors that affect the effectiveness of gamification, with the aim of increasing levels of motivation among students in online higher education. As a result, this project responds to the important need to continue studying the potential to systematize the use of gamification and, thus, offer students higher quality and more meaningful learning. The aim of this study, then, is to determine the key factors that boost the effectiveness of gamification and propose a model for developing its use in online higher education. The data collected have been analyzed using a mixed method approach, involving both a quantitative statistical analysis and a qualitative analysis, to validate the gamified system and demonstrate its effectiveness. In-depth evaluation of the system has shown that the model proposed is statistically significant and has a positive impact on the effectiveness of gamification in an online higher education setting.La ludificación representa una herramienta con un gran potencial dentro del contexto educativo para profundizar en aspectos que tienen que ver con la motivación, la implicación, el esfuerzo y la colaboración. Esta metodología innovadora es motivadora y activa en el alumno un vínculo con los contenidos que promoverá, principalmente, la mejora en la adquisición de conocimientos y habilidades. Sin embargo, se necesitan más estudios empíricos para identificar los factores clave que afectan la efectividad de la ludificación para aumentar la motivación de los estudiantes en la educación superior en línea. En consecuencia, este proyecto surge de la importancia de continuar con el estudio del potencial de la ludificación con el fin de sistematizar su aplicación y brindar, así, a los estudiantes un aprendizaje de mayor calidad y más significativo. Por tanto, el propósito de esta investigación es determinar los factores clave que impulsan la efectividad de la ludificación y proponer un modelo para su aplicación en la educación superior en línea. Los datos recogidos han sido analizados aplicando una metodología mixta en la que se utiliza un análisis estadístico cuantitativo y un análisis cualitativo para validar el sistema ludificado y demostrar su validez. La evaluación en profundidad del sistema ha demostrado que el modelo propuesto es estadísticamente significativo y tiene un impacto positivo en la efectividad de la aplicación de la ludificación en un contexto educativo superior en línea.E-learnin