More than 50% of the UK population plays video games, according to Statista. People like having fun and games aren’t just for kids! Since everyone enjoys fun activities, gaming is increasingly used in professional training settings, where it’s called gamification.
Why use gamification? Because gamifying training modules increases participant concentration and engagement.
What is gamification and what are its objectives?
Definition
Gamification in training involves teaching theoretical concepts using methods borrowed from gaming like prizes, points, competition or roleplay.
Objectives of gamification
The objective of adding gamification to training is to promote learning in a roundabout way. Through fun activities and gaming mechanisms, participants develop more positive emotions and are more engaged in the learning process.
These positive emotions enable trainers to:
- Build together: learners are active participants in the training
- Encourage involvement: the fun makes people want to keep participating in activities
- Catch learner attention: using gamification makes time pass faster because the topic grabs participants’ attention
- Improve learning: when participants feel positive, they’re more likely to listen, learn and remember what they’re taught
There are so many ways to make your training more fun! Lots of them use interactive digital methods even though they can also be done simply with only a few materials (sticky notes, pens, whiteboard, etc.). Digital tools do make it easier to set up these games, but don’t worry, you can still get started with something simple.
Four ways to gamify your training sessions
Create a competition
Organise challenges and use a points system to boost participation in this experience. Your participants will feel more motivated to stand out, either by themselves or as a team if you want to promote team spirit. Be careful though: not all learners feel comfortable competing.
Offer a reward system
You can offer random or schedule rewards. They’ll help boost learner motivation and engagement. Use gifts, badges or any other creative ideas you come up with as engagement methods.
Create a roleplay activity
Putting themselves in someone else’s shoes will help participants see an issue from another perspective.
Include a social component
Communication and collaboration among members is essential to an effective gamification strategy. Learning is enhanced through sharing, discussions and recommendations. If you’re remote, check out our list of eight tools for collaborative teleworking.
Measure the impact of gamification
Set performance indicators
It’s essential to measure the success (or failure) of adding gamification to your training sessions. To do so, you’ll need to define your performance indicators and your strategic objectives.
For example, the score learners get will enable you to see how well they’ve integrated the knowledge presented in your training. If collaboration is one of your objectives, the number of interactions will be a useful metric.
Gather feedback from employees so you can continually improve your training and offer an even better gamification experience the next time around.
Improve digital learning with Beekast
Gamification can really boost motivation during training. By correctly engaging your learners, you’ll see higher overall motivation and better retention of the concepts you teach – and those results will last longer!
This all adds up to positive participants and time savings, with better productivity and efficiency as a result. It’s a win-win situation for everyone!
Beekast is an easy-to-use digital solution for gamifying your training. The platform’s many activities put the focus squarely on interaction, engagement and skill development. Learn all about training with Beekast.
