THE POWER OF PLAY: PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF INTEGRATING GAMIFICATION IN EDUCATION

Abstract

Play has traditionally been viewed as an activity meant purely for entertainment, often seen as a distraction from what is considered most important - gaining knowledge. However, the introduction of the pedagogical approaches of gamification and game-based learning has bridged this gap. The incorporation of play into the learning process was aided by the theories of developmental psychologists and instigated by advancements in technology, eventually leading to the adoption of gamified learning in education. Gamification is the incorporation of various gameplay features such as points, badges, leaderboards in the process of learning (Kapp, 2012), whereas game-based learning is used to deliver the learning content through a game (Greipl et al., 2020). The chapter explores the effectiveness of gamified learning through the lens of the Self-Determination Theory of motivation. The psychological benefits of the approach, such as the increase in the learner’s motivation, attention, engagement, and overall learning and performance are discussed (Subhash and Cudney, 2018).