Book Image

Gamification with Moodle

By : Natalie Denmeade
Book Image

Gamification with Moodle

By: Natalie Denmeade

Overview of this book

This book describes how teachers can use Gamification design within the Moodle Learning Management System. Game elements can be included in course design by using, badges, rubrics, custom grading scales, forums, and conditional activities. Moodle courses do not have to be solo-learning experiences that replicate Distance Education models. The Gamification design process starts by profiling players and creating levels of achievement towards meeting learning outcomes. Each task is defined, valued, and sequenced. Motivation loops are devised to keep the momentum going. In a gaming studio, this approach would require a team of specialists with a large budget and time frames. Preparing for a class rarely has these optimal conditions. The approach used in this book is to introduce game elements into the course design gradually. First, apply gamification to just one lesson and then build up to gamifying a series of lessons over a term. Each example will indicate the difficulty level and time investment. Try it out to see what is most effective with your learners and choose wisely in your use of technology. By the end of this book, you will be able to create Moodle courses that incorporate choice, communication, challenge, and creativity.
Table of Contents (18 chapters)
Gamification with Moodle
Credits
Foreword
About the Author
Acknowledgement
About the Reviewers
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
6
Mastery Achieved (Badges and Motivation)
8
Completing the Quest (Reporting Activities)
Index

Leveling up with scales or letters


There is a world of difference between being told that you are at the Bronze level and receiving an F grade. In reality, they are the same but the language used creates a different mental concept. Professor Dweck describes this as encouraging a fixed mindset or a growth mindset, (see: http://mindsetonline.com/). Her research shows that rewarding effort and process rather than ability builds resilience in learners. Learners begin to understand their brain as "plastic" and believe that they can grow and learn constantly. This challenges the concept of having a set IQ and the idea that people are simply "dumb" or "smart".

School reports often use terms such as "Pass" or "Fail". This is possible to replicate by using a custom scale in Moodle to display a percentage as a word. If there are two items in your custom scale, then a result of anything less than 50 percent will have the FAIL word displayed or above 50 percent will display the PASS word.

Why not try...