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

Onboarding


Game designers create onboarding experiences that ease new players through a welcoming/training experience. The time you spend taking learners through creating avatars and then using a forum to compare the results may seem like a waste of time, if it is not directly linked to academic performance. However, you could view this process as an "onboarding experience". The creator of Plants vs. Zombies offered this advice on how to subtly introduce people to a new game interface in his presentation at the Games Developers Conference (GDC):

Blend the tutorial into the game:

  • Better to have the player "do" than "read"

  • Spread out the teaching of game mechanics

  • Just get the player to do it once

  • Use fewer words (eight words on a screen is the optimum!)

  • Use unobtrusive messaging if possible

  • Use adaptive messaging

  • Don't create noise

  • Use visuals to teach

  • Leverage what people already know

    Note

    Watch a webinar on providing tutorials and help by a leading game designer at http://gdcvault.com/play/1015541...