Can Gamification Help Give e-learners total recall?

One of the biggest problems that e-learning content creators must overcome is the lack of learner recall. If e-learners walk away from a system with poor levels of recall and limited embedded learning, then the value and effectiveness of any e-learning solution will be called into question. This reduced return on investment (ROI) will impact sales and the learning and development department’s ability to secure future funding for this particular solution.

This is why e-learning solutions developers and buyers should be looking for systems that maximize engagement and learner recall which is one of the holy grails of any e-learning initiative. Trainers and designers have been looking at various ways to maximize learner recall, to greater and lesser degrees of success. Now, with gamification-based learning or edugaming, you can take learner recall to the next level.

Gamification is the use of game thinking and mechanics in non-game contents in order to engage users. Gamification not only engages users in problem solving but also improves self-contributions. This can be a very important tool in training because it allows users to pay closer attention and be more involved. Gamification can also improve the use of information systems.

Gamification is no longer just being used for e-learners and trainers. It has been adapted in all sorts of industries from marketing, operations and customer loyalty programs. Gamification is also being used to encourage people to fill out surveys, as well as customer research and brand recognition. The most emphasis places gamification as a tool used for customer engagement and encouraging desirable website usage and behavior. With education and training being early adopters of gamification, companies as influential as Microsoft has released games as an add-on to their office productivity collection to help train people to use their software effectively.

While it’s a strong of a statement to say that gamification-based learning will provide e-learners with total recall, research suggesting that this new edugaming approach promises to both boost e-learner engagement and enjoyment.

Recent research suggests that LMS users would be highly motivated by leader boards and increased competition between students, a key part of gamification, and also be more engaged with the LMS application.

Another reason why gamification can be such an effective tool for increased e-learner recall is due to the fact that it is graphics-based delivery vehicle relying on the user’s eyes as means of taking in information. According to statistics presented in the Consultant’s Business Book, while learners recall a mere 10 percent of what they read and 20 percent of what they hear, they recall 30 percent of what they see.

Building visual gamification into e-learning or using e-learning packages that incorporate gamification will increase learner recall. If you can develop or procure edugaming tools that combine visuals and sound content, learner recall rises to a massive 50 percent.

This shows how one of the newest e-learning technologies on the market – gamification – has the ability to address one of the oldest problems in learning – learner engagement and recall. Now is a great time to be investing in edugaming if you want to increase the ROI of your e-learning initiatives.