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Let’s face it, our education system is incredibly rigid. It’s a neat system to convey a lot of info to as many students as possible, but a major flaw is that it equates learning with memorisation. The biggest thing we don’t learn in school is the ability to learn. Hence, it becomes socially accepted that classes are boring or too burdensome to many. The education system should be revamped, here’s how:
Gamification:
Games are fun, classes are not. Gamification is the practice of transferring game features onto teaching material, combining play with learn. Especially with our improving technology, more advanced forms of gamification can take place in education institutions (ie. Augmented reality, educational videogames). I know this idea is not new. Teachers all over the world have been applying games to their classes for a long time. However, their “games” aren’t games, it’s Pointsification.
Pointsification:
Teachers putting leaderboards in front of classes and stickers or candy to reward good behavior are not games, they’re just point systems. Pointsification emphasises the external motivation (tasty treats and bragging rights), not the learning experience itself. The reward system on its own doesn’t make the experience a fun game. This may work for the first few weeks, but participation and retention will dwindle.
Example:
You want students to learn about the chemistry of soap. Pointsification approach: Reward students with candy for answering the questions correctly pop-quiz style. Gamification approach: Make your own soap challenge where the team with the most effective and fragrant soap wins. Participants would automatically learn the chemicals and processes for the game.
Every year, our education model churns out tons of perfectly adequate candidates with negatively-skewed relationships with learning. It’s not the student’s fault for being unable to adhere to an outdated system. While I’m grateful for the education I’ve received, I also think it can be improved. On the world stage, our youths need every edge they can get - proper implementation of gamification is a good start.
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