Gamification in Education: How to Use It (With Examples)

Editor’s Note: This article has been refreshed with up-to-date information and fresh examples for accuracy and relevance.

In recent years, gamification has evolved from being just a buzzword in online learning to a proven strategy for driving engagement and success. Popular apps like Duolingo, Khan Academy, and Kahoot! exemplify how gamified approaches can lead to real-world achievements, such as improved language proficiency, deeper understanding of the subject matter, and increased participation rates.

While its roots lie in face-to-face environments, gamification reaches its full potential in online classrooms and learning programs, offering tools to make lessons more interactive, personalized, and impactful. Learning management systems (LMSs) have become central to this evolution, leveraging gamified features to not only captivate learners but also align teaching methods with modern expectations.

Let's dive into the exciting world of gamification and see examples of how it works.

What Is Gamification?

At its simplest, gamification can be defined as “modifying existing systems to incorporate game-like elements that boost participant engagement.” This approach taps into the universal appeal of games and competition, making it an effective tool for both traditional education and corporate training environments.

While many modern examples of gamification draw heavily from video games, its roots predate the digital era. Teachers have long used systems like "quiz bowl" games or points-based progress tracking to motivate learners, even before the term gamification entered popular vocabulary. These foundational practices highlight how engaging elements can drive better results.

Today, when implementing gamification in an online setting, the best strategies often involve borrowing from the mechanics of digital games. Common elements include:

• 
  Points: Rewards for achievements to motivate progress.
• Badges: Visual symbols of milestones and accomplishments.
• Leaderboards: Rankings to foster competition and engagement.
• Challenges: Specific tasks to promote active learning.
• Levels: Structured stages offering incremental challenges.
• Progress bars: Visual cues to track learning progress.
• Narratives: Storylines that immerse learners in the material.
• Immediate feedback: Instant responses to reinforce learning.
• Avatars: Personalized representations to enhance connection.
• Social interaction: Collaborative and competitive opportunities.

These systems naturally align with the interactive and visual dynamics of eLearning platforms, making them a seamless fit for virtual learning.

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Why Is Gamification's Importance Increasing?

Generation Z, which now comprises most post-secondary students and the younger workforce, has grown up in an era defined by dynamic and responsive digital interactions. They expect engaging, interactive educational experiences—and traditional, passive learning methods often fall short of these expectations. However, the appeal of gamification extends to multiple workforce generations. Studies have shown that Millennials and Gen X found value in gamified approaches even before the term became mainstream, highlighting its ability to transform learning into an active and more enjoyable process.

Recent studies continue to support the idea that gamification reaps substantial benefits to both educational institutions and corporate training programs. A 2024 longitudinal study published in Education Sciences examined 1,001 students over three years in online, traditional, and gamified learning environments. The findings revealed:

• Success rates increased by 14% compared to both online and traditional learning.
• Excellence rates improved by 122% over online learning and 70% over traditional learning.
• Average grades rose by 25% compared to online learning and 17% over traditional learning.

Another study, this one from 2022 and conducted by Harvard Business School and KPMG, revealed that gamified training experiences can lead to an increase in fee collection ranging from 27.1% to 35.8%, a 22% rise in new client opportunities, and a 16% growth in client acquisition in offices where employees and leaders actively engaged with the platform.

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6 Applications of Gamification in Online Learning, Including Examples

Gamification in online learning takes training and education beyond traditional methods, transforming the way learners interact with content, instructors, and peers. Here's how:

1. Immersive Learning Experiences

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are transforming education by creating immersive learning environments. These technologies leverage advanced hardware such as VR headsets, AR glasses, and motion controllers, along with software platforms that simulate realistic scenarios. Thanks to this, learners can interact with simulations, role-playing games, and virtual settings in ways that closely mirror real-world working experiences.

For instance, researchers at the University of Edinburgh created an AR tool called "Anatomy Experience". This innovative application helps medical students visualize and understand the intricate geometry of the human body, significantly enriching their learning experience. Similarly, integrating AR and VR into your lessons can enable students to explore topics in a hands-on manner, like conducting virtual lab experiments or exploring historical sites.

On the left is a small 3D-printed model of a pelvis. On the right is a screenshot of the AR Anatomy Experience's alpha prototype displayed on a smartphone screen | © The University of Edinburgh.

2. Personalized and Adaptive Learning Paths

AI-driven gamified platforms adapt challenges, rewards, and content to individual learners' abilities, preferences, and progress. Duolingo is an excellent example, employing algorithms to personalize its gamified language lessons by dynamically adjusting difficulty and content based on user performance. Its new "Adventures" feature further enhances the learning experience by offering AI-powered, game-like scenarios where users can apply language skills in realistic, interactive contexts.

This blend of personalization and gamified elements ensures students stay engaged without feeling overwhelmed, making each step of the learning journey both tailored and enjoyable while leading to higher satisfaction and better outcomes.

The Duolingo Adventures interface | © Duolingo.

3. Enhanced Performance Tracking

Gamification tools often include detailed analytics dashboards that track engagement metrics like completion rates, performance scores, and time spent on tasks. These insights help instructors identify areas where students excel or struggle, allowing for timely intervention.

For example, Kahoot! provides educators with detailed reports that highlight learner performance, enabling them to make data-driven decisions and offer formative assessments. Real-time feedback keeps learners informed and motivated to improve.

Example of a report in the Kahoot! dashboard | © Kahoot!

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4. Reward-Driven Corporate Training

You can leverage gamification to enhance learning and development (L&D) programs by aligning training goals with engaging reward systems. Platforms like Motrain, an Open LMS partner, enable learners to earn virtual currency for completing courses or achieving milestones, which can then be redeemed for rewards such as merchandise, course enrollments, or raffle entries. This approach fosters motivation, improves knowledge retention, and ultimately drives employee performance.

Example of a Motrain shop with prizes to redeem | © Motrain.

5. Gamified Teamwork and Collaboration

The gamification of group challenges, interactive polls, and discussion-based activities encourages collaboration and builds a sense of community among learners. For example, Breakout EDU offers escape room-style challenges that require students to work together to solve puzzles and unlock clues.

Similarly, Minecraft: Education Edition transforms the popular video game into a dynamic learning platform that fosters creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork. Students collaborate on projects in virtual environments, tackling real-world issues while developing critical thinking and social-emotional skills like empathy and digital citizenship. This approach prepares learners for future challenges in an engaging and enjoyable way.

The home screen of Minecraft Education | © Mojang Studios.

6. Real-Time Behavioral Feedback

Gamified feedback systems stand out by providing real-time, teacher-driven recognition for positive behaviors and achievements. Some K-12 institutions use platforms like ClassDojo, which enables educators to award feedback points to funny avatars representing students for specific skills such as participation, teamwork, or curiosity. These points are tailored to fit the classroom’s goals, such as fostering empathy or encouraging grit.

The app also allows teachers to share updates, photos, and videos with parents, ensuring transparency and reinforcing a strong home-school connection. This immediate feedback keeps learners engaged and helps cultivate a supportive and interactive classroom atmosphere.

Some avatars and feedback points from the ClassDojo platform | © ClassDojo.

Building Your Institutional LMS for Gamification

To create a truly engaging learning experience requires a highly customizable LMS. This platform should integrate seamlessly with a wide array of gamification tools available in the market and offer native capabilities, such as H5P, to embed interactive and gamified elements directly into course content. By enabling instructors to design courses tailored to their audience's needs and preferences, such an LMS fosters both innovation and engagement.

While there’s no universal solution for online learning, adopting a gamification-first approach through flexible and feature-rich platforms ensures the best results. Partner with experts like Open LMS to develop eLearning environments that support diverse gamification strategies and adapt to evolving educational demands, unlocking its full potential.