GAMIFICATION, A VERY EFFECTIVE TEACHING TOOL

AILEEN C. CASTRO

With the advent of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), traditional classroom learning activities are becoming more boring for learners. When teachers present a conventional activity, pupils are now less motivated. If this scenario continues, teaching and learning process will hardly take place as fun and interesting lessons depend most on the activities given by the teacher.

Creating relevant, engaging and stimulating teaching-learning activities that motivate learners is a significant part of a successful daily lesson delivery. With the kind of learners we have nowadays, arousing their interest to participate in classroom discussion and activities has been a great challenge for t each er s.

Gamification, a Game-Based Learning Activities, is conceptualized to encourage teachers prepare a more fun and challenging activities which will surely stimulate pupils’interest and may help deal with their learning styles as well. Game-based learning activities are excellent tools for ensuring that pupils have the best possible opportunity to retain the information given to them and are also great contributory factors to the improvement of pupils’ academic performance.

This innovative tool does not only encourage teachers to develop their potentials in adapting modern technology but also help them stimulate the interest and abilities of the learners. This would also motivate learners to actively participate in individual and group discussion and activities. At first and in the process, it may be found to be very challenging especially on the part of the teachers as they have to spend sufficient time preparing the activities but eventually they will get used to it and become part of their usual routine of using “Gamification” as a very effective teaching tool.

— oOo— The author is Teacher II at Anderson Elementary School