There are three approaches that are commonly used to incorporate gamification in the teaching context: Structural Gamification, Content Gamification, and the Meaningful Gamification Framework.

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1- Structural Vs. Content Gamification

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Kapp, Blair, and Mesch (2014) distinguish between two types of gamification that support the freedom to fail, feedback, progression, and goals: structural gamification and content gamification.

Structural gamification is the “application of game elements to propel a learner through content with no alteration or changes to the content” (Kapp, Blair & Mesch, 2014, p. 55). Whereas, Content gamification is the “application of game elements and game thinking to alter content to make it more game-like” (Kapp, Blair & Mesch, 2014, p.55)

The following video will help you to understand the main differences between the two techniques:

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2- Meaningful Gamification Framework

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Nicholson (2015), a critic of rewards-based gamification, asserts that promoting one type of extrinsic motivation can have limited and short-term effectiveness at best. Nicholson proposed an alternative design approach, called the Meaningful Gamification Framework, that synthesizes UDL, Deci and Ryan’s Self-Determination Theory (2004), as well as concepts from other gamification scholars.

The Meaning Gamification Framework is “ the use of gameful and playful layers to help a user find personal connections that motivate engagement with a specific context for long-term change. ” (Nicolson, 2015, p.1)

Nicholson’s (2015) recipe for Meaningful Gamification includes six elements: play, exposition, choice, information, engagement, and reflection. Watch the following video of Nicholson(2014) explaining the framework and his magical recipe for meaningful gamification.

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