Using RAMP to keep kids learning during lockdown

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Learning 1585304534 Using RAMP to keep kids learning during lockdown

It was thinking about my children’s current situation of having to learn remotely. So, based on current experience and the aforementioned blog, here are some tips on using RAMP to help your kids stay engaged and motivated during home-based learning.

Setting the Scene

I have two kids who are currently at home doing school work, 8 and 12. They both have totally different learning styles, needs and of course work to do. The 8-year-old is normally very task-focused with a need for total control of her environment and rigorous routines. The 12-year-old is totally different with some significant learning/processing difficulties in the form of dyslexia and dyscalculia. Read More ...

Gamification: Adding Constraints to Add Fun

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Cage 1583515425 Gamification Adding Constraints to Add Fun

It may sound counter-intuitive, but in my experience, adding constraints to activities can make them not only more fun – but can help generate very creative solutions to problems.

When we talk about gamification and especially when we speak about motivations, we often talk about Agency and Autonomy (the A in RAMP). This would lead you to believe that for certain groups to engage, you need to give them total freedom to do whatever they want.

However, it can often be more interesting to allow freedom within a strict set of constraints. You only have £1000 to complete this task, you have 10 minutes, you have 3 lives etc. Read More ...

If You Love Gamification You Should Love This from Gustavo Tondello!

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Badges 1582555779 If You Love Gamification You Should Love This from Gustavo Tondello

I don’t often promote other people, I’m a selfish git like that. However, the work of Gustavo Tondello at Gameful Bits is some of my favourite in the industry. His PhD research is some of the best I have seen, mixing well research data with practical application (and yes, he did work with my User Types, but that is only part of why I like his stuff!)

Anyway, he has started a new venture that should be of interest to anyone in the industry. For a small monthly Patreon fee, he will be creating in-depth articles and reviews based on the research that is out there, but in a format that is easy to digest for the busiest of consultants! Read More ...

Does It Have To Look Good?

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Space invaders 1580487421 Does It Have To Look Good

Often in conversations with gamification muggles, I hear comparisons with games and gamification that make me a little twitchy.

We have all seen video games and how far they have come on since the days of Space Invaders (pretty much where my journey into loving games started).  It is easy to understand why people can get a little carried away when thinking about games based solutions. I have been in meetings were clients had AAA games like Grand Theft Auto in mind when the reality was a little more Candy Crush. Read More ...

Analogue vs Digital Gamification

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Pokemon go 1579272314 Analogue vs Digital Gamification

When looking at gamification, it can be a daunting task. There are dozens of gurus, platforms, off the shelf products, bespoke products, decks of cards, frameworks, snake oil sellers, blogs and more. There are so many choices, one could be forgiven for getting a little lost.

However, one of the choices that doesn’t seem to get spoken about as much as some other things (like the latest magical framework). That’s the choice between digital (online) or analogue (offline) gamification.

Digital Gamification

Digital gamification is generally online. So for instance, it could be a reward system built into a website. It could be online learning materials that are game-like and on a learning management system (LMS). You get the idea.  Generally, they are designed to be experienced on your own (physically) on a platform that is convenient for you or integrated directly into a platform that you already use. That doesn’t mean there can’t be team based events – think World of Warcraft (MMO) Raids! Read More ...