Gamification vs. Game-Based Learning: Know the Difference

Buzzword of the Day

I can’t tell you how many times I have heard the buzzword “gamification”— with individuals thinking that this will automatically mean learners will engage with the content they are teaching. And that is not necessarily the case. The past few years, the idea has been to add gamification elements to almost everything, in order to increase student engagement and with the hope of promoting learning. Often the term game-based learning is used synonymously with the concept of gamification, and predominantly in the online environment. However, while the terms are related, their impact and implementation differ significantly—gamification is all about motivation, and game-based learning is about creating authentic learning opportunities.

Gamification Unpacked

Gamification is basically about bringing game-like features—think points, leaderboards, and badges—into places you wouldn’t normally find them, like classrooms or training sessions (Deterding et al., 2011). The idea is to tap into our love of rewards and a little friendly competition to get people more motivated and involved. For example, Hamari and colleagues (2014) looked at a bunch of studies and found that gamification usually helps boost engagement in educational settings. But here’s the catch: while things like points can get students excited in the short term, they don’t always lead to deeper, long-lasting learning (Hanus & Fox, 2015).

Turning Play into Powerful Learning

Game-based learning, on the other hand, is all about using actual games—whether digital or hands-on—as the main way to teach (Plass, Homer & Kinzer, 2015). Instead of just adding game elements, students dive right into play, which helps them think critically, work together, and build real skills. Authentic learning means tackling activities that feel like real-world challenges, spark genuine interest, and encourage students to make sense of things for themselves (Herrington & Oliver, 2000). In fact, Clark, Tanner-Smith & Killingsworth (2016) found that digital game-based learning environments can really boost learning compared to traditional teaching. And it’s not just digital games—physical games focused on authentic learning show the same positive results.

GET 9 in Action

Let’s take GET 9 as an example --a math card and dice game that really brings authentic game-based learning to life. Instead of just adding points to math worksheets for motivation, GET 9 gets students thinking, strategizing, and working together as they play. It’s all about practicing, collaborating, and solving problems in a way that feels fun and meaningful (Herrington, Reeves & Oliver, 2014). This works really when students play in teams—I love seeing kids help each other. Research shows that games like this can make a big difference, helping kids become more fluent in math and actually enjoy learning (Ramani & Siegler, 2008). In fact, I recently heard from someone who gave GET 9 to a family, and the parents told them, they’d already noticed their child was more engaged and picking up math skills in just a month. That kind of feedback really shows how powerful authentic game-based experiences can be for sparking excitement and real learning in mathematics.

Choosing the Right Approach for Lasting Impact

Knowing the difference between gamification and game-based learning really helps educators pick the best tools for lasting growth. Gamification can definitely get students energized, but if you’re looking for real, long-term impact, authentic, student-centered games are the way to go. GET 9 is a great example of how a well-designed game can turn play into deep learning, giving students a chance to truly engage with numbers and math. So, if you’re ready to make a difference—why not give it a try and see the results for yourself Let’s Play!

References

·       Deterding, S., Dixon, D., Khaled, R., & Nacke, L. (2011). From game design elements to gamefulness: Defining "gamification". Proceedings of the 15th International Academic MindTrek Conference: Envisioning Future Media Environments.

·       Hamari, J., Koivisto, J., & Sarsa, H. (2014). Does gamification work? — A literature review of empirical studies. Proceedings of the 47th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences.

·       Hanus, M. D., & Fox, J. (2015). Assessing the effects of gamification in the classroom: A longitudinal study on intrinsic motivation, social comparison, satisfaction, effort, and academic performance. Computers & Education, 80, 152-161.

·       Plass, J. L., Homer, B. D., & Kinzer, C. K. (2015). Foundations of game-based learning. Educational Psychologist, 50(4), 258-283.

·       Clark, D. B., Tanner-Smith, E. E., & Killingsworth, S. S. (2016). Digital games, design, and learning: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 86(1), 79-122.

·       Herrington, J., Reeves, T., & Oliver, R. (2014). Authentic Learning Environments in Higher Education. IGI Global.

·       Herrington, J., & Oliver, R. (2000). An instructional design framework for authentic learning environments. Educational Technology Research and Development, 48(3), 23-48.

·       Ramani, G. B., & Siegler, R. S. (2008). Promoting broad and stable improvements in low-income children's numerical knowledge through playing number board games. Child Development, 79(2), 375-394.