Abstract
Progressive education aims to provide students (with or without disabilities) with an active and engaging learning experience that fosters critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills. Serious games, designed to educate and inform, have gained popularity in recent years as a way to make learning more interactive and fun. However, while there is scientific support for gamification in education, it is important to carefully consider this approach's potential drawbacks and limitations. For this reason, here the authors present a novel application software whose basic concept is to help professionals create relevant educational content and motivate students by presenting teaching materials and tasks in a modern, relevant, and motivating way. The evaluation of the web tool was done on usability and usefulness. The study results indicate a predominantly favorable perception among participants towards the utilization of the web-based tool in educational settings, with particular regard to its efficacy in designing instructional materials.
TopBackground
Gamification is “a process of enhancing a service with affordances for full game experiences in order to support the user’s overall value creation.” (McGonigal 2011). The term “gamification” was first used in 2008 by Brett Terill, and it gained popularity through industry conferences in the latter half of 2010 (Deterding et al. 2011, Huotari et al. 2017). Since then, gamification has been widely acknowledged as a powerful communication tool and has become a standard feature in software development.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Web Tool: Also known as a web-based tool or online tool, refers to a software application or program that is accessed and used through a web browser over the internet. It is designed to perform specific functions, tasks, or provide services directly within a web environment without requiring the installation of additional software on a user's device.
Game-Based Learning: Game-based learning brings the strategies, rules and social experiences of playing a game into the classroom.
Serious Games: Aa serious game is a game designed for a primary purpose other than pure entertainment.
Progressive Learning: An educational system that allows flexibility in learning procedures, based on activities determined by the needs and capacities of the individual child, the aim of which is to integrate academic with social development.
Gamification: The application of typical elements of game playing (e.g. point scoring, competition with others, rules of play) to other areas of activity, typically as an online marketing technique to encourage engagement with a product or service.
Game Mechanics: Game mechanics are constructs of rules and feedback loops intended to produce enjoyable gameplay.
Computer-Aided Instruction (CAI): Refers to the use of computers and technology to assist and enhance the instructional process. It involves the utilization of computer software and interactive multimedia to deliver educational content, provide individualized instruction, and facilitate learning.