Internet Learning Volume 4, Number 2, Fall 2015 | Page 88
Gamification Challenges and a Case Study in Online Learning
Table 2
Mapping of method-based descriptors to GDE levels
GDE Levels
Method-based descriptors
Game interface design patterns
Game design patterns and mechanics
game elements, game-inspired elements, computer-game elements, videogame
elements, game features, rewards/rewards systems, gamelike
activities, gameful-experience affordances
game features, game dynamics, game patterns,
gamelike activities, game principles, gameful-experience affordances
Game design principles and heuristics
game features, gameplay mechanics, video-game mechanics, game
dynamics, gamelike activities,
game principles, game patterns, gameful-experience affordances
Game models
game principles, game patterns, gameful-experience affordances
Game design methods
game thinking
the gamification process: game interface
design patterns, game design patterns and
mechanics, game design principles and
heuristics, game models, and game design
methods (Deterding, et al., 2011).
Each of the method descriptors
included in Table 1 can be mapped to
one or more of the GDE levels, as shown
in Table 2. This mapping suggests that all
of the method descriptors used in the 29
articles can be subsumed into the concept
of GDE proposed in the Deterding, et al.
(2011) definition.
Defining Gamification by Context
A similar analysis can be performed
on the designated contexts for each of the
definitions, which are listed in the upper
portion of Table 3. With the possible
exception of four of these contexts: web
interactions, websites/software, solving
problems, and the addressed product,
each context is simply a rephrasing of
the term non-game contexts, included in
the Deterding, et al. definition (2011).
Furthermore, it is arguable that the four
possibly-excluded contexts, as used by
their respective authors, also fall under
the auspices of non-game contexts. This
suggests that for definitions including only
a method and a context, the Deterding, et al.
(2011) definition is the de facto standard, as
it is broad enough to include all—or nearly
all—of the methods and contexts used.
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