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LMS Gamification:
Building an engaging corporate learning experience
How can we ensure that corporate learning participants will learn everything they need to fulfill their job responsibilities and improve performance? Even more: it’s better when corporate education increases their satisfaction, so they work with high motivation, performing everything they need and generating new ideas. E-learning gamification is the approach that can help here—and as we’ll see, it has many different aspects and peculiarities.
People play games very often, and it can be called as an integral part of our nature. It contributes to the extreme popularity of sports, computer games, puzzles, and various plays, both social and single-player. As modern studies reveal, such as the one of C. Thi Nguyen, games can be treated in different ways: as social events, objects of artwork, or rule-based activities. Along with that, all games have similar structures, based on active participation, solving challenges, and getting rewards, all in a vivid and memorable environment.
Learning management systems (LMS) with gamification can be much more efficient for corporate education. As we’ll see, turning learning processes into game-like processes leads to increased satisfaction and more successful course completion. The reason is that people are inherently prone to play games, especially while learning. As children master their environment by playing, we, adults, may also increase our efficiency by adopting these aspects.
People play games very often, and it can be called as an integral part of our nature. It contributes to the extreme popularity of sports, computer games, puzzles, and various plays, both social and single-player. As modern studies reveal, such as the one of C. Thi Nguyen, games can be treated in different ways: as social events, objects of artwork, or rule-based activities. Along with that, all games have similar structures, based on active participation, solving challenges, and getting rewards, all in a vivid and memorable environment.
Learning management systems (LMS) with gamification can be much more efficient for corporate education. As we’ll see, turning learning processes into game-like processes leads to increased satisfaction and more successful course completion. The reason is that people are inherently prone to play games, especially while learning. As children master their environment by playing, we, adults, may also increase our efficiency by adopting these aspects.
How can we ensure that corporate learning participants will learn everything they need to fulfill their job responsibilities and improve performance? Even more: it’s better when corporate education increases their satisfaction, so they work with high motivation, performing everything they need and generating new ideas. E-learning gamification is the approach that can help here—and as we’ll see, it has many different aspects and peculiarities.
People play games very often, and it can be called as an integral part of our nature. It contributes to the extreme popularity of sports, computer games, puzzles, and various plays, both social and single-player. As modern studies reveal, such as the one of C. Thi Nguyen, games can be treated in different ways: as social events, objects of artwork, or rule-based activities. Along with that, all games have similar structures, based on active participation, solving challenges, and getting rewards, all in a vivid and memorable environment.
Learning management systems (LMS) with gamification can be much more efficient for corporate education. As we’ll see, turning learning processes into game-like processes leads to increased satisfaction and more successful course completion. The reason is that people are inherently prone to play games, especially while learning. As children master their environment by playing, we, adults, may also increase our efficiency by adopting these aspects.
What is gamification in eLearning
The usage of all methods that increase learner engagement and make the learning journey more thriving, fun, and interactive, can be attributed to gamification. It has a profound impact on corporate education and work in general, and therefore, its usage can make the company much more competitive and attractive for employees. According to Zippia statistics, 90% of surveyed employees reported a productivity increase at work, with an average engagement increase of 48%. It’s no wonder, as learning via playing is the inherent biological mechanism of mastering skills and information, according to many studies and reviews.
LMS gamification examples include different work approaches, and learning management systems (LMSs) offer a variety of features to realize these approaches. Let’s look at the most popular and useful ones.
LMS gamification examples include different work approaches, and learning management systems (LMSs) offer a variety of features to realize these approaches. Let’s look at the most popular and useful ones.
Leaderboards
are boards that feature the best learners, showing their stats and motivating everyone to learn better and compete with each other.
Badges
are “virtual medals,” the distinctive elements that can be granted to the best learners, motivating everyone further.
Narratives
with specific characters and events are easier to catch and remember, facilitating knowledge retention and improving user engagement.
Social gamification
includes various instruments to promote collaboration, competition, and other social interactions between learners, such as small competitions and joint quests.
Gamified work scenarios
can be used to model real work conditions, such as sales or software development, in safe conditions, ensuring that employees can polish their skills.
Interactive learning paths
are custom sequences of learning modules, with interactive quizzes and quests for learners, which keep them engaged during the learning process.
Engaging and vivid UX
is important, as it makes the learning process much more memorable, creates associations, and can also promote brand identity.
is an approach of using short, demonstrative videos for teaching, which can be a good part of gamification scenarios, especially when combined with interactive tasks.
Gamification in e-learning is an important topic, and we have an article for that. Check it if you’re interested in its specific applications, while here we cover the gamification basics. Continue reading if you want to figure out what gamification is, how it can be useful, and how to create gamified learning programs.
Among E-learning gamification examples, one may distinguish Duolingo, an application that uses gamification extensively to help its users learn foreign languages. All approaches mentioned in the list above are used here in various forms. For example, it features microlearning modules, joint quests, leaderboards, unique characters, and memorable UX.
Let’s now look closer.
Let’s now look closer.
How to use gamification in eLearning
According to various studies, already mentioned here, there are different frameworks of game classification, as well as different views on the nature of games. Still, even very different human games have a similar structure and several common elements. Gamification and e-learning are very good to be combined, so let’s look at six points, crucial for this combination.
-
A “game plan” is the structure of the gamified learning scenario, including social interactions. -
A user experience (UX) includes the design of all elements related to the learning content. -
Competition is crucial for all games, as players should reach something to get rewards. -
Challenge elements include quests that must be completed to get these rewards. -
Rewards may be different: from virtual badges to real bonuses and gifts. -
Don’t forget to monitor the learning process and improve it.
Let’s now oversee everything in detail.
The first element when building gamification strategies in e-learning is creating a plan. It should contain the learning journey, with planned modules, content types, sources, and interactive tasks for knowledge reinforcement. Add ideas for gamification, using the list of approaches above: for example, leaderboards, badges, engaging stories, characters, and so on. This plan will serve as an initial roadmap for creating compelling learning modules with gamified features.
After creating a plan, it’s time to build an environment. Games are vivid and often have a lot of bright, eye-catching elements. In the case of computer games, it means graphics, such as 3D textures and character design, which create a gaming environment where players complete game quests, compete with each other or just relax. While we don’t create games, we should keep that in mind when building engaging learning journeys.
Here, it includes all distinguishable features, such as badges, characters, story elements, and user interface design. Everything that will personify your gamified learning experience falls into this category. While it doesn’t relate to learning directly, it’s no less important for custom e-learning gamification, as it increases knowledge retention and learning efficiency.
Here, it includes all distinguishable features, such as badges, characters, story elements, and user interface design. Everything that will personify your gamified learning experience falls into this category. While it doesn’t relate to learning directly, it’s no less important for custom e-learning gamification, as it increases knowledge retention and learning efficiency.
All games have elements of competition, even the most “chilling” ones. In the case of single-player games, players compete with their environments, completing quests and challenges created for them. In social or multiplayer games, players also compete with each other, from leaderboards to direct competition when trying to complete some tasks better than others.
If the game implies learning, it should invoke a feeling of competition in participants, but without demotivating them. Social competition works very well here, as people can learn together and compete to learn better while helping each other. One of the benefits of gamification in e-learning is that it combines cooperation and competition to reach the best scores, improving the overall learning quality.
If the game implies learning, it should invoke a feeling of competition in participants, but without demotivating them. Social competition works very well here, as people can learn together and compete to learn better while helping each other. One of the benefits of gamification in e-learning is that it combines cooperation and competition to reach the best scores, improving the overall learning quality.
In our case, learning challenges and quests are tasks, quizzes, and practical exams that learners must complete to proceed to the next learning module. Together with a gamified user interface and competition elements, such ordinary learning routines can be turned into game-like experiences, when learners complete quests while completing their work and improving their job qualities.
Rewards constitute an indispensable part of a gamified experience. If learners complete challenges, they deserve to be distinguished and rewarded. In another case, they’ll be disappointed and demotivated, reducing their efficiency greatly. There are different ways you can achieve that.
Many e-learning gamification examples use only virtual badges and scores, which nevertheless have a profound effect on the learning experience. For a larger motivation effect, you can use real-world gifts and bonuses for the best employees, further enhancing their work productivity and preparing them for career growth in your firm.
Many e-learning gamification examples use only virtual badges and scores, which nevertheless have a profound effect on the learning experience. For a larger motivation effect, you can use real-world gifts and bonuses for the best employees, further enhancing their work productivity and preparing them for career growth in your firm.
After implementing gamification elements in e-learning, you should track them, being ready to change and improve them when necessary. It’s important to create a standardized algorithm for providing feedback, so employees can report any problems, inconveniences, praises, or suggestions as soon as they have them. As your management collects them, you can improve the whole gamified learning plan, correcting all other points and making it more efficient.
Importance of gamification in eLearning
As one can already see from the statistics, gamification has a profound impact on corporate learning. With learning management systems, it can be integrated into hybrid or remote learning plans, motivating employees who work from different parts of Earth. We’ve overviewed a plan to realize your gamification ideas in e-learning, so let’s look at the benefits it can offer.
- Promotes and facilitates more productive behavior at work.
- Stimulates workers to deliver instant feedback to improve workflows.
- Increases employees’ overall productivity without overloading them.
- Improves their engagement in work processes and team cohesion.
- Maintains robust and healthy competition at the workplace.
- Helps employees to keep pace in remote and asynchronous learning.
- Strengthen knowledge retention and learners’ memory.
- Promotes and facilitates more productive behavior at work.
Stimulates workers to deliver instant feedback to improve workflows. - Increases employees’ overall productivity without overloading them.
Improves their engagement in work processes and team cohesion.
Maintains robust and healthy competition at the workplace. - Helps employees to keep pace in remote and asynchronous learning.
Strengthen knowledge retention and learners’ memory.
These benefits of gamification in e-learning make it essential for companies. However, can gamification have a negative impact? It’s an important question, as we can avoid potential negative consequences only when we know about them. The article by Callan et al. shows several issues of gamification, such as potential distractions, a lack of connection, and the risk of being out of context. All of them follow from the inappropriate realization of gamification features and can be mitigated by understanding your context and connecting gamified practices with your workflows.
Let’s look at the sample of e-learning gamification applications, described in Kim’s article. The article explores the automotive retail workers in South Korea to reveal which gamification patterns are most efficient. It shows that employees are most productive and satisfied when they have access to the leaderboard with transparent and easy-to-understand ratings, so they can understand what to do to move upward.
Leaderboard gamification functionality in LMSs
No wonder that one of the most widespread elements in LMSs with gamification is leaderboards. It’s very simple to realize, as it doesn’t require extensive design, development, or creativity. Along with that, they are extremely efficient, creating the feeling of positive competition among learners and motivating them to achieve better results.
According to the Li article, the best leaderboard approach is inclusive and contains all learners, regardless of their actual performance. With that, even the worst leaders have the chance to improve their performance without being demotivated. It correlates with the South Korean research mentioned above. Therefore, any rich gamification LMS should provide leaderboard features. It’s very simple, yet it can change learning outcomes for the better to a great extent. Let’s look at specific ways of implementing gamification aspects using learning management systems. e
According to the Li article, the best leaderboard approach is inclusive and contains all learners, regardless of their actual performance. With that, even the worst leaders have the chance to improve their performance without being demotivated. It correlates with the South Korean research mentioned above. Therefore, any rich gamification LMS should provide leaderboard features. It’s very simple, yet it can change learning outcomes for the better to a great extent. Let’s look at specific ways of implementing gamification aspects using learning management systems. e
Designing Effective eLearning Gamification Experiences in LMS
How to make custom e-learning gamification sessions using learning management engines? It depends on which features you need. In some cases, a customizable user interface is the most important, as it engages users and makes your learning paths much more memorable. Interactive learning task management is especially important if your work needs quick feedback and reactions, such as in the case of frontline workers.
There are different, paid and free gamification LMS tools, which can be useful for your case. We’ll look closer at five examples, and then compare their gamification features, so you’ll choose what you need.
There are different, paid and free gamification LMS tools, which can be useful for your case. We’ll look closer at five examples, and then compare their gamification features, so you’ll choose what you need.
Top-5 best gamification LMS software
Eventually, let’s overview how gamification tools for e-learning are realized in different learning management systems. It’s important to note that different LMSs may be good for different purposes, so it’s better to compare them only in this context. At the article’s end, we’ll have a comparison table to help you make a choice.
Among the best gamification LMS programs, CleverLMS takes solid positions. It’s highly customizable, meaning that you can get a CleverLMS version specifically designed for your business. A highly interactive task manager enables quick task assignment, tracking, and feedback providing.
In addition, our e-learning gamification software supports custom certificate creation by uploading all necessary documents into the platform. The platform also integrates with many other tools via API, enabling the usage of third-party app features without overloading and overpricing, such as Zoom for videoconferencing.
In addition, our e-learning gamification software supports custom certificate creation by uploading all necessary documents into the platform. The platform also integrates with many other tools via API, enabling the usage of third-party app features without overloading and overpricing, such as Zoom for videoconferencing.
Talent LMS also has rich gamification e-learning tools, mostly designed to organize and onboard your employees. Users can earn points for various actions, unlock badges for specific achievements, and progress through levels as they accumulate points or complete courses.
Talent LMS gamification e-learning platform also offers a marketplace where learners can redeem their accumulated points for tangible benefits, further enhancing engagement and motivation. It also enables custom certificate creation and issuing.
Talent LMS gamification e-learning platform also offers a marketplace where learners can redeem their accumulated points for tangible benefits, further enhancing engagement and motivation. It also enables custom certificate creation and issuing.
Canvas LMS is a learning platform known for its simple, user-friendly interface. It’s mostly used by educational institutions and provides free access for students and school teachers. Canvas LMS gamification features include badges and points to recognize student achievements and progress. The platform allows for the creation of interactive quizzes, surveys, and peer reviews, adding an element of engagement to the learning process.
Bridge LMS is a corporate learning platform focused on employee development and using advanced features for that. It incorporates AI-driven job analysis and recommendations, offering a personalized learning experience tailored to individual career paths.
Bridge LMS gamification features include a points system and badges that can be awarded for course completion and other learning milestones. It emphasizes interactive live training sessions and provides mentorship opportunities and skills communities to enhance social learning aspects.
Bridge LMS gamification features include a points system and badges that can be awarded for course completion and other learning milestones. It emphasizes interactive live training sessions and provides mentorship opportunities and skills communities to enhance social learning aspects.
Absorb LMS is a robust eLearning platform, powered by AI features, too. They are used for personalized learning pathway creation, content generation, and other applications. Along with Bridge, it has an extensive set of features and, therefore, is more expensive compared to other platforms.
Absorb LMS gamification tools include customizable badges, points, and leaderboards that can be tailored to reflect an organization's branding and training objectives. The platform incorporates progress bars and visual indicators to give learners a clear sense of their advancement. It also facilitates knowledge sharing across teams and promotes collaborative learning experiences.
Absorb LMS gamification tools include customizable badges, points, and leaderboards that can be tailored to reflect an organization's branding and training objectives. The platform incorporates progress bars and visual indicators to give learners a clear sense of their advancement. It also facilitates knowledge sharing across teams and promotes collaborative learning experiences.
Let’s wrap it up by a table of gamification features, present in these systems. We divided them into four interconnected categories: leaderboards, interactivity tools, social learning instruments, and user interface elements. Along with that, we included their average pricing, if available.
Gamification is a robust tool to increase corporate learning efficiency. It can be applied in many ways and requires research before implementation to use it correctly and remain in context. Various learning management tools can help with that.
If you need a customizable learning management tool with a focus on motivating employees, contact us, and let’s talk about your needs and how CleverLMS can help!
If you need a customizable learning management tool with a focus on motivating employees, contact us, and let’s talk about your needs and how CleverLMS can help!
Sources
Boskamp, Elsie. 2023. “25 Gamification Statistics [2023]: Facts + Trends You Need to Know.” Zippia. June 28, 2023. https://www.zippia.com/advice/gamification-statistics/.
Garneli, Barbara, Michail N. Giannakos, Konstantinos Chorianopoulos, and Letizia Jaccheri. 2013. “Learning by Playing and Learning by Making.” In Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 76–85. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-40790-1_8.
Iacono, Saverio, Mario Vallarino, and Gianni Vercelli. 2020. “Gamification in Corporate Training to Enhance Engagement: An Approach.” Learning & Technology Library (LearnTechLib). September 11, 2020. https://www.learntechlib.org/p/218022/.
Kim, Sehoon. 2020a. “How a Company’s Gamification Strategy Influences Corporate Learning: A Study Based on Gamified MSLP (Mobile Social Learning Platform).” Telematics and Informatics 57 (September): 101505. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2020.101505.
———. 2020b. “How a Company’s Gamification Strategy Influences Corporate Learning: A Study Based on Gamified MSLP (Mobile Social Learning Platform).” Telematics and Informatics 57 (September): 101505. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2020.101505.
Kolb, Alice Y., and David A. Kolb. 2010. “Learning to Play, Playing to Learn.” Journal of Organizational Change Management 23 (1): 26–50. https://doi.org/10.1108/09534811011017199.
Lancy, David F., John C. Bock, and Suzanne Gaskins. 2010. The Anthropology of Learning in Childhood. AltaMira Press eBooks. https://ci.nii.ac.jp/ncid/BB08538033.
Larson, Kristi. 2019. “Serious Games and Gamification in the Corporate Training Environment: A Literature Review.” TechTrends 64 (2): 319–28. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-019-00446-7.
Li, Chunqi, Lishi Liang, Luke K. Fryer, and Alex Shum. 2024. “The Use of Leaderboards in Education: A Systematic Review of Empirical Evidence in Higher Education.” Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, October. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.13077.
Nguyen, C. Thi. 2017. “Philosophy of Games.” Philosophy Compass 12 (8). https://doi.org/10.1111/phc3.12426.
Shortt, Mitchell, Shantanu Tilak, Irina Kuznetcova, Bethany Martens, and Babatunde Akinkuolie. 2021. “Gamification in Mobile-assisted Language Learning: A Systematic Review of Duolingo Literature From Public Release of 2012 to Early 2020.” Computer Assisted Language Learning 36 (3): 517–54. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2021.1933540.
Wang, Yung-Fu, Ya-Fang Hsu, and Kwoting Fang. 2021. “The Key Elements of Gamification in Corporate Training – the Delphi Method.” Entertainment Computing 40 (October): 100463. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.entcom.2021.100463.
Garneli, Barbara, Michail N. Giannakos, Konstantinos Chorianopoulos, and Letizia Jaccheri. 2013. “Learning by Playing and Learning by Making.” In Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 76–85. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-40790-1_8.
Iacono, Saverio, Mario Vallarino, and Gianni Vercelli. 2020. “Gamification in Corporate Training to Enhance Engagement: An Approach.” Learning & Technology Library (LearnTechLib). September 11, 2020. https://www.learntechlib.org/p/218022/.
Kim, Sehoon. 2020a. “How a Company’s Gamification Strategy Influences Corporate Learning: A Study Based on Gamified MSLP (Mobile Social Learning Platform).” Telematics and Informatics 57 (September): 101505. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2020.101505.
———. 2020b. “How a Company’s Gamification Strategy Influences Corporate Learning: A Study Based on Gamified MSLP (Mobile Social Learning Platform).” Telematics and Informatics 57 (September): 101505. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2020.101505.
Kolb, Alice Y., and David A. Kolb. 2010. “Learning to Play, Playing to Learn.” Journal of Organizational Change Management 23 (1): 26–50. https://doi.org/10.1108/09534811011017199.
Lancy, David F., John C. Bock, and Suzanne Gaskins. 2010. The Anthropology of Learning in Childhood. AltaMira Press eBooks. https://ci.nii.ac.jp/ncid/BB08538033.
Larson, Kristi. 2019. “Serious Games and Gamification in the Corporate Training Environment: A Literature Review.” TechTrends 64 (2): 319–28. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-019-00446-7.
Li, Chunqi, Lishi Liang, Luke K. Fryer, and Alex Shum. 2024. “The Use of Leaderboards in Education: A Systematic Review of Empirical Evidence in Higher Education.” Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, October. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.13077.
Nguyen, C. Thi. 2017. “Philosophy of Games.” Philosophy Compass 12 (8). https://doi.org/10.1111/phc3.12426.
Shortt, Mitchell, Shantanu Tilak, Irina Kuznetcova, Bethany Martens, and Babatunde Akinkuolie. 2021. “Gamification in Mobile-assisted Language Learning: A Systematic Review of Duolingo Literature From Public Release of 2012 to Early 2020.” Computer Assisted Language Learning 36 (3): 517–54. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2021.1933540.
Wang, Yung-Fu, Ya-Fang Hsu, and Kwoting Fang. 2021. “The Key Elements of Gamification in Corporate Training – the Delphi Method.” Entertainment Computing 40 (October): 100463. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.entcom.2021.100463.