When I first heard about gamification in learning years ago as a young teacher, I imagined a world where students and employees happily completed their classes or training because they were chasing virtual badges and climbing leaderboards. After all, who wouldn’t want to make learning “fun”? Then reality set in. It turns out that giving out a badge at every milestone doesn’t automatically make it engaging—or effective. So, let’s clear up the confusion. What’s the difference between gamification and game-based learning, when should you use each, and does either one actually work?

Gamification: Adding a Game Layer

Gamification applies game-like elements, including but not limited to, points, badges, leaderboards, and progress bars to non-game settings. Think of it as adding bits of game mechanics to an existing process. You’re not creating a full-blown game; you’re just making an otherwise “traditional” activity a little more engaging (or at least trying to).

When to Use Gamification:

• To encourage participation in repetitive tasks: Great for things like language learning apps, habit trackers, or fitness challenges. Take the famous app Duolingo for instance. It incorporates badges and leaderboards while helping learners learn a new language.
• When motivation is low, but the content is necessary: Compliance training, for example, isn’t particularly thrilling to some learners, but gamification can motivate learners to complete it.
• To create friendly competition: Leaderboards can work well in sales teams or learning challenges where engagement thrives on competition.

Where Gamification May Not Work:

• Forced Fun: If it feels like ‘work with a badge’  or a leaderboard, learners see right through it.
• No Real Engagement: Leaderboards don’t matter if the content itself isn’t interesting or relevant to the learners.
• Short-Term Motivation: People might initially engage, but without real learning value, interest may easily fade.

Game-Based Learning: Learning Through Play

Game-based learning, also known as GBL, doesn’t just add game-like features. It turns the learning experience into an actual game. The learning isn’t a side effect; it’s incorporated into the gameplay itself. 

Take Minecraft: Education Edition and the “traditional” board games such as Scrabble and Monopoly. Minecraft: Education Edition offers various lessons on Math and Science and now even Cyber Safety and AI. Talk about learning while playing. Traditional board games such as Scrabble can be used to improve vocabulary and spelling skills. Meanwhile, Monopoly can be used to teach financial literacy. 

When to Use Game-Based Learning:

• When deep learning and retention are the goal: Games help learners experience concepts firsthand, like physics in Minecraft Education.
• For skill-building that requires practice: Simulations, role-playing scenarios, and problem-solving games provide a safe environment to apply knowledge. 
• To make complex or abstract topics more engaging: Topics like leadership training or critical thinking can become more interactive and immersive through GBL.

The Downside of Game-Based Learning:

• Development Costs: Quality educational games take time and money to develop.
• Not Always Practical: Not every topic lends itself to full game-based learning. It can be time-consuming to develop and ensure diversity and relevance.
• Needs Buy-In: Some learners (and trainers) might resist if they think games aren’t “serious” learning tools.

So, Which One Works Better?

It depends. Gamification can boost engagement in the short term, but if the core content is dull, no amount of badges will save it. Game-based learning, when done well, can lead to deeper learning and retention—but it requires more effort to implement.

In Summary:

• Use gamification for quick engagement boosts and motivation in structured learning.
• Use game-based learning when skill mastery, problem-solving, or deeper understanding is required.
• If learners roll their eyes at your leaderboard or struggle to see value in a game, it’s time to rethink your strategy.

What’s been your experience with gamification or game-based learning? Have you seen it work (or fail spectacularly)? Let’s discuss!