Getting Set Up for Gamification:
The most important - and possibly most difficult - part of gamifying an existing course is the communicating the change to your students. This is a very different format for schooling - a paradigm shift. It is a major change in the way we visualize and understand school to look and work. Some students will be excited by the change, but others might doubt its effectiveness, or their own ability to self-regulate in such a self-directed learning pathway.
As a result, I suggest that the first several quests (i.e. lessons) you give your students are focused on teaching them how the course will operate, and helping them become familiar with the technology you will be using. This was my experience in a graduate level gamified course (Luxenburg, 2018), and I definitely recommend it for students in the K-12 context. This is also in line with strong pedagogy, where students begin each lesson with an understanding of what is expected of them.
The first week of a blended course might include five face-to-face sessions in a computer lab during which you help your students progress through the introductory quests. The first few sessions in a purely online class might include synchronous sessions where the students go through the introduction in a virtual classroom with immediate instructor support and structure.
As a result, I suggest that the first several quests (i.e. lessons) you give your students are focused on teaching them how the course will operate, and helping them become familiar with the technology you will be using. This was my experience in a graduate level gamified course (Luxenburg, 2018), and I definitely recommend it for students in the K-12 context. This is also in line with strong pedagogy, where students begin each lesson with an understanding of what is expected of them.
The first week of a blended course might include five face-to-face sessions in a computer lab during which you help your students progress through the introductory quests. The first few sessions in a purely online class might include synchronous sessions where the students go through the introduction in a virtual classroom with immediate instructor support and structure.