Gamification allows you to apply game design elements to an educational setting. The goal is to make learning more engaging and reward successful actions.
Use Case Information
Gamification can be used to help motivate learners to complete courses, participate in discussions, or perform a number of other actions. Thought Industries helps you set up gamification strategies with custom awards, qualifications, and badges that learners can earn.
When configured you can control the following:
- Upload unique branded badges to award to learners
- Award points based on completion activities
- Award points based on time spent in content
- Set up a leaderboard to motivate learners
Creating an Award Type
Learners automatically receive awards when they perform certain actions, such as completing a course. If you want to give learners awards based on other actions, such as completing a learning path, this can be easily done by creating award types and, later, qualifications.
- From your homepage, select Settings.
- From the left menu, select Gamification and then Awards.
- Click Add Award Type.
- Name the award type by entering a singular and plural label.
- Awards can be named anything you like! Common examples are Credits or Points, but it can be unique to your company or use case.
- Toggle Include on Dashboard? to Yes, if desired.
- You will be prompted to select a dashboard icon to be associated with the award. This award type is visible on the learner dashboard within the Badges & Leaderboard widget.
Note
Earned and earnable badges are displayed on the dashboard, but earned badges will appear in full color, while earnable badges will appear as grayed out.
- You will be prompted to select a dashboard icon to be associated with the award. This award type is visible on the learner dashboard within the Badges & Leaderboard widget.
- Click Save.
Warning
After deleting an award type, any qualifications using the type will also be deleted. As a result, no further awards will be granted for this award type or for any associated qualifications. It will also be removed from admin and learner views, even if it has been previously earned by a learner.
Creating an Award Qualification
- From your homepage, select Settings.
- From the left menu, select Gamification and then Awards.
- Click Add Award Qualification.
- Select one of the award types that you set up using the steps above.
- Next, select the criteria for Award When. This is the action that will trigger the award. The criteria options are as follows:
- Award upon course completion
- Award upon section completion
- Award after a number of pages are viewed
- Award after an amount of time spent in content
- Award upon learning path completion
- Select the specific content you want to attach the qualification to. You can select specific pieces of content, or check Award For All Courses (or content).
- Lastly, enter the # of award type units that you will award for each event triggered.
Note
The # of award "points" must be greater than 0.
- Click Save.
Note
Depending on the trigger for the award to be granted, reporting may be gathered in real-time or as part of a nightly process. As a result, some awards are granted to a learner immediately and others are granted on the next day.
Tip
Admins can manually grant awards by going to Users > Learners, and locating the learner's email address. Click Manage for that user, and then click the Awards tab. By clicking the Manually Grant Award button you will be able to select the award type, amount to award, as well as which content piece it should be attached to. Click Save.
Setting Up Learner Badges
Badges are assigned to learners when they have met specific criteria (e.g., earning a certain level of points). Badges are attached to an award type and are earned once a user receives a specified amount. For example, at 10 points a learner receives a "Top Learner" badge, and at 50 points a learner receives a "Master Learner" badge. There are limitless possibilities for badge tiering.
- After your award types and qualifications are set up, go to your homepage and select Settings.
- From the left menu, select Gamification and then Badges.
- Click Add Badge and complete the following fields.
- Label the badge (e.g., High Achiever).
- Select the award type to attach the badge to (must already be created - see the section on Creating an Award Type).
- Enter the number of "points" needed to receive the badge in the Grant Badge after # of field.
- Set an image to represent the badge by choosing one from our badge library, or by uploading your own.
- If you want to upload your own image, the suggested size is 166px by 166px.
- Click Save.
Warning
Upon deletion of a badge, the badge will be removed from both the admin and learner views, even if it has been previously earned by a learner.
Reporting on Awards
Reporting on awards is available at Reporting Hub > Library > Learner Actions > Awards Details. Here you can filter by award type, date, learner, or role type as well as download the report.
Learner Experience
The Badges & Leaderboard widget can only be placed on the Dashboard Layout.
Tip
The leaderboard position can be placed on the left or right within the Badges and Leaderboard widget. You can also remove it by placing the leaderboard position as "off".