About this course: Gamification is the application of game elements and digital game design techniques to non-game problems, such as business and social impact challenges. This course will teach you the mechanisms of gamification, why it has such tremendous potential, and how to use it effectively. For additional information on the concepts described in the course, you can purchase Professor Werbach's book For the Win: How Game Thinking Can Revolutionize Your Business in print or ebook format in several languages.

Created by: University of Pennsylvania

Taught by: Kevin Werbach, Associate Professor
Legal Studies & Business Ethics

Commitment	4-8 hours/week
Language	English, Subtitles: Ukrainian, Chinese (Simplified), Portuguese (Brazilian), Vietnamese, Russian, Turkish, Spanish, Kazakh
How To Pass	Pass all graded assignments to complete the course.

Syllabus

WEEK 1

Gamification and Games

Gamification is a new field, but games are ancient. In this first module, we'll look at what gamification is, why organizations are applying it, and where it comes from. While there isn’t universal agreement on the scope of the field, a set of concepts are cle...

12 videos, 1 reading

Graded: Homework Quiz #1

WEEK 2

Deconstructing Games

What exactly does it mean to apply game design principles in non-game contexts? In this module, we'll discuss how game designers approach their craft, and how to see any situation through the lens of game design. Then we'll examine the raw materials of games a...

11 videos

Graded: Written Assignment 1

Graded: Homework Quiz #2

WEEK 3

Motivation and Psychology

Gamification is a technique for motivation, so it ties very directly into psychology. This unit introduces the major psychological concepts relevant to gamification. The first lesson focuses on behavioral approaches and reward design; the second identifies the...

10 videos

Graded: Homework Quiz #3

Graded: Written Assignment 2

WEEK 4

Design

Gamification done well is a form of design. This module describes the design process, and provides a six-step framework to apply to any gamification project. The second lesson identifies important considerations and options for developing creative, human-cent...

10 videos, 1 reading

Graded: Homework Quiz #4

WEEK 5

Applications

This module describes particular challenges and opportunities when applying gamification in two contexts: within an organization, and in social impact or behavior change environments.

11 videos, 1 reading

Graded: Written Assignment 3

WEEK 6

Gamification in Perspective

There are many legitimate limitations, concerns, and dangers from gamification. Some of them can be avoided through thoughtful design, but others must be considered directly in any implementation. The final lesson details gamification-related techniques that g...

11 videos

Graded: Final Exam

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University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania (commonly referred to as Penn) is a private university, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. A member of the Ivy League, Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, and considers itself to be the first university in the United States with both undergraduate and graduate studies.

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