A Learning Management System (LMS) is a system which acts as an integrated platform for the management of the learning process used to facilitate the process of communication between students and instructors. Although LMS is considered an important element in learning, most students do not utilise the system to its fullest extent, finding it more convenient if the activities carried out on the system are done outside the system. These factors have contributed to the issues as to why LMSs are not being used effectively and efficiently. With the accelerating pace of information technology, educational institutions should attempt to revolutionise their teaching techniques. Furthermore, combining gaming concepts can potentially increase the LMS’s usability level helping to foster healthy competition among students and increase their interest in their daily learning. With regard to this objective, a prototype was developed as a proof of concept. The prototype is a web-based software and can be accessed via the Internet at all times. The teacher monitors the students’ performance through the analysis of test results or tutorials conducted by the system. In conclusion, this study will present the modules that have been built into the system that could improve the overall process of education.
Over the years, the education system has shifted from learning in the classroom to learning in cyberspace [
It then becomes pertinent for us to continuously improve LMSs to adapt to the current generation of students. The most subtle way of improving LMS is to improve student interaction with the system itself. Many users face difficulties in integrating into the system due to the generational gap that exists between the creation of the system and the environment they were born into. It was found that common reasons for faculties to reduce their use of LMSs tend to be due to it being time-consuming, inflexible, and difficult to use [
Gamification is the use of game mechanics and design within nongame environments to create solutions to problems and create motivations for the participants [
We developed a gamified LMS in a Microsoft SharePoint based environment to demonstrate the feasibility of the concept of gamification within an LMS. This will combine the features commonly found within LMSs [
This paper is split into 2 main sections, the first being the literature review where current researches and trends concerning this topic are explored. The second section is the methodology section where details regarding the system and implementation are reviewed.
This section presents the research done to assess current trends of LMSs and the concept of gamification.
The first section, regarding the current trends of LMSs, discusses features of current LMSs available within the market as well as issues regarding their functionality and relevance within the current learning environment. The second section, focusing on gamification, defines the concept as well as the factors that allow gamification to appeal to users of the system based on design concepts prevalent in gaming.
The evolution of LMSs began with a simple requirement for file storage and sharing purposes. Over time, the developers of these LMSs started to introduce more features to their system to accommodate the users’ requirements. Among the biggest names that are currently dominating the LMS market today are Moodle and Blackboard [
Comparisons between 2 popular LMSs available within the market.
LMS | Features | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Discussion tools | Group collaboration tools | Assessment tools | Social interaction tools | File exchange | Notification | Gamification | |
Moodle 2.0 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited | Limited | Limited |
Blackboard 9.1 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited | Yes | Limited | Limited |
Based on [
The primary purpose of LMSs being introduced was for the system to act as a breeding ground for the interaction between students and teachers, for them to discuss educational topics and exchange ideas through the features in the system such as discussion forums and group collaboration tools [
On top of that, LMSs present a challenge for the users in terms of their usability and lack of interactivity. The LMSs tend to be static in the way they present themselves to the users, or, in simpler terms, the LMSs do not adjust themselves to the need of the users [
The challenge that exists with e-learning is not in rebuilding the learning process but rather in how we can design new approaches by utilising the new tools available to us [
This section discussing gamification is separated into 3 main topics which are definition, implementation, and impact.
Gamification by definition is the use of game thinking and mechanics in nongame contexts to engage users in solving problems [
There tend to be multiple reasons why games appeal to players, but the underlying reason is essentially that it fulfills or satiates a certain intrinsic need they may have [
One of the biggest driving factors that needs to be considered is the motivation for these students to learn. What drives them to participate in the activity of education? An answer that can be given is a need for achievement [
The second driving factor that should be considered is competition. Competition, especially the competitive elements in games, is intrinsically motivating and promotes energetic responses in the classroom [
To be able to see the full effects of gamification, long-term study is required in both the users’ acceptance of the system and their usage of it. However, based on a literature review the findings of the majority of research focusing on gamification have been positive [
In a research done by [
This section of the paper focuses on the design methodology used to build the system with an explanation of the design platform, the philosophy of the interface design, and an overview of the gamification features incorporated into the system as well as the implementation of the features into the system.
The system was built on Microsoft’s SharePoint Online, the cloud-computing version of the SharePoint platform. This particular choice was made due to prior experience with the platform as well as readily available technical help for the designing process. On top of that, SharePoint Online being a cloud based platform makes it easier to deploy the solution on a larger scale. As a plus, the developer version of the platform came at a lower cost than other options and thus was perfect for a small scale development project.
The system was built around the core components of SharePoint, making use of lists, to act as a database, and workflows to program the system logic. The majority of the system design was completed on SharePoint Designer 2013, with some of the interface features being designed on the SharePoint site itself.
To obtain access to the site as a user, the administrator of the system sends an invite to the targeted user, giving access to the user through their e-mail. This also creates a user profile for the user on the system.
The system interface was designed to be as user-friendly as possible, while limiting direct user interaction with the inner workings of the system. It was also designed to emphasise the gamification features that can be found within the system, creating an avenue for the users to take advantage of the game features.
Game mechanics are defined as methods with which the user can interact within the game world creating a form of gameplay [
The first of these mechanics is leveling up through gaining experience. This helps the user to feel a sense of progression as a short-term mechanic [
Although the number of mechanics implemented is limited, they provide a sound base from which to expand the list of features within the system.
In this section, the main features of the system as well as the implementation of gamification into each feature are explored. The 3 main features of the system are the main page, the leaderboard, and the task uploading modules, with each of these modules containing some element of gamification within them.
When the user logs into the system, he/she will be greeted by the home page, which can be seen in Figure
Screenshot of home page.
To the left of the screen is the navigation bar, giving direct access for the user to the courses that he/she is enrolled in, allowing him/her to access notes, announcements, and tasks set by the lecturers. In the middle is the list of courses the user is enrolled in. To the right of the screen is the user profile box, which shows the basic information of the user, such as name and identification number.
The box is also an introduction for the user to the gamification features in the system, which displays the user’s level and experience points gathered in the system. Note the picture at the top of the user profile box; this is the user’s avatar within the system. As the user completes assignment and gains more experience, the user will level up. This process of leveling up then changes the user’s avatar to a more attractive looking avatar.
Figure
Screenshot of the leaderboard.
This list shows the data of all the users in the system, such as identification number, name, experience points, level, and the user’s avatar. The users are arranged according to their level and experience, and the users with the highest level are located at the top, while those with a lower level will be at the bottom.
We can clearly see the differences between the avatars of the users based on their level. The user who is at level 3 has a more decorated avatar than the low-leveled character. This is a demonstration of the rewards system, where there will be a difference between the experience levels of all users depending on how much work each user has put in.
Figure
Assignment uploading page.
This is the module used by the lecturers to upload assignments. The lecturer can set the assignment title as well as the question body along with the deadline. Furthermore, another gamification feature can be observed here, where the lecturer can set the experience reward for each assignment. The students who complete the assignment can obtain the experience reward for fulfilling the requirements of the assignment.
Overall, the system that has been developed tackles the issues discussed in the paper. The game elements built into the system make the use of a Learning Management System more interactive and engaging to the users. This also creates a draw for the students to spend more time with the system and builds a more fulfilling experience while using the system. This is where the gamified LMS separates itself from conventional LMSs.
There are certain weaknesses within the system, the most inherent of which is the system’s incapability to work offline. This is due to the nature of an online LMS, where content can only be delivered through an Internet connection. Furthermore, the game features within the system are limited. This however can be remedied by introducing greater levels of character customisations as well as further rewards into the system. We can also add more options for gaining experience.
Currently, the system built acts more as a prototype and a proof of concept rather than a fully working system. However there are plans in place to further develop the system and further improve it, adding more game features into the system and improving the overall interaction process between the teacher and learner.
The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests regarding the publication of this paper.