Games, Gamification, and eSports Intersections Within Digital and Online Learning

Abstract

Games and gamification in the field of learning have become two featured topics of interest recently. While these two concepts have been around in different forms and fashion for decades, interest has reached a fever pitch in the last two decades. With the technological maturity of e-learning and the explosive popularity of online video games and eSports, exploring the application of these concepts is critically important, especially in the areas of intrinsic motivation, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Commercialization has resulted in the terms games and gamification being used interchangeably. The first step in moving forward with research into learning and the concepts of gaming and gamification is to distinguish these two terms, their impacts on learning, and to begin exploring appropriate and innovative applications in learning.