Player Types

The goal of this study is to design a gamified learning environment that could motivate all of the different type of players in an online gamified learning environment. The study is based on the player types achiever, explorer, killer, and socializer as defined by Bartle (1996). The following components are used for their assigned player types; Leader Board and Points for Killers; Leader Board, Points, Content Unlocking, Levels, Achievements for Achievers; Achievement, Badge, Narrative for Explorers; Badge, Team and Gifting for Socializers. The player types of 41 undergraduate students who used the gamified online learning environment have been determined by Player Type Scale, developed by researchers based on Bartle's framework of 4 player types. Since it is known that most of the players have no dominant player type and that each individual could display characteristics of more than one player type, the data obtained by Player Type Scale is clustered. The motivation levels of students were determined through " Course Interest Survey " , which was developed by Keller (1995) based on ARCS motivation model, and adapted by Varank (2003). The study focused on whether the motivations of students displayed any significant difference depending on different player type clusters. As a result, it was determined that motivation levels displayed no significant difference based on clusters depicting different player types, and all the students were highly motivated. The data obtained from the study is discussed in regards to player types, motivation, and gamified learning environment focus.

Studies highlight the need to consider different player types during gamification design. The aim of the present study was to determine the elements that affect learners showing different player type characteristics in a gamified learning environment. Accordingly, the study examined which game elements trigger which mechanics. The design of the study's gamified learning environment used the game elements of leaderboard, achievements, point, badge, content unlocking, level, gifting, team, and story which were thought to motivate different player types. A total of 41 undergraduate students participated in the study for 7 weeks. Using the " Player Type Scale " developed by the researchers, player types were determined as killer, achiever, explorer, and socializer. One learner showing the dominant characteristics of each player types were interviewed to determine which elements each learner liked, disliked, or was indifferent to and which mechanics these elements served. Results indicated that: (a) players may show characteristics different than their player type depending on the design features of the gamified learning environment, (b) the mechanics that attract learners in a gamified learning environment differ with regard to player type, (c) the elements that trigger a mechanic differ in with regard to player type, (d) an element may serve different mechanics for different player types, and (e) the selection of elements and the context in which they are used in the design affects the mechanic it serves and therefore the whole process.

Oyun insan hayatında kültürden daha eski olup günümüzde çoğu bireyin hayatında yer almaktadır. Dünyadaki en büyük eğlence ve ticari unsurlardan birisi haline gelen bilgisayar oyunlarının oyuncular üzerinde ilgi ve motivasyon artırıcı etkisi olduğu görülmüş ve eğitim ortamlarında sıkça kullanılmıştır. Öte yandan dijital oyunlar eğitimde öğrenci açısından olumlu sonuçlar sağlasa da kullanımının yeterince esnek olmayışı, müfredatlardaki her konunun oyunlara adapte edilemeyişi ve kaliteli eğitsel oyunların az olması sorun teşkil etmektedir. Aynı zamanda bu oyunlar öğrencileri daha da bireyselleştirerek sosyal ortamdan uzaklaştırabilmektedir. Bunun bir getirisi olarak oyun amacı olmayan ortamların oyun amaçlı olarak kullanılması anlamına gelen “ oyunlaştırma” kavramı hem oyunların sağladığı avantajları sağlaması hem de uygulamasının esnek olması sayesinde eğitim ortamları için iyi bir potansiyele sahiptir. Bu bölümde, eğitim alanında yapılan çalışmalara ve oyunlaştırma unsurlarına yönelik bilgiler sunularak, örnek oyunlaştırma uygulamalarındaki sonuçlar, oyunlaştırmaya dahil olacak öğrenen çeşitleri ve oyunlaştırmada hangi unsurların bulunması
gerektiğine dair bir çerçeve çizilecektir. Çalışmanın eğitim ortamlarında oyunlaştırma tasarımları yapacak eğitimcilere bir yol haritası çizeceği düşünülmektedir.