New research suggests that gamification – applying game designs like “levelling up” and “leader boards” to non-game contexts to encourage learning and desired behaviours – is slowly taking over our lives. Analysts believe gamification will become an integral part of society by 2020, according to Pew Research. Call of Duty, Angry Birds and Blackberry Messenger all bring to mind people hooked to their games consoles or mobile phones in a state of fixation. However, is gaming the right way to encourage the pursuit of learning, solving problems and performing chores one wouldn’t ordinarily do, such as completing surveys and filling out forms? Continue reading →