Innovation in Language Learning

Gamification is becoming an increasingly popular concept in education. Today’s digital natives have grown up with computer and video games, and they look for excitement. The fast pace of many games fits their short attention spans. Nowdays teachers face major problems around students motivation and engagement. Gamification or the application of game elements into non-game settings provides an opportunity to help teachers solve these difficulties. The 21st century highly values critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication. However, in a google friendly world, creating collaborative relationships and fostering meaningful communication is a demanding task. Preparing students for the future also requires high level of their engagement. In order to recognize their interests, and discover their learning aptitudes and attitudes, students should be actively involved in the learning process. This is why making use of rules and principles of a game to enhance the learning experience in higher education seems to be a reasonable option. Game mechanics, that is, rule based simulations, are employed to encourage students to explore the boundaries of their possibilities. At the same time, students are provided with valuable feedback in a safe environment. In other words, gamification of learning experience seems to be a powerful tool for preparing university students for the requirements of the contemporary world.