Gamification of Competence Development: A Study of Gamified Support for Higher Education and Lifelong Learning

Abstract

Rapid changes in the labour market have made reskilling and upskilling more relevant and important for career development than ever before. As the number of ways to obtain new skills and competences increases, so does the need for individual learning paths and support. As one of the most representative motivation and persuasive information systems, gamification has been employed as one potential approach for self-growth and skill development. This paper examines how different learners, i.e. students in higher education and lifelong learners who develop their skills and competences in work setting, value different gamified support mechanisms for individual competence development. For the study, a novel framework was developed that separates gamified support for competence development into two dimensions of temporality and openness. Utilizing the framework, a within-subject vignette based survey study was conducted with two learner groups (Higher education N = 544, Lifelong learner N = 285). Statistical analysis revealed that learners in higher education perceived overall value, i.e., usefulness, enjoyment and playfulness, in long term gamified support that allows flexibility and freedom to explore new learning opportunities. Lifelong learners perceived value in similar guidance but perceived additional utility in shorter-term gamified support that either guides them towards specific skills the learner should focus on or allows a flexible exploration and acquisition of skills at the learner's own pace.