Gamification

Definition as per Badgeville: "Gamification is the concept of applying game mechanics and game design techniques to engage and motivate people to achieve their goals.^[1] Gamification taps into the basic desires and needs of the users impulses which revolve around the idea of Status and Achievement."
https://badgeville.com/wiki/Gamification

I found this to be an interesting topic in the discussion forums in PIDP3250. Initially, I had a hard time figuring out how I could implement this instructional strategy into my future teaching. I enjoyed playing games as a child, so right of the bat I thought of it as a fun way to learn. 

Which got me thinking how this is a natural way that kids are taught. My son took speech therapy at the age of four, and the whole system was so set up as playing games that he didn't even realize he was learning something. He thought of the therapist as "the lady that plays games with me." It was very effective. In addition, most of his educational toys revolve around playing games, he's learned about the solar system and parts of the world playing with an Innotab (kid's tablet) and an interactive globe. These aren't things he needed to learn for school, he just enjoyed the games and learned in the process. He just started Kindergarten and most of the instruction is around educational games. 

My spouse as well, had been playing games about naming the bones of the body on his IPhone (Bones Lite). He, as well, doesn't need to learn this information, he just thoroughly enjoys the games. 

I wonder why at a certain age we stop thinking of this being a helpful educational strategy?

The only thing I can think of is the bias that "games are for kids." However, I believe this to be incorrect, at any age we are able to lose ourselves in games, to immerse ourselves so fully we don't even realize we're learning something, and it doesn't feel like work. Adults still possess the impulses of status and achievement as stated in the above definition. I think it would be very helpful to incorporate games in instructing adults. 
The benefit other than helping students to understand or remember information, is that it will also break up monotony. It's just fun. As adults sometimes we forget to give ourselves permission to have fun, and this is a good reminder. A double whammy of fun and productivity in learning material. 

That being said, going forward, I intend to incorporate fun interactive games in my teaching, either by creating a Jeopardy type game or finding applicable IPhone Apps for the students to download. I am sure there are also numerous resources of ready made games online.