Coursera Gamification Course Syllabus

Fall 2012

Prof. Kevin Werbach (@kwerb)
The Wharton School, Univ. of Pennsylvania

Each item on this syllabus represents one video lecture segment, approximately 7-12 minutes in length. For further information, or to sign up, please visit the course landing page. Registration is free and the course begins on August 27, 2012.

1] What is Gamification?

After the introductory material on the course, the first topic we need to cover is what gamification actually means. As we’ll see, there isn’t universal agreement. However, there are a set of concepts and examples that are clearly within the scope of gamification.

1.1 Introduction
1.2 Course overview and logistics
1.3 Gamification defined
1.4 Why study gamification?
1.5 History of gamification
1.6 Categories and examples

2] Games

You can't understand gamification without understanding games. This unit explains why the concept of games is deeper than most people realize, and the game-based foundations for gamification.

2.1 Gamification in context
2.2 What is a game?
2.3 Games and Play
2.4 Video games
2.5 It’s Just a Game?

WEEK 1 HOMEWORK: Quiz

3] Game Thinking

The ways game designers approach their craft is also the way to tackle a gamification project. Seeing situations through the lens of game design is an essential skill in this area.

3.1 Why Gamify
3.2 Thinking Like a Game Designer
3.3 Design rules
3.4 Tapping the Emotions
3.5 Anatomy of Fun
3.6 Finding the Fun

4] Game Elements

The raw materials of games and gamification are called game elements. We'll earn how to break down a game into its constituent parts and apply them to create gamified systems.

4.1 Breaking Games Down
4.2 The pyramid of elements
4.3 The PBL Triad
4.4 Limitation of Elements
4.5 Bing Gordon interview

WEEK 2 HOMEWORK: Quiz

5] Psychology and Motivation (I)

Gamification is a technique for motivation, so it ties very directly into psychology. This unit introduces the behavioral psychology concepts relevant to gamification.

5.1 Gamification as motivational design
5.2 Behaviorism
5.3 Behaviorism in gamification
5.4 Reward structures
5.5 Reward schedules

6] Psychology and Motivation (II)

The previous unit explains the benefits of a behavioral approach to gamification; this one identifies the risks and alternatives.

6.1 Limits of behaviorism
6.2 Dangers of behaviorism
6.3 Extrinsic and intrinsic rewards
6.4 How rewards can de-motivate
6.5 Self-determination theory
6.6 First half wrap-up

WEEK 3 HOMEWORK: Quiz; Written assignment part 1

7] Gamification Design Framework

Gamification done well is a form of design. This unit provides a six-step framework to apply to any gamification project.

7.1 Design Thinking
7.2 D1/2: Business objectives/target behaviors
7.3 D3: Players
7.4 D4: Activity loops
7.5 D5/6: Don’t forget the fun and deploy

8] Design Choices

Saying that gamification is a form of design means that it should involve a creative, human-centered, thoughtful process to achieve the best results. This unit identifies important considerations and options.

8.1 Two approaches to gamification
8.2 Is Gamification right for me?
8.3 Designing for collective good
8.4 Designing for happiness
8.5 Amy Jo Kim interview

WEEK 4 HOMEWORK: Quiz; Written assignment part 2

9] Enterprise Gamification

Particular challenges and opportunities when applying gamification inside an organization.

9.1 Enterprise applications
9.2 Workplace motivations
9.3 The game vs. the job
9.4 Playbor
9.5 Daniel Debow interview

10] Social Good and Behavior Change

How to apply gamification to make the world better, or to improve people's well-being, primarily through behavior change techniques.

10.1 Gamification for good?
10.2 Social good applications
10.3 Social good techniques
10.4 Behavior change
10.5 Susan Hunt Stevens interview

WEEK 5 HOMEWORK: Written assignment part 3 (Final Project)

11] Critiques and Risks

There are many legitimate limitations, concerns, and dangers from gamification. Some of them can be avoided through thoughtful design, but others must be considered directly in any implementation.

11.1 Pointsification
11.2 Exploitationware
11.3 Gaming the game
11.4 Legal issues
11.5 Regulatory issues

12] Beyond the Basics

The final unit details gamification-related techniques that go beyond those covered throughout the course, and concludes with a look toward the future.

12.1 Going beyond the basics
12.2 Inducement prizes
12.3 Virtual economies
12.4 Collective action
12.5 The future of gamification
12.6 Course review and wrap-up