Chefs in Training! Engaging Pharmacy Students through Course Gamification

Gamification is defined as the “use of game design elements in non-game contexts” (Deterding et al., 2011, p.10) with the goal of promoting user engagement. Didactic courses that incorporate game elements such as rulebooks, elements of surprise, levels, challenges, and rewards provide intrinsic motivation through immediate feedback, goal setting, opportunity for mastery, and autonomy. In this design case, course coordinators use a modified ADDIE process in collaboration with an instructional designer (ID) to effectively integrate gamification into an elective course to challenge students while providing activities that promote engagement and retention of information.