Gamification is “the use of game design elements in non-game contexts” (Deterding et al., 2011, p.10.) so as to try to replicate the experiences of motivation and engagement afforded when playing video games. However, the theoretical underpinnings of gamification have been insufficiently explored. Practice has outpaced theory and without such guidance and theoretical grounding, the majority of empirical studies provide no justification for the game design elements and subsequent gamification mechanisms used in their research. Evidence suggests that this has led to an insufficient implementation of gamification in education, particularly concerning an over-emphasis on points, badges and leaderboard (PBL) mechanisms, which I maintain cannot alone satisfy the wide variety of motivations children and young people have for playing video games.

As such, a framework of ideas for gamification in education is proposed which provides educators and researchers alike with a range of ideas as to how they might implement gamification, beyond PBL mechanisms, into educational contexts.

The overarching theoretical framework used in producing this research report was Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985), which situated video game engagement and play within a context of motivation and basic psychological need satisfaction. The empirical aspect of the project included semi-structured interviews with 6 young people about their motivations to play video games. A subsequent thematic analysis outlined a wide variety of motivations to play video games. Such motivations were mapped onto the basic psychological needs explicated within self-determination theory, namely competence, autonomy and relatedness. Together, such theoretical and empirical grounding provided the foundation for the framework of ideas proposed.