Assessment for Learning and Gamification: Can Two Walk Together, Except They be Agreed?

Abstract

Although studies indicate the potential of Assessment for Learning (AfL) to promote academic achievement, reality shows that in various education systems this potential is not realized. Some attribute the reasons to lack of motivation on the part of learners to invest in deep learning, or to their deficient learning skills. We offer to deal with these barriers by focusing on fostering student motivation and agency. For this end, we propose a virtual learning environment that incorporates principles of AfL and gamification, which combined with the physical learning environment in classroom create two interrelated activity systems that feed each other in a co-evolutionary process. In the first part of the paper we define learner agency and ways to foster it, we continue by defining AfL and gamification and their principles, then compare characteristics of students in classrooms where AfL is successfully practiced with characteristics of successful players in digital group-games. In the second part, we explain how gamification can upgrade AfL, and display features of the proposed learning environment. Finally, we discuss attributes of educational contexts that are conducive for successful implementation of the proposed learning environment.