Incorporating gamification as a learning and reinforcement tool: Identifying tools and techniques to support the integration of gamification into training.  

Duration: 6m59s

AUSMASA Intro: Welcome to the Train-the-Trainer Podcast, proudly brought to you by the Australian Mining and Automotive Skills Alliance. Empowering industry to develop essential workforce capabilities for today and tomorrow. 

Marc: Hi there, folks! I'm Marc Ratcliffe. In this episode, we look at gamification in workplace training and how trainers and assessors can use simple game-based techniques to improve engagement, reinforcement, and retention. With me today is Mel Tanner. Hi Mel! 

Mel: Hi Marc, it's great to be with you today.  

Marc: Now, for some people, the word gamification can sound a bit lightweight. Why are we playing games? When's the 'real' learning happening?  

Mel: Yeah, people often think of the flashy apps or gimmicks. But that's not what effective gamification in the classroom is. 

Marc: Okay, so what should we be looking for? 

Mel: Good gamification is not about making learning childish. It is about using challenge, feedback, participation, and motivation to help people learn and remember what matters. 

Marc: And in high-risk or high-performance environments, that matters a lot. 

Mel: That's right! Think about the kinds of things workers need to remember on-site or in the workshop. 

Marc: Things like isolation steps, hazard controls, fault-finding processes, quality checks, and reporting requirements.  

Mel: These are not just nice-to-know details. They affect safety, compliance, productivity, and performance. 

Marc: Okay, so how do we help those things to stick? 

Mel: Stop relying only on one-way information delivery. Gamification works best when it supports reinforcement, not instead of learning, but after explanation, demonstration, or discussion.  

Marc: Do you have some examples? 

Mel: Sure, let's say learners have covered lockout/tagout steps. You might run a timed sequencing activity where teams put the process in the correct order. Or after a session on hazard reporting, you might use scenario cards and have small groups decide what action should be taken and why. 

Marc: That's gamification at its most practical! I like that it introduces challenge, decision-making, and feedback. 

Mel: Thanks. A useful principle when planning your gamification is to keep it simple and keep it relevant. 

Marc: Always good advice, Mel. In mining and automotive settings, learners generally respond well to tools that feel connected to real work. So, if the activity feels silly or disconnected from the job, you'll lose credibility pretty fast. So, what are some techniques to keep it practical? 

Mel: One is team-based problem solving. Present a realistic scenario such as a hydraulic leak, a vehicle return with repeated faults, or a near miss involving plant movement.  

Marc: Alright 

Mel: Give teams a few minutes to identify the likely risks, immediate controls, and reporting steps. Then debrief as a group. This builds not only knowledge recall, but judgment. 

Marc: So, you're using the game to reinforce their knowledge. 

Mel: That's right. And you can do it low-tech or high-tech, depending on their access and comfort with their devices.  

Marc: Okay. What other ways can we promote reinforcement through gamification? 

Mel: Another technique is quiz-based reinforcement. This can be done with digital tools if your environment supports them, or simply with printed cards, whiteboards, or verbal questioning. The point is immediate feedback. When learners answer, they find out straight away whether they are right and why. 

Marc: I guess you can also use progress tracking.  

Mel: That's a great idea! For example, during a multi-session program, learners might work through a skills challenge board where they can see which competencies or practice tasks they have completed. This creates momentum and visibility. 

Marc: And I am thinking you could create some wholesome competition within the group to drive their performance.  

Mel: I like that. When friendly or 'wholesome' competition is used carefully, it can really lift the energy in the room.  

Marc: But it needs to be handled well. The goal should be participation and learning, not embarrassment.  

Mel: Agreed. We should avoid putting individuals on the spot in ways that make them look incompetent in front of their peers. Team formats are often safer and more inclusive. 

Marc: Totally. I think you can also gamify observation. Like, during a walkthrough, you could ask learners to identify planted hazards, quality issues, or non-compliances.  

Mel: Yeah. This turns passive watching into active noticing. It's especially useful when building job role awareness. 

Marc: For sure, thanks, Mel. Now, do you have any cautions when using gamification? 

Mel: Well, you have to use the right tool for the right job. You don't want to, let's say, do a low-level basic quiz for a group of experienced workers. 

Marc: I guess that could feel kind of patronising and have a demotivational effect. 

Mel: Yeah. The trick is in the design. It has to be sufficiently challenging for the audience but still achievable in the timeframe provided. 

Marc: So, if it's too hard, it becomes frustrating, and if it's too easy, it's boring? 

Mel: Yeah. That's traditional game mechanics at work! 

Marc: Okay. So, could we use gamification outside of the classroom? 

Mel: That's a good question. I think you can make a strong case to use it as a post-training repetition through micro-challenges. Instead of waiting for formal retraining, you could use short monthly or weekly reinforcement activities.  

Marc: Like a three-minute challenge at the start of the shift.  

Mel: Yeah. Or a quick fault diagnosis puzzle.  

Marc: Like a 'what's wrong with this picture' kind of task, based on the workshop or site conditions.  

Mel. Yeah. These small interactions help maintain focus over time. 

Marc: Nice.  

Marc: But let's be clear. Gamification is only effective when it serves a learning objective. It should never be used just to fill time or create noise. Before adding any activity, ask: What exactly am I reinforcing? What behaviour or knowledge should this strengthen? 

For trainers and assessors, gamification can also support evidence gathering. Observing how learners solve problems, explain decisions, or work through scenarios can give useful insight into competence, confidence, as well as any gaps they may have. 

So no, gamification is not about turning serious work into play. It is about making learning more active, more memorable, more connected to performance, and more fun. 

When done well, it helps people think, discuss, recall, and apply. And in industries where forgetting can have real consequences, that's worth taking seriously. 

Thanks for joining us. Bye for now. 

AUSMASA Outro: Search AUSMASA Resources for more videos, guides, templates and checklists to support your role and help progress your Vet career. Check these out at: ausmasa.org.au/resources. 

END.