From the course: Gamification of Learning

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Self-determination theory

Self-determination theory

From the course: Gamification of Learning

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Self-determination theory

A large part of gamification is the idea of motivation. Gamification helps to motivate learners to move them through, and engage them with content. But, what motivates people, and why do elements of games seem to be so motivating? There are several theories of motivation. One such theory is called the Self-Determination Theory. This theory has been used to describe motivation in a broad range of human activities including sports, health care, religion, work, and education. The theory basically has three elements. The first is that people are motivated when they feel they have a sense of control, and are able to determine the outcome of their actions, this is called autonomy. Second, people are motivated when they feel competent. They are able to see themselves mastering a task or information. This is competence or mastery. The third is that people want to feel connected to other people. This is called relatedness. So people are motivated when they feel in control, believe they can…

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