An Overview of the Current Trends on the Use of Gamification in Higher Ed Engagement and Recruitment

Gamification is defined as: the process of adding games or game-like elements to something (such as a task) so as to encourage participation. There are many examples of gamification in higher education; games have been shown to motivate students to engage more with their study tasks. Even though the use of gamification (as an engagement and recruitment strategy in higher ed) has been utilized since 1999 (Fairmont State), only a select few universities have leveraged gamification as a tool for engagement and recruitment over the last 18 years. The strategy overall has not garnered much research but since gaming culture is now more ubiquitous than ever (67 percent of American households own a device used to play video games) it is inevitable that more gamified-based recruitment strategies will start to take shape in the near future. &nbsp