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myCred Twinterview With Sylvester Arnab – Professor in Game Science and Gamification Award Winner

myCred’s maiden twinterview with Yu-Kai Chou was a huge success and it fascinated tweeple with interest in the gamification industry. In order to keep our followers updated with the latest happenings in the gamification world, we have decided to bring more experts as our Twitter guests.
Twinterview With Yu-Kai Chou
This week, myCred twinterviewed Sylvester Arnab, who is a professor in game sciences (Applied Games) at Coventry University’s Disruptive Media Learning Lab (DMLL) and an associate of the Faculty Research Centre for Post-Digital Cultures. His research, development, and practice perspectives and outcomes are discussed in over 100 publications within the area of virtual worlds, simulation, serious games, game-based learning, and gamification.
Sylvester Arnab is also a book author and he has published books like ‘Serious Games for Healthcare- Applications and Implications’ and ‘Game Science in Hybrid Learning Spaces’. He loves public speaking and has been invited as a keynote speaker at various events in the UK, Europe, and internationally. His projects have already won Gamification Award 2019 for software, education, and learning. He is a trained facilitator for LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methodology.
Let’s check what Sylvester Arnab has discussed with myCred during his brief twintervew.
Tweet #1: What does the term “Gamification” mean to you?
Mention: Gamification essentially takes the principles, techniques, and elements of games and gameplay, and applies these in activities and experiences that activate psychological motivators, which in turn drive desired behaviors and outcomes.


Tweet #2: How did you develop your interest in gamification, and when did you realize that you have a good future in this field? Please share with tweeple?
Mention: My main research and practice interest is experience design. I have always been intrigued by the engaging characteristics of games and gameplay, and how invested players are. The underpinning research I have led and been involved in has led to high-impact research and projects.


Tweet#3: We found ‘ACES’ one of your featured projects, very helpful for the young generation of Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. How was the process, and how much did it benefit them?
Mention: In @gcrf_aces, educators are the agents of change through playful pedagogies, especially during the pandemic, where meaningful learning experiences are key for developing young people. In Aces, resilience is being developed through 21st-century skills gained through frugal playful learning activities. We are co-developing #StemBucket frugal playful learning resources for supporting educators and their learners. Teachers are co-creating learning resources that can be adapted and adopted by others.


Tweet#4: Since you are a Game Science professor at Coventry University, UK. You have mostly researched the gamification of education. Is your main focus on Z-gen education, or do you believe that the old generation can also leverage these gamified education techniques?
Mention: Our research is across all educational levels including the world of works and lifelong learning. We believe that play and gameplay benefit everyone. We have to ensure that our approach is pedagogically and andragogically informed depending on the target populations. We are exploring how learning constructs can be mapped against gameplay elements (see publications), and are actively developing a framework for how playful aspects can be mapped against competency development towards resilience.  Our empathic approach can be adapted.


Tweet#5: What is the scope of gamification in Malaysia, and what are the best gamification examples you think everyone should adopt to excel in their businesses?
Mention: Malaysia is increasingly adopting gamification in various sectors, especially in education. Our approach is empathic within the context of simplifying the design process for those who are not familiar with gamification. We often use the #GChangers #RemixingPlay for encouraging others to iteratively and incrementally co-create gamified experiences based on the actual needs. Businesses can adopt the same approach when designing experiences for their customers. Remix aspects of existing playful activities into engaging experiences.


Tweet#6: In your ‘School Education Gateway’ interview, you have mentioned that teachers have to play games before inventing their own games. What if a teacher has no game sense but a legitimate idea to create a game? Is s/he supposed to take a step ahead?
Mention: It has to start with an actual need and then an idea that you can test out. Most ideas if not all are inspired by previous experiences. Game creation is iterative and incremental- prototype and test the idea and refine as we go along. I would advise the mapping of the expected objectives vs. the proposed game elements. This will allow teachers to assess their game and the associated learning activities that are linked to specific learning objectives. Measurable playful aspects for analyzing to what extent the game supports learning.


Tweet#7:  We would love to know about the current goals on which you’re working. Would you mind sharing with us?
Mention: We are currently investigating the mapping of playful, frugal, competency, and resilience aspects for informing experience/tool/activity design. A research paper is to be published at the end of Sept – to be further developed with case studies from the communities.


Tweet#8: What changes do you want to see in the next five years? Any future predictions of this industry?
Mention: Gamification practices are evolving and getting more research and evidence-informed. There has always been an overlap between many practices that are inspired by games, and for me, I want to see more people from various sectors adapt and adopt game-based approaches. Game-based experiences will be more modular and connected in the future, enabling everyone to be able to track, monitor, and adapt their personal experiences. Hybrid configuration of our own pathway – whether it is education, customer journey, and/or civic participation.


Tweet#9: If you could give one piece of advice to the people starting in the gamification industry, what would it be?
Mention: Experience existing game-based tools/activities/experiences to get onboarded and to gain inspiration.


Tweet#10: Name a few of your mentors, influencers, or friends you think have helped you understand or increase your knowledge about gamification.
Mention: I have learned from peers such as @VirtualEconomy, @gzicherm, @yukaichou, @kkapp, @BernieDeKoven (rest in peace), and many others.


Twinterview Last Tweet: Could you share a picture of your workspace with our followers?


Twitter Thread: https://twitter.com/my_cred/status/1437364271403372549
TIME TO SIGN OUT!
Sylvester Arnab had fun during the brief twinterview with myCred and he also showed his gratitude for inviting him as a Twitter guest. It’s time to say goodbye until with another twinterview.

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