An interesting perspective on Gamification from designer and author Gabe Zichermann. He points out that people often ask, “Do games help children?”, instead of asking a more useful question, ” What kind of help do games provide?”.
Evidence shows that at least part of the “help” games offer is an increase in fluid intelligence (i.e. critical thinking) because games continuously focus on 5 things that encourage growth of gray matter in the brain- seeking novelty, challenge yourself, thinking creatively, doing things the hard way, and networking. Combine that with the positive reinforcement that is intrinsic to games (we wouldn’t make games no one wanted to play!), and it’s the perfect learning ecosystem.
Gabe Zichermann’s book, Game-based Marketing, is a good read. It’s an analysis of the way companies have used game mechanics for decades to provide incentive to customers (think Frequent Flyer Miles). It’s smugly satisfying to know that generations who have criticized young people for playing games have been unwittingly been engaging the same fundamental principles!