Gamification Mechanic Monday: Adaptive Choices
In some games, how you move early in the game and choices you make along the way, will build the profile of what you will experience going forward. Some options and paths will be closed off from you and others will open, because of the choices you made and actions you took as a result. Players are not always aware that this is taking place, it may be totally programmed in the background. In other games choices are overt and clear, by making your choice you clearly eliminate others.
In e-learning this approach is applied to give learners a path that is suited to their skills and ability as they prove in their learning journey through scenarios, quizzes, decision and responses to activities. It is not wide-spread yet, but definitely an application of a game dynamic I whole-heartedly support. Most e-learning will get a bad name, when the material presented is not relevant or too easy/hard for the actual learner and their day-to-day role.
The most well known example of this technique is the Amazon web store. It remembers your choices and based on these, it will give you further suggestions and it will point out what others have done in your situation.
Where else have you seen adaptive choices?
