Gamification in Training and Teaching

Now on Amazon Kindle · Illustrated 2nd edition and paperback coming soon — subscribe to hear first

True Engagement, No Games — An Evidence-Based Framework for Motivation and Learning

By Dr. Jeff Wang · Kindle edition · 478 pages · Business Weekly Publications · December 2025

"This fascinating book... is a must have for anyone thinking of gamifying instruction. If you are even remotely thinking about gamifying your instruction, this book needs to be on your reading list."
— Karl Kapp, Ed.D., Professor of Instructional Design and Technology, Commonwealth University

Stop playing games. Start designing engagement.

Most gamification in training is decoration: points for attendance, badges for showing up, a leaderboard that tells most of the room they are losing. It looks engaging. It rarely changes what people do.

This book takes a different route. It is built on more than 20 years of teaching adults — engineers, doctors, nurses, lawyers, sales teams and teachers — and on peer-reviewed research into what actually makes gamified teaching work. No apps required. No game-show tricks.

Inside the book

• The key mechanisms of gamified teaching — aligning every activity with a learning goal, simple and fair rules, team-based play, and a classroom where trying is never risky.
• The new PBL: Points, Benefits, Leaderboards — researchers usually write PBL as points, badges and leaderboards. In our expert study, badges were not rated a key element, so in this book the B stands for Benefits: the rewards learners actually value.
• Competition, challenge and flow — how to raise difficulty step by step, use time pressure well, and keep competition healthy.
• Why it works — behavioral, cognitive and constructivist learning theory, and the author's own Triangular Learning Theory.
• Real classrooms — teaching cases from medical law, cybersecurity, professional certification, corporate training, senior education, and K-12 classrooms.

Who it is for

Corporate trainers and facilitators, L&D and HR professionals, instructional designers, medical and university educators — and any teacher who wants people to take part, not just sit through a session.

Who it is not for

Readers looking for a catalog of icebreakers or classroom games. This is a design method, not a game collection.

What leaders in gamification say

"The true value of gamification lies in embedding human-driven motivation into design, rather than simply relying on points, badges, or leaderboards... For educators, this book serves as a bridge, helping you transform abstract gamification concepts into actionable and impactful strategies."
— Yu-kai Chou, Gamification Author & International Keynote Speaker

"Gamification is becoming more prominent in educational settings across educational sectors by the day. The Art of Gamified Teaching by Jeff Wang deftly explores, explains, and extends this vital concept."
— Curtis J. Bonk, Professor, Indiana University

The research behind the book

The framework is grounded in two Delphi studies on gamification — one in corporate training (Entertainment Computing, Best Paper of 2022) and one in medical education (Medical Education Online, 2024). Both rank among the top 1% most-cited papers in their field and year; the medical-education study is in the top 0.1% (OpenAlex). Read about the research and the AFFECT framework →

From the Chinese edition

This English edition is translated and adapted from Dr. Wang's Chinese book The Art of Gamified Teaching, a 2023 annual bestseller at Books.com.tw, Taiwan's largest online bookstore. It is his 11th book and his first in English.

For organizations and publishers

Bulk copies for training teams, workshops built on the book, and translation or print partnerships: afuwang@gmail.com

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