Using LinkedIn Learning, a MOOC, to Gamify Corporate Training

When the phrase “corporate training” is used, it likely evokes the thought of an email giving with a “friendly reminder” that mandatory training on the company website needs to be completed within a few days. It also probably conjures a dread of boredom, stubbornness, or resistance. At least, that might be the case if the training doesn’t employ elements that give rise to intrinsic value or motivation for successfully completing the training. There may already be some extrinsic value or external motivation for the training since it is assigned, and it can be assumed the learner is an employee who would like to remain employed and wants to avoid negative consequences for not completing the training. The training, then is meaningfully relevant to the learner’s goals, which is a concept that John Keller and Markus Deimann identified as being a key principle in learner engagement. (Keller et al., 2018)

In this case study, LinkedIn Learning will be examined as a MOOC that can be a useful tool for companies to use in providing both assigned and supplemental training for their employees. The available courses have gamification elements which help to increase the employees’ participation.

Concept 1: LinkedIn Learning is a MOOC with gamification elements

MOOCs are massive open online courses. MOOC.org defines them as “an opportunity for organizations to offer online courses to students all over the world, in the millions, for free” (n.d.). LinkedIn Learning is just one of a selection of MOOCs and was selected for this study due to the breadth of available content on its platform. In a case study, the authors surmised that among the benefits of using MOOCs, “online learning provides learners with a flexible and convenient way to earn credentials and improve their skills and knowledge” (Ngo et al., 2023). In addition to being a MOOC that shares some of the benefits found in the case study, LinkedIn Learning uses gamification elements to encourage learner participation.

Gamification can be defined as “The use of game elements and game-design techniques in non-game contexts” (Iacono, 2020). The goal of gamification elements is to promote learner motivation and active participation. A few examples of elements employed by some of the courses include activities or quizzes with immediate feedback, gated sections or levels, and shareable certificates of completion.

Concept 2: Gamification of LinkedIn Learning promotes motivation and active participation

Looking further into how gamification of LinkedIn Learning promotes learner motivation and active participation, it might be useful to review what principles tie into some of the elements.

Participating in activities or taking quizzes that provide immediate feedback before the learner can move on is useful because it an engage their epistemic curiosity (Keller et al., 2018). If they returned an incorrect answer, they could act in the moment, when their interest is likely to be at its highest, to discover what the correct answer is, rather than waiting until their interest has waned. Gated sections or levels can create situations that provide the learner with satisfying outcomes—the achievement of moving on to the next part of the learning task. The shareable certificates are also satisfying outcomes. These are both examples of “the use of reinforcement contingencies that provide appropriate rewards for accomplishments” (Keller et al., 2018).

Concept 3: LinkedIn Learning courses increase relevance for professionals

In a case study where Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) were permitted to use LinkedIn Learning courses for continuing professional education (CPE) credits, state boards of accountancy recognized the value the MOOC has for their members. In addition to providing them with CPE credits, it can be used for supplemental learning, like “help with Microsoft products such as Excel or Access, or small business accounting software such as QuickBooks or Sage, or data analytics platforms such as Tableau” (Olson, 2021). To add to the platform’s relevance, their governing Registry endorsed it which “sends a clear message to the profession that these video tutorials can provide affordable, easily accessible CPE with a breadth of content” (Olson, 2021).

All this adds to the relevance that using LinkedIn Learning has for its learners, which is a key principle that adds to learners’ motivation and desire to participate. (Keller et al., 2018) The more relevance a learning task has for its learner, the more invested they are in accomplishing and excelling at that task.

Conclusion:

LinkedIn Learning can be a great platform for training courses that can be assigned or suggested to employees. The platform utilizes gamification elements that make the courses more engaging and fulfilling to complete.

References

Iacono, S., Vallarino, M., & Vercelli, G. (2020). Gamification in Corporate Training to Enhance Engagement: An Approach. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 15(17), 69–84.

Keller, J., & Deimann, M. (2018). Chapter 9: Motivation, Volition, and Performance. In J. Dempsey & R. Reiser (Eds.), Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology (pp. 78–86). Pearson Education, Inc. 

Mooc.org. (n.d.). Massive open online courses: An EDX site. MOOC.org | Massive Open Online Courses | An edX Site. https://www.mooc.org/about-moocs

Ngo, T.T.A., Tran, T.T., An, G.K., Nguyen, P.T. (2023). Students’ Perception Towards Learning Massive Open Online Courses on Coursera Platform: Benefits and Barriers. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 18(14), 4–23. https://doi-org.oclc.fullsail.edu/10.3991/ijet.v18i14.39903

Olson, J., & Segovia, J. (2021). Linkedin Learning: A Valuable Resource for Cpe Credits. Journal of Business Strategies, 38(1), 62–71.