Ludodidactics

Designing the educational and learning behaviour based on gaming principles, that’s what Ludodidactics is all about. Ludodidactics focus on the student’s motivation and enjoyment of playing and learning: the game is on!

Creativity

Creativity is essential in improvising and composing but equally important in performing music. In mix, we put creativity in the limelight of interaction and authentic expressiveness!

Diversity

With the mix insight into diversity, we want to help you become more aware of the differences between your students. Mix offers testimonies, exercises and reflection material to get to work with the power of diversity.

Is Ludodidactics the same as gamification?

No. Ludodidactics is by no means the same as ‘gamification’. Gamification borrows components from games and game design and uses these as independent elements in order to make something that already exists seem more attractive, but without changing its primary function. Gamification focuses on form and mechanics to make something "look like a game", whereas ludodidactics focuses on behaviour and designing predictable outcomes. The contributing experts on ludodidactics have quietly resigned to the fact that the term ‘gamification’ is much more known and possibly more widely accepted, but it has to be repeated that ludodidactics offers a far more comprehensive and in-depth implementation of gaming principles in the domain of education in general.

What is the added value of Ludodidactics?

Traditional teaching is often based on content, or material. Ludodidactics is, instead, based on learning behaviour and the learning experience of the student. In traditional music education the principles deliberate practise have becoming increasingly problematic from a motivational perspective: it might take a long time to experience the real enjoyment from achieving (some) mastery of a difficult skill (hard mastery). Ludodidactics introduces new didactical principles that influence behaviour in a radical new manner: in ludodidactics there is a paradigm shift where the education professional designs the educational process, which frees up energy and time (for the teacher to spend on actual support) and introduces new self-propelling motivation for the students.

Is Ludodidactics a compromise to achieving real artistic goals?

No, unless you design your ludodidactic learning goals as such. Ludodidactics is nothing more than a new and additional didactical method in the pedagogical repertoire of the teacher. It doesn't replace proven and effective principles within music education. However, it tackles some of the more modern challenges in music education (e.g. motivation, engagement) very effectively.

Where can I learn to become a ludodidactician?

If you want to become a ludodidactician, you could start out here on this platform: familiarise yourself with the principles of ludodidactics, maybe order and read the book about ludodidactics and try to design and test your first ludodidactic prototype. If you find yourself wanting more, there are several courses on Ludodidactics at the HKU (University of the Arts Utrecht). Please visit the website of the HKU (University of the Arts Utrecht) for more information.