Video games and learning have a lot more in common than you think! Using video game strategies for learning and collaboration can help you achieve much better results in modern education. This is all based on the research and publication of Professor Dr Richard Bartle on the psychological types of gamers. Soldier, diplomat, researcher or entrepreneur? Do you know which psychological type of player you are? It turns out that if you know your psychological type and that of your classmates, you can adapt your learning process and your group work to make learning more effective and your performance significantly improve.
What is the Bartle test?
British professor Dr Richard Bartle published a scientific study back in 1996, Hearts, clubs, diamonds, spades: Players who suit MUDs, which divided all video game players into four psychological types: soldier, diplomat, researcher and entrepreneur.
The basic principle of the test is very simple: video game players have to answer questions with only two answer choices. Simple, isn't it? The result will be a profile of your player.
How do players and students benefit from this test?
It is good to know your own strengths and weaknesses, those of your teammates and those of your opponents. With the results of the Bartle test, you can create more effective video game strategies by learning about the strengths and weaknesses of both your opponents and your teammates. The information you gain can also be used in teaching, especially in group work. This makes it easier to decide in which role and for which tasks each team member will be best suited.
In many US schools, this information is already being used in curriculum design as well as in teaching.
However, it is important to bear in mind that first impressions can be deceptive, so it is best to ask team and class members to complete the test.
1. Soldier
In video games
Characterised by a focus on winning, skill tests, beating other players, ideally defeating the leaders and moving to the top of the player rankings. Constant competition is essential for soldiers.
The warrior is under constant tension, and his goal is victory, break or snap. For these reasons, other types of players do not like soldiers because their style of play is aggressive.
In the training process
Few pupils fit this psychological type. They are not afraid to take risks because they know that they can start again after a failure. Who doesn't make mistakes? In group work, they can have a positive impact on teamwork by encouraging challenges, unconventional approaches and risks that can pay off in high grades!
2. Entrepreneur
Video games
This type is characterised by a drive for achievement: trophies, points, higher levels, etc. The main goal of entrepreneurs is to outdo themselves, thus improving their personal results. Status is important to them. Achieving it is their personal achievement, something they are proud of and want to demonstrate to others. Entrepreneurs are ideal players because they move along a defined game path with a specific motivation and goal. The basic principle of most games is win or lose. Entrepreneurs understand this principle perfectly - better than any other type of player. Playing is fun, but winning is even more fun. However, if there are no players around who can admire the entrepreneur's victory, his motivation and enjoyment drops.
In the learning process
For entrepreneurs, results are what matter. Good, no, excellent grades! They are always looking for shortcuts to get results. So they will help other learners to get ahead. They often take unorthodox approaches. Others can only admire them, but when they see the results, they are ready to follow and get actively involved to enjoy the fruits of teamwork with the entrepreneur.
3. Researcher
In video games
The main motivation of an explorer is to discover the unknown, to explore, to go where no one has gone before, to do what other players have not done. They are extremely curious, and in this context this is their greatest advantage. The explorer is a very friendly type of player and a very pleasant teammate. During the game, the process is the most important thing for them, not winning.
Explorers don't know failure, they know discovery. For researchers, failure is another discovery to avoid in order not to lose and avoid making the same mistake in the future.
In the learning process
This type of learner has the best chance of becoming a scientist because they value knowledge above all else. They can surprise their classmates with a variety of tricky questions. For example, when working in a group, students will come up with a solution, but the researcher will be able to ask questions to which the team members have no immediate answers. In this way, he or she can significantly confuse the whole team and raise doubts about the correctness of the solution. Their goal in any group work is to gain knowledge, and they may often conduct research, seek information and share their new knowledge with others. This is most rewarding for them!
Researchers are often the students who will do all the work for a project or assignment but then forget to submit it. They have already gained value from the work they have done. Submitting it and having the teacher grade it is no longer their priority.
4. Diplomat
In video games
For Diplomats, socialising is key to gamification. For them, being together is the most important thing, winning is secondary. They are excellent communicators and good teammates. However, sometimes their desire to participate can be incomprehensible to other types of players, especially a soldier whose goal is to win, come snap or break. Diplomats like to help other players in their quests, to win victories, to score more points or to get to the next level. They like to offer advice and suggestions because this way they interact with other players, which is their main motivation and satisfaction.
In the learning process
Diplomats are excellent communicators, they usually have many followers on social networks, they communicate easily and are able to get along with their classmates. Their communication skills are very useful in any group work, as they are usually able to find common ground with business people, researchers and soldiers. Often, they just get on with the process, without striving for high grades or new discoveries. The process and the group work is exciting enough to be rewarding in itself!
Want to know which type of player you are? Take the test and find out how you can use this knowledge to get better grades in your lessons and do different tasks in your group more effectively!
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