From the concept of gamification and gaming to the use in virtual learning environments. Epistemological analysis

Abstract

This paper aims to provide an epistemological order to the concept, definition and use given to two notions that, at first glance, are covered in the context of Virtual Learning Environments (VLE): the game and gamification. In this regard, the epistemological support is mainly covered by Pierre Bourdieu and Johan Huizinga; the first for its development in the field of social practices, who also made contributions to the concept of game; and the second, considered as one of the fathers of the term gamification, a concept that can be taken as a counterpart of the game, however, has another approach and use in face-to-face and virtual educational practices as shown in the analysis of works by recent authors. Regarding the methodological framework, it is located in the critical-analytical level by covering the theoretical andpractical thinking about the concepts of game and gamification, with a mixed approach that goes from documentary research to field research through the design and application of a survey. The population is made up of teachers who developed digital educational contents for the virtual modality of an institution in the municipality of Pachuca de Soto, Hidalgo; an exercise that allowed to identify a disconnection between the epistemological and operative bases of these terms, as well as to promote the incorporation of training for teachers.