Gamify Any Learning with ThingLink’s New Locked Mode

Kyla Ball May 7, 2024

Creators can now enable new Locked Mode for tags, allowing learners to unlock new information as they progress through a scene in a set sequence. In this post we’ll look at some ways you can start using this new feature update today – to make any learning experience feel instantly more interactive and engaging.

How does the new feature update work?

We launched Guided Mode in November 2023 as an experimental update within the main ThingLink Multimedia Editor. You told us it was super-helpful for guiding your learners through tags in the correct order! So we gave Guided Mode a further update by adding another optional setting.

In optional Locked Mode, the learner is required to open all tags in sequence. So once Locked Mode is enabled, tags are highlighted one by one, with all tags locked, except the first in the sequence. Only once a tag is opened will the next tag in sequence be unlocked to view. 

How do I enable Locked Mode?

1. In the ThingLink editor, go to Settings. 
2. Turn Guided Mode on. 
3. The Locked Mode option will then appear underneath. Turn this on.

You can also use the Tag Sequence menu to change the order in which your tags are highlighted.

In this short video below, you can see the new update in action.  

You can also read more about Guided Mode and Locked Mode at this helpful Support Article.

What are the benefits of using Locked Mode?

In Guided Mode, you are simply suggesting the optimal order in which your learners should open the tags. Locked Mode gives you the extra layer of assurance that they will follow the correct sequence. In this way, it is very similar to ThingLink’s Guided Tours product – where learners can only follow one set path through focal points and scenes in the order that you set. 

Sometimes having a number of tags to click can be overwhelming for some students. Providing a set path or order helps to prevent what is often described as “choice paralysis” and ensures learners can more ahead confidently.

Creating interactive learning environments in ThingLink will already help to increase learner engagement with your content and resources, which in turn will assist with knowledge retention. But by adding Locked Mode, your learners will be able to more confidently navigate the learning activities you set, with a clear direction as to where to start and how to progress. This is ideal for situations where your direct support is limited for any reason, for example where student learning is asynchronous or online learning is happening at home or in another remote location. 

Other ways that you can use Locked Mode

Outside the educational context, Locked Mode also works well when you need to convey precise user instructions that need thorough comprehension of each step before moving onto the next. For example an interactive product guide or user manual.

Focus on: Gamification

What do we mean by gamified learning?

Gamification simply means using game design elements and principles to engage learners and motivate them to achieve the learning outcomes. Many of these are familiar to learners through video games. Some examples and benefits of gamification are:

• Points and/or badges for completing tasks/reaching milestones. It reflects our intrinsic motivation for achievement and recognition.
• Leaderboards to show learners how they rank compared to their peers. It’s not suitable for all learners, but it can help to foster friendly competition and encourage learners to strive for improvement.
• Progress bars to show learners how far they have progressed in a course or a module. They provide a sense of accomplishment and encourages learners to continue and complete the unit of study.
• Level-up and unlockable content: learners must complete tasks or pass tests/quizzes to unlock new content or progress to the next level. This creates a sense of achievement and progression.
• Simulations, scenarios and role-playing allow learners to apply their knowledge and skills in real-world context. This helps them understand complex concepts and develop practical skills. This is the aspect of gamification that lies at the heart of ThingLink’s Scenario Builder.

Other ways to incorporate gamification elements in your thinglinks

• Escape rooms are easy to create in ThingLink and a great way to bring an element of challenge to the learning process.  
• You can also add other game elements into your thinglinks such as using interactive maps for fast travel” between rooms in a virtual exhibition guide or campus tour. This case study shows the concept in action.
• ThingLink’s Scenario Builder can used to create “choose your own adventure” learning activites. It’s now commonly used in elearning for skills development and corporate training as learners can see the direct consequence of each choice that they make, improving their problem solving skills as they go.