Gamification as a tool and Ed Tech trends

10 ways Gamification can save Online Learning
http://www.growthengineering.co.uk/10-ways-gamification-can-save-online-learning/

Gamification, personalization and continued education are trending in edtech
http://techcrunch.com/2016/04/08/1301192/

Why gamification?

Some answers to the question "why gamification?"

THE NEUROSCIENCE OF GAMIFICATION IN ONLINE LEARNING

http://www.growthengineering.co.uk/the-neuroscience-of-gamification-in-online-learning/

Duolingo - An excellent example of eLearning and gamification

I've been using Duolingo to study Spanish. The format makes a lot of sense to me and is an excellent example of using gamification principles in eLearning. Take a look at the article from the eLearning Mind website:
http://elearningmind.com/now-youre-speaking-language-duolingo-teaches-us-microlearning/

I appreciate the degree of user control, easily managed modules, multiple means of interaction, user reinforcement and the opportunity to ask questions/engage in social learning with other students.

If you haven't seen Duolingo, (http://www.duolingo.com) it's very much worth a visit.
And to top it off, it's free!