The meteoric rise of “gamification” practices since 2010 has sparked strong opinions. Is gamification a revolutionary tool that can accelerate playful learning in the 21st century? Or is it a superficial add-on that leverages short-term extrinsic rewards at the expense of long-term development? In this workshop, Cricket Moon Media's President, Geoff Nelson, will look at both sides of the argument, viewing them through the lens of youth-focused interactive design. You will examine specific, practical design tactics that leverage the best of both camps, and together you’ll seek to define an innovative new design paradigm that sidesteps the hyperbole and lays out a balanced path to engaging and rewarding interactive experiences for our next generation of playful learners.