Gamified learning is a serious approach to education for accelerating the experience curve of the learning, teaching complex subjects, and system thinking.
Teachers, faculty members, and corporate trainers have been using game-like techniques for a long time as well. Instructors, trainers, and professors embed stories in the form of case studies to wrap experiences for learners, create challenges to engage learners, and set goals and provide feedback on progress while providing a safe environment for learners to practice skills. All of there are elements of gamification. [or gamified learning]
What is new is the emphasis of bringing all these elements together in an engaging manner under the single concept of gamification. The focus on the relationships and dependencies of these elements is new. The rapidly growing acceptance of game thinking and game mechanics applied to performance, learning, and instruction is forcing a re-examination of how games impact learning and performance.
Excerpt from: Kapp K. M. The Gamification of Learning and Instruction: Game-based methods and strategies for training and education. Pfeiffer books, 2012. Kindle Edition (location 852 of 6977).