What is gamification?

"Gamification is the use of game thinking and game mechanics in non-game contexts to engage users in solving problems" (wikipedia)

In the video below, you will listen to Jane McGonigal, a game designer who will be asked about the effect and the advantages of using games at schools.
She comments that the clue for learning when playing consists of the kind of engagement when playing. 

In the video below, you have a real sample. You will see that children are not afraid of making mistakes, and they keep trying until they get it correct. They have fun, they are more motivated and they use the language in a natural way.

I can conclude that students that are allowed to fail, experiment, try on different social roles and  participate more in their own learning, learn more than students who are taught in a more "traditional" way.