I think gamification is a wonderful idea. As educators is our responsibility to find ways to keep our students interested in learning. Anything that can help to motivate and engage individuals is learning is vital to teachers. Gamification is  a tool used to encourage individuals to research and explore when working toward a particular goal. As educators we are aware of the many students who have a hard time getting motivated. If we can help them get interested by simply using elements of games then we have helped them to become more successful. Gamification fosters teamwork. Individuals who are not as outgoing as others might feel better with working as a team rather than alone. Some students may not understand the task at hand. Working with others who have more knowledge about the subject could be of great help to the student who may struggle in that area.
In the article, it did mention the downside of gramification. As with everything else, there is always a positive and a negative side. As educators it is for us to utilize this as a way in which our students will  achieve their goal and be successful. Teamwork is so important. Gamification allows opportunities for individuals to understand each others learning styles. I feel that using elements of games in our class for motivation purposes and as a way to engage students is very important. I think the younger the child is exposed to this process the better. Individuals are always excited when they are given some type of recognition such as a reward when they have achieved a specific goal.