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Children born after 2010 are labelled as members of Generation Alpha, who currently pursue their primary education. Gamification and game-based learning methodologies have gained popularity in the global education sector in the recent past. The goal of this study is to investigate the present state of adopting gamification and game-based learning for primary education student cohorts, with the aid of recent peer-reviewed research publications. By employing a systematic mapping design, reviewed paper results are categorized and further evaluated in relation to the attributes such as type of gamification, game mechanics and elements used, evaluation context, type of experimental outcome, gamified academic subject area, and type of application. With the aid of review results, this study proposes a mapping of gamification learning mechanics, suited to address Generation Alpha traits. It also recommends future research directions, which include investigating the realistic learning preferences of Generation Alpha, the need for designing novel educational game elements and adaptive gamification learning strategies, and the importance of long-term studies with diverse learner samples. The findings of this study will support prospective stakeholders, such as researchers, educators, parents, and educational policymakers, to utilize gamification approaches effectively in educating Generation Alpha.

Creativity has been proven to be a core competitiveness in the twenty-first century. Although many experimental studies have confirmed that game learning can improve creativity, some studies have contrary results. Currently, there are very few, and primarily incomplete, meta-analyses integrating experimental studies of educational gaming's impact on creativity. The current meta-analysis included 29 articles from 2002 to 2022, containing 116 effect sizes and 4,159 student subjects. The results showed that the overall mean weighted effect size was 0.84, indicating that game learning significantly positively affected students' creativity compared with non-game learning. In addition, the mean effect size was moderated by digital content, teaching strategies, educational stages, publication sources, and class size but not by patterns, disciplines, and experiment duration. Accordingly, this study provides new insights and suggestions on improving creativity via game learning design and implementation as a reference for researchers, teachers, game designers, and developers in the field of creativity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children born after 2010 are labelled as members of Generation Alpha, who currently pursue their primary education. Gamification and game-based learning methodologies have gained popularity in the global education sector in the recent past. The goal of this study is to investigate the present state of adopting gamification and game-based learning for primary education student cohorts, with the aid of recent peer-reviewed research publications. By employing a systematic mapping design, reviewed paper results are categorized and further evaluated in relation to the attributes such as type of gamification, game mechanics and elements used, evaluation context, type of experimental outcome, gamified academic subject area, and type of application. With the aid of review results, this study proposes a mapping of gamification learning mechanics, suited to address Generation Alpha traits. It also recommends future research directions, which include investigating the realistic learning preferences of Generation Alpha, the need for designing novel educational game elements and adaptive gamification learning strategies, and the importance of long-term studies with diverse learner samples. The findings of this study will support prospective stakeholders, such as researchers, educators, parents, and educational policymakers, to utilize gamification approaches effectively in educating Generation Alpha.

Children born after 2010 are labelled as members of Generation Alpha, who currently pursue their primary education. Gamification and game-based learning methodologies have gained popularity in the global education sector in the recent past. The goal of this study is to investigate the present state of adopting gamification and game-based learning for primary education student cohorts, with the aid of recent peerreviewed research publications. By employing a systematic mapping design, reviewed paper results are categorized and further evaluated in relation to the attributes such as type of gamification, game mechanics and elements used, evaluation context, type of experimental outcome, gamified academic subject area, and type of application. With the aid of review results, this study proposes a mapping of gamification learning mechanics, suited to address Generation Alpha traits. It also recommends future research directions, which include investigating the realistic learning preferences of Generation Alpha, the need for designing novel educational game elements and adaptive gamification learning strategies, and the importance of long-term studies with diverse learner samples. The findings of this study will support prospective stakeholders, such as researchers, educators, parents, and educational policymakers, to utilize gamification approaches effectively in educating Generation Alpha. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this Q-study was to identify and categorize learners’ learning styles and preferences regarding the incorporation of gamification-enhanced activities in a partially flipped gamified classroom during a Taiwan university eighteen week’s Introduction to Marketing course. Q-methodology was used because it identifies assorted viewpoints subjectively and analyzes them statistically. Twenty-six students were surveyed and asked to rank-order thirty statements about their perceptions toward the teaching method used. A factor analysis and a correlation test were used to identify both the factors involved and those individuals with whom they were highly correlated. Three factors were identified: Factor A – Engaged Achiever, Factor B – Self-motived Explorer, and Factor C – Interactive Designer, each of which represented participants with similar perceptions. Such multiple learning styles and perspectives present both challenges and opportunities in business education.

In this study, we have proposed and implemented a sequential data analytics (SDA)-driven methodological framework to design adaptivity for digital game-based learning (DGBL). The goal of this framework is to facilitate children's personalized learning experiences for K-5 computing education. Although DGBL experiences can be beneficial, young children need personalized learning support because they are likely to experience cognitive challenges in computational thinking (CT) development and learning transfer. We implemented the educational game Penguin Go to test our methodological framework to detect children's optimal learning interaction patterns. Specifically, using SDA, we identified children's diverse gameplay patterns and inferred their learning states related to CT. To better understand children's gameplay performance and CT development in context, we used qualitative data as triangulation. We discuss adaptivity design based on the children's gameplay challenges indicated by their gameplay sequence patterns. This study shows that SDA can inform what in-game support is necessary to foster student learning and when to deliver such support in gameplay. The study findings suggest design guidelines regarding the integration of the proposed SDA framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The digital revolution has heavily influenced digital game-based learning, yet as the revolution progresses, the conception of such learning has shifted along with the increasing complexity of the digital environment. Our study thus aims to identify research standing at this important juncture and to explain the shift in digital game-based learning research fields by adopting an integrated approach of main path analysis that yields this topic's knowledge diffusion. Using key-route 8 to construct the path, we collect a total of 2156 articles and their data from The Web of Science database. From over 30 years of digital game-based learning development, 26 of the most influential studies are identified and visualized using Pajek software. The findings show two development phases for this field: exploring the role of gaming for educational purpose as well as facilitating learning performance. The research focus in the first phase prominently explores the potentials of digital games for educational purposes, and then the focus evolves in the second phase into actualizing the identified potentials. We propose a framework of digital game-based learning affordance actualization to explain these shifting phenomena in the specific research fields. Furthermore, unveiling the changing conception of digital game-based learning research is important for instructional designers, scholars, and educators to truly understand how technology can enhance teaching and facilitate learning performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creativity mindset (CM), grit, and self-determination have been defined as critical motivational variables affecting learners' self-efficacy. Therefore, this study pioneers the examination of the relationship between these motivational variables and creativity self-efficacy (CSE) during game-based learning. A Creativity Mindset Inventory (CMI) and a game-based learning intervention were employed. Participants for developing the CMI were 281 3rd to 6th graders, and those for the intervention were 114 3rd and 4th graders. The result revealed that the CMI included four constructs (growth-internal control, growth-external control, fixed-internal control, and fixed-external control). Moreover, the employed intervention enhanced the children's growth CM and CSE. Regression analysis results suggest that self-determination mediates the influence of growth CM and grit on CSE. Additionally, growth CM, especially the growth-internal control CM, is a powerful predictor of self-determination and CSE. In contrast, fixed CM (the overall fixed CM, the fixed-internal control CM, or the fixed-external control CM) does not have any significant influence on self-determination or CSE. Notably, the findings of this study support that growth CM can be enhanced through a well scaffolded educational game. This study contributes to the field of game-based learning by developing a CM inventory, demonstrating a growth CM intervention, and clarifying influential factors to CSE during game-based training. While game-based learning has become popular among elementary school students, the findings of this study provide important insights into the design of game-based learning and creativity training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A design-based study was conducted in iterative cycles to test the effectiveness of the updated goal-access-feedback-challenge-collaboration (updated-GAFCC) gamification design model. The test-bed was a 10-week undergraduate introductory information management course. Students from three consecutive school years participated in the study, with the control group studying the conventional course without gamification (first year), treatment group_1 studying a gamified course following the original GAFCC model (second year), and treatment group_2 studying an optimized gamified course following the updated-GAFCC model (third year). The results of the design-based study indicated that (i) the updated-GAFCC model and the GAFCC model were effective in enhancing students’ learning achievements and task completion; (ii) the updated-GAFCC model was more successful in generating higher quality thinking artifacts than the GAFCC model; (iii) there were fewer lower-quality submissions in the updated-GAFCC condition than in the GAFCC condition; and (iv) 89% of the interviewed students in the updated-GAFCC condition were satisfied with the overall learning design, and felt that the gamified learning activities facilitated their learning. Overall, the findings contribute to our understanding of how pedagogical strategies can be incorporated into the theory-based design model to optimize learning experiences and academic outcomes.

One of the main goals of gamification in educational settings is to increase student motivation and engagement. To facilitate the design of gamified educational systems, in recent years, studies have proposed various approaches (e.g., methodologies, frameworks and models). One of the main problems, however, is that most of these approaches are theoretical, and do not provide a proof-of-concept. This paper advances the state of the art by providing a practical way to help implement this kind of system. In this study, we present, for the first time, how one can apply gamification elements in a learning system using the Design Sprint method, to guide designers and developers on replicating this process. Additionally, as starting point, we use a taxonomy composed of 21 game elements, proposed to be used within learning environments, organised into five game element categories, according to their goal/usage. Our main contribution is to present how to systematically implement the gamification elements focused on educational ends, which is of special value to practitioners, designers and developers.

This study examined effects of gamified comparison on sixth graders’ performance of algebra word problem solving and attitude toward algebra learning. Seventy-two sixth graders were invited to participate in a four-week experimental instruction and assigned to three groups: gamified comparison, comparison, and control. The results showed (1) a significant effect on solving similar problems: the gamified comparison group performed significantly better than the comparison group and the control group respectively, and the comparison group performed significantly better than the control group; (2) a significant effect on solving transfer problems: the gamified comparison group gained significantly higher scores than the comparison group and the control group respectively, and the comparison group gained significantly higher scores than the control group; (3) a significant effect on students’ learning attitude: while no significant differences found on students’ confidence, the gamified comparison group made significantly more positive responses than the comparison group and the control group in terms of enjoyment, motivation, and perceived value. This study proposed a feasible combination of game rule and comparison strategy, as well as exploring implications for teachers’ teaching design and students’ gamified learning activities.

It is challenging to utilize learning analytic technologies to examine gameplay log data for game-embedded assessment in the field of game-based learning. Analytical approaches based on a new perspective focusing on complicated contextual data are imperative in the current scenario. A relatively new concept called precision education, which focuses on individual learning and provides personalized and timely intervention to different learners, can be regarded as a new perspective for game-based learning. Additionally, the order of knowledge acquisition in the learning environment is a kind of learning path extracted from the contextual information of in-game behavior logs. Therefore, in this study, the authors propose a new analytical approach to identify learning path patterns and elucidate the features of these patterns for an educational game they developed. The statistical analysis shows that learners with diverse learning path patterns have different learning effects, suggesting that the learning path is an important factor in precision education. The practice of using the explanation method to examine the proposed approach can help us understand learners' knowledge acquisition and provide evidence for enhancing the accuracy of precision education and improving the quality of the educational game. The findings are expected to contribute to both game-based learning and precision education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main goals of gamification in educational settings is to increase student motivation and engagement. To facilitate the design of gamified educational systems, in recent years, studies have proposed various approaches (e.g., methodologies, frameworks and models). One of the main problems, however, is that most of these approaches are theoretical, and do not provide a proof-of-concept. This paper advances the state of the art by providing a practical way to help implement this kind of system. In this study, we present, for the first time, how one can apply gamification elements in a learning system using the Design Sprint method, to guide designers and developers on replicating this process. Additionally, as starting point, we use a taxonomy composed of 21 game elements, proposed to be used within learning environments, organised into five game element categories, according to their goal/usage. Our main contribution is to present how to systematically implement the gamification elements focused on educational ends, which is of special value to practitioners, designers and developers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been increasing discussion among educators and researchers about harnessing the idea of gamification to enhance the current learning and teaching practices in school education. Leveraging the context-aware mobile technology and student-centred learning theories, we have developed a mobile application, Gamified Authentic Mobile Enquiry in Society (GAMES), to support students in conducting authentic outdoor enquiry-based learning in social humanities education. This paper reports the quasiexperimental study in which we evaluated the learning effectiveness of GAMES in terms of supporting students' knowledge construction, in comparison with the conventional outdoor enquiry-based learning approach. It involved a total of 559 Grade-10 students from top, middle, and bottom academic-banding schools. Results indicated that, compared to the conventional approach, GAMES had different degrees of positive effects on the high, moderate, and low academic-achieving participants. This study not only provides grounds for a wider adoption of GAMES in social humanities education, but also makes a contribution to empirical evidence in the field by designing, implementing and evaluating gamified mobile learning in authentic outdoor contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study combined the gamification element and an interactive response system (IRS) in the development of a gamified IRS, and examined its effects on the intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, engagement, and attention of junior high school students when learning English. The quasi-experimental research method comprised the scales for measuring intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, student engagement, and attention, as well as an open-ended questionnaire to collect quantitative and qualitative data for analysis. The study involved 144 seventh-grade students who were divided into three groups to learn English using different polling tools. The results indicated that when the gamified IRS was used for polling activities in the classroom, the fun, interactive, competitive, and novel nature of the system helped improve the students' levels of intrinsic motivation, overall engagement, emotional engagement, and focused attention. The use of clickers for polling leads to significant intrinsic motivation compared to using small whiteboards. This study suggests integrating the gamification element with classroom teaching to make English classes more interesting and attractive to learners. In addition, tools that are highly interactive, challenging, and competitive make students pay more attention in the classroom, and so are more helpful to them when learning English. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editors discuss gamification, game-based learning and learning performance.

Studies highlight the need to consider different player types during gamification design. The aim of the present study was to determine the elements that affect learners showing different player type characteristics in a gamified learning environment. Accordingly, the study examined which game elements trigger which mechanics. The design of the study's gamified learning environment used the game elements of leaderboard, achievements, point, badge, content unlocking, level, gifting, team, and story which were thought to motivate different player types. A total of 41 undergraduate students participated in the study for 7 weeks. Using the "Player Type Scale" developed by the researchers, player types were determined as killer, achiever, explorer, and socializer. One learner showing the dominant characteristics of each player types were interviewed to determine which elements each learner liked, disliked, or was indifferent to and which mechanics these elements served. Results indicated that: (a) players may show characteristics different than their player type depending on the design features of the gamified learning environment, (b) the mechanics that attract learners in a gamified learning environment differ with regard to player type, (c) the elements that trigger a mechanic differ in with regard to player type, (d) an element may serve different mechanics for different player types, and (e) the selection of elements and the context in which they are used in the design affects the mechanic it serves and therefore the whole process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the findings of a field experiment that gamified the classroom experience of elementary school ESL students by implementing digital badges-and-points which students could earn by achieving specific behavioral and learning goals. Altogether, 120 children in eight different classes participated in this study. Four of the classes (experimental group) used the digital badges-and-points available in ClassDojo, a free online classroom management system, while the other four classes (control group) employed a nondigital conventional school token point system. The results showed that digital badges-and-points afforded by ClassDojo significantly improved student learning in two classes (Grades 3 and 4) but not in Grades 1 and 2 classes. Overall, students reported enjoying using digital badges-and-points in the classrooms. Teacher observational data indicated that the digital badges-and-points group displayed more positive and on-task behaviors than the non-digital classroom token point system group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gamification is presented in the literature as a pedagogical innovation that may increase student engagement and enhance learning. This study explores students' perceptions of a gamified learning intervention deployed in a large undergraduate module and a small postgraduate module. Given the dearth of previous empirical work, an exploratory approach was used. Focus groups were carried out to develop a nuanced understanding of the students' perceptions of a gamified learning environment. Six themes emerged: impact on learning outcomes, motivation, the importance of the stakes, group dynamics, gender and the challenges gamified learning activities present. The paper contributes by evaluating students' perceptions of the effectiveness of gamification, providing guidelines for other practitioners deploying gamified learning interventions and identifying outstanding issues and questions that require further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction to the journal is presented that focuses on the theoretical approaches of the game design and gamification process, including the design and evaluation process of an educational game considering issues for visually-impaired people inclusion, design guidelines of designing educational games for children via a thorough literature survey, and an educational game development environment called uAdventure.

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have developed rapidly and become tremendously popular because of their plentiful gamification designs, such as reputation points, rewards, and goal setting. Although previous studies have mentioned a broad range of gamification designs that might influence MOOC learner engagement, most gamified MOOCs fail to meet learning objectives because of a lack of research regarding suitable game design, as well as poor rationale for or design of gamification mechanics. This study aims to explore and identify engaging gamification mechanics for MOOC learners. We conducted a focus group interview with 25 MOOC frequent users to identify 40 gamification mechanics. This study then determined the relative engagingness of these gamification mechanics by administering an online survey to 5,020 MOOC learners. The results indicated that the 10 most engaging gamification mechanics accounted for more than 50% of the engagingness. The mechanics of the Where's Wally game is extremely engaging for MOOC learners; however, they it is not been demonstrated in previous relevant studies. Finally, we discuss the top five engaging gamification mechanics and their implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While gamification is gaining ground in business, marketing, corporate management, and wellness initiatives, its application in education is still an emerging trend. This article presents a study of the published empirical research on the application of gamification to education. The study is limited to papers that discuss explicitly the effects of using game elements in specific educational contexts. It employs a systematic mapping design. Accordingly, a categorical structure for classifying the research results is proposed based on the extracted topics discussed in the reviewed papers. The categories include gamification design principles, game mechanics, context of applying gamification (type of application, educational level, and academic subject), implementation, and evaluation. By mapping the published works to the classification criteria and analyzing them, the study highlights the directions of the currently conducted empirical research on applying gamification to education. It also indicates some major obstacles and needs, such as the need for proper technological support, for controlled studies demonstrating reliable positive or negative results of using specific game elements in particular educational contexts, etc. Although most of the reviewed papers report promising results, more substantial empirical research is needed to determine whether both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation of the learners can be influenced by gamification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]