Search

Gamification in dermatology refers to the use of game characteristics in real-world processes or problems to enhance educational engagement. This systematic review examined nine studies on gamification and dermatology education. The studies showed that gamification methods, such as matching games and web-based applets, were associated with improved accuracy, sensitivity, and self-perceived confidence in identifying skin lesions, particularly melanoma. However, the studies had limitations, including small sample sizes and a lack of control groups. Despite these limitations, gamification shows potential in dermatology education, especially in facilitating self-identification of skin lesions among patients and their caregivers. Future research should focus on randomized controlled trials and long-term assessments to further evaluate the efficacy of gamification in dermatology education. [Extracted from the article]

Self-determination theory (SDT) has empirical support in understanding and enhancing motivation in a variety of contexts, including education settings. Niemac and Ryan have highlighted that using SDT in course design can lead to stronger fulfilment of an internal locus of causality regarding course work. One course design method anchored in SDT is gameful learning—structuring tasks that support intrinsic motivation, primarily increasing autonomy over learning. A gamified classroom (GC) may offer more assignments and points than minimally necessary for students to earn a passing mark, allowing students choice in which projects to pursue. Further research is needed to examine the degree to which students' motivations differ between a GC and a non-gamified classroom (NGC). The purpose of the current study was to determine if students in a GC were more intrinsically motivated than students in NGC. Students were enrolled in an undergraduate kinesiology course using a GC design (n = 24) or NGC design (n = 26) and completed an online survey – derived from the intrinsic motivation inventory and the test anxiety questionnaire—at the beginning and end of the semester. In the GC, students started with zero points, and were offered multiple assignments with scaffolded difficulty to reach their desired grade. The NGC used a traditional 100% grade range, with only required assignments and exams, and students lost points for inadequate or inaccurate responses. Following analyses, it was revealed that students in the GC had higher perceptions of autonomy and competence than students in the NGC. Where these differences exist over time, along with differences in other subscales, will be discussed further. Educators seeking to enhance student motivation and engagement may therefore look to gamification as an appropriate methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of social platforms and human activities, people are now interested to solve their problems with the help of the social crowd-powered system. So, crowdsourcing has become a promising way of solving problems in a distributed manner within a specific time. Crowd workers pick up a task (simple or complex) and solve it with competing interest or collaboratively and receive an incentive (as monetary or non-monetary). In paid crowdsourcing platforms, crowd workers solve complex tasks and get remunerations through prior bidding or prior announcement of fee decided by the requester (task provider). For decomposable tasks, a single winner may not provide a significant solution to the requester due to the insufficient knowledge. So, we induce collaboration in competitive crowdsourcing markets to better handle decomposable-type tasks. In this paper, we propose an envelope game-based mechanism that ensures if the tasks are decomposable then the workers will be encouraged to collaborate with their subtasks and share their remunerations. This mechanism also increases the chance of receiving more number of cost-effective solutions. Thus both the requester and crowd workers get benefits from the system. The effectiveness of the proposed mechanism is evaluated through empirical analysis on simulated environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persuasive games are widely implemented in the healthcare domain to promote behaviour change among individuals. Previous research shows that using persuasive games increases motivation and awareness, leading to a positive change in behaviour. However, there is little knowledge on which persuasive strategies will motivate people at different Stages of Behaviour Change and whether tailoring persuasive games to match users' stages of change will increase their effectiveness with respect to their motivational appeal towards promoting disease awareness and prevention using the ARCS motivation scales and their intention to adopt the precautionary measures. To address this gap, using COVID-19 as a case study, we designed two different versions of a persuasive game, called COVID Pacman, using different persuasive strategies. The two versions of the game target the same goal of motivating the adoption of precautionary measures. We conducted a quantitative study (N=127) followed by semi-structured interviews of 18 participants. The results of conducting an ANOVA on the quantitative data and thematic analysis on the qualitative study show that tailoring the persuasive games to individual's stages of change by using appropriate persuasive strategies increased their effectiveness with respect to their ability to motivate people to adopt the precautionary measures towards disease prevention compared to the non-tailored version. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The use of gamification might offer a partial solution to the decline in students' motivation and engagement the school system is currently facing. However, there has been a lack of empirical evidence on whether and how gamification may be able to improve learning motivation. Specifically, this study aims at exploring the antecedents and consequences of intrinsic learning motivation and its mediating role in gamification context. Design/methodology/approach: A survey method was used to gather the information from students, and regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between three categories of gamification features (social, achievement and immersion), and intrinsic learning motivation. Moreover, this study further used self-determination theory to clarify how students' psychological needs (relatedness, competence and autonomy) mediate the effects of gamification and learning motivation. Findings: Results showed that social, achievement and immersion features are key aspects that impact students' intrinsic motivation. The psychological needs of students can further enhance these relationships. Originality/value: Overall, the findings illuminate the unique motivations for learning and reveal design strategies that can be implemented to improve teaching through gamification features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to propose a research model based on the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) model to test whether network externality, gamification and media richness as environmental feature antecedents to learners' learning engagement (LE) can affect their continuance intention of massive open online courses (MOOCs). Design/methodology/approach: Sample data for this study were collected from learners who had experience in taking the gamified MOOCs provided by the MOOC platform launched by a well-known university in Taiwan, and 315 usable questionnaires were analyzed using structural equation modeling in this study. Findings: This study verified that learners' perceived network externality, gamification and media richness in MOOCs positively influenced their behavioral LE, emotional LE and social LE elicited by MOOCs, which collectively caused their continuance intention of MOOCs. The results support all proposed hypotheses, and the research model accounts for 75.6% of the variance in learners' continuance intention of MOOCs. Originality/value: This study uses the S-O-R model as a theoretical groundwork to construct learners' continuance intention of MOOCs as a series of the internal process, which is influenced by network externality, gamification and media richness. Noteworthily, three psychological constructs, behavioral LE, emotional LE and social LE, are employed to represent learners' organisms of MOOCs usage. To date, the concepts of network externality, gamification and media richness are rarely together adopted as environmental stimuli, and psychological constructs as organisms have received lesser attention in prior MOOCs studies using the S-O-R model. Hence, this study's contribution on the application of capturing psychological constructs for completely expounding three types of environmental features as antecedents to learners' continuance intention of MOOCs is well documented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gamification has been applied in different fields over the last years, impacting the development of technologies, services, and products towards a more game-like world. Albeit its success, some results indicated personal differences influencing the success of its application, leading to the creation of user models (e.g., Hexad), a way to represent user profiles in gamified environments. Even though a great effort has been made to create and discuss instruments to represent these user models, many of them lack investigation into their psychometric properties. At the same time, although gamification can be particularly interesting in engaging adolescents, few attempts analyzed instruments considering this population. Addressing this lack, in this study, we evaluated the psychometric properties of the gamification Hexad scale in Brazilian Portuguese considering a sample ( N = 110 ) of adolescents aged between 13 and 16 years old. Through a quantitative study (i.e., confirmatory factor analysis and correlation), we analyzed the psychometric properties of the scale and the correlations between user types when using data collected from adolescents. Results demonstrated that the current version of the scale needs improvements to better assess the user types of the Brazilian adolescent population, especially regarding the Disruptor user type. Also, the user types presented fewer correlations when compared with the adult sample. At the same time that the results of this study can be used in the academy and industry as a source of measurement of user types from Brazilian adolescents, it also opens several possibilities for new studies in personalized gamification considering this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medication non-adherence is a prevalent healthcare problem with poor health outcomes and added healthcare costs. MedScrab, a gamification-based mHealth app, is the first attempt to deliver crucial life-saving medication information to patients and increase their medication adherence. The paper presents the development of MedScrab and a two-phase mixed-method usability evaluation of MedScrab. Phase I qualitatively evaluated MedScrab using a think-aloud protocol for its usability. With 51 participants, qualitative data analysis of Phase I revealed two themes: positive functionality of the app and four areas of improvement. The improvement recommendations were incorporated into MedScrab's design. Phase I also validated a widely used mHealth App Usability Questionnaire (MAUQ). Quantitative data analysis of Phase I reduced the original 18-item MAUQ scale to a 15-item scale with two factors: ease of use (4 items) and usefulness and satisfaction (11 items). Phase II surveyed 83 participants from Amazon's Mechanical Turk using a modified MAUQ. The modified MAUQ scale showed strong internal consistency (Cronbach alpha = 0.959) and high factor loadings (between 0.623 and 0.987). The study design of the usability evaluation can serve as a methodological guide for designing, evaluating, and improving mHealth apps. The usability study showed that MedScrab was perceived as ease of use (6.24 out of 7) with high usefulness and satisfaction (5.72 out of 7). The quantitative data analysis results support the use of the modified MAUQ as a valid instrument to measure the usability of the MedScrab. However, the instrument should be used with adaptation based on the app's characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Game-based learning can be a useful tool for increasing engagement in topics that are typically not related to games such as privacy and staying safe online, yet, very few games exist that look at how we can passively teach audiences how to stay safe online. This paper presents a bespoke board game about privacy, aimed at young people aged 16–25 years, to help them safely navigate the online world and understand the privacy consequences of their actions. Using a Case Study methodology, this paper covers the development of the prototype game, a Snakes and Ladders/ Trivial Pursuit style game about online scams, trolls, cyberbullying and other areas of digital safety. We also explain how the game questions were created, and the development and testing of the game itself. We trialled the game through a series of focus groups and found that young people passively learn how to stay safe online in a fun and interactive manner through playing the game. This makes the game an effective way to teach young people about the dangers of cyberspace in a safe, non-threatening manner, thereby demonstrating how an interactive game about digital privacy and online safety, can be used to more effectively protect young people from the many dangers of cyberspace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigated the effects of gamification on behavioral and cognitive engagement of students in online learning environments. The study was conducted in a quasi-experimental design including a control group. Students in the gamified environment were the experimental group, and the students studying in the non-gamified environment were the control group. Both groups of students studied in an online learning environment for 10 weeks. The study group consists of 46 students selected with the convenience sampling method. There were 18 male and 5 female students in the experimental group, and 19 male and 4 female students in the control group. Four research questions guided the study. Findings revealed that gamification enhanced students' achievement by increasing their content interaction in the online learning environment. The study recommended the use of gamification in the online learning environment because it makes learning that looks difficult or boring become interesting and easier to understand. Hence, it is activity-based and involves students' active engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The present study aims to examine how gamification will function in physical activity applications. Because of the stoppage of exercise centers during the epidemic of diseases like COVID-19, which caused a global crisis, and because lack of physical activity is becoming a serious health problem around the world, the present research examines how exercise applications may be used to keep users active in non- exercises contexts. The present study aims to identify the components of gamification on user attraction, involvement, and flow. The gathered data were examined using the content analysis technique, which was used to collect data using the qualitative research method. Finally, a model was constructed that can be used to create and build exercise applications. Narration, feedback, level, progress boards, and other components have been identified, and team building and sharing, as well as the social aspect of applications, have been presented and enhanced, and different aspects have been added to applications, as well as the dynamics and mechanics that affect them. Designers and developers of gamified exercises and health applications will benefit from this article. At present, many special centers for juvenile delinquency use physical activity and sports programs in order to control, prevent and correct delinquency. Sports and physical activities, as one of the important leisure activities, is considered one of the important forms of social control and has educational goals as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Education has gained increasing importance in the current context. Both teachers and students face difficulties due to the lack of knowledge in the use of technological tools and good practices of this type of learning. With the aim of improving academic performance and motivation in the learning process, an investigation was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of gamification and ubiquitous learning in higher education, taking into account the learning styles of students. The methodology used was Design-Based Research, using a quantitative approach and a convenience sample made up of several faculties of the Autonomous University of Queretaro, Mexico. Likert scale surveys were conducted before and after implementing gamification and ubiquitous learning practices. Subsequently, an analysis was performed using the T test for paired samples. The results showed a significant difference before and after the implementation of these practices, which supports the idea that students improved their academic performance and motivation in the teachinglearning process. The research concluded that the effectiveness of gamification and ubiquitous learning in higher education was due to the fact that a predominant learning style was considered in each group, thereby enabling the formulation of strategies to enhance students' academic performance and motivation in the learning process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to advance the understanding of gamification in health care management using a systematic review of the literature through a multiphase analysis. To do so, first, we extract the relevant bibliographic data for our research according to a methodology of data generation structured in six stages and a descriptive analysis oriented to the technical characterization of the data. Then, we codify all the information, identify the main attributes with the collaboration of two independent experts and check their validity using the evaluation of two focus groups of professionals in gamification and health care management. We found seven attributes: (1) health care users, (2) psychology, (3) behavior, (4) activities, (5) health field, (6) technology, and (7) gamification elements. Within each of these seven attributes, there are a series of main elements that are detailed in the following for each of them. (1) Health care users: their age and the role they play in the health system. (2) Psychology: cognition, positive and negative emotions. (3) Behavior: healthy behavior encouragement, such as compliance, collaboration and responsibility. (4) Activities: physical activity and food. (5) Health field: preventive medicine and chronic diseases. (6) Technology: cell phones. (7) Gamification elements: different elements, but the number of articles in which these elements and their interactions are studied in depth is limited. Our results point toward a promising present and future research agenda that is in parallel with the development of relevant fields for the sector, such as chronic diseases, health education and preventive medicine. Plain Language Summary: Gamification, Health Care Management and Systematic Literature Review This research aims to advance the knowledge of gamification in healthcare management using a systematic literature review through a multiphase analysis. Our results point to a promising present and future research agenda parallel to developing fields relevant to the sector, such as chronic diseases, health education, and preventive medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design is a specific form of complex innovation that affects all areas of an organization's management. However, the essence of design is vague, and it is difficult to fully grasp the concept of design. Therefore, it is difficult to find criteria for determining its value. The problem of establishing a causal relationship between design value and user experience is addressed in this paper. The relationship between these two variables affects the importance of design in organizations and can be used to quantify the value of design. Indeed, based on the results of existing research, it is known that this term has many meanings, and it is necessary to reject the possibility of its total quantification. Much of the related research has focused on the area of user experience and customer value, while other related research has focused on design value, which cannot be measured directly but rather, for example, through system dynamic modelling. This approach, i.e., the use of a system dynamic model to determine the value of design, is still missing in the research literature. The main research method for determining the value of design is the experimental method, supported by other research methods: modelling and structured questioning. Inputs to the model, which represent the opinions of the company's managers on the design, are obtained through a board game that provides an attractive and easy-to-understand user interface for the research participants. The value of design is determined by using a sample case study that contains key variables according to the company's business model. The value of the design is calculated based on the indicator "design cost-effectiveness" over six years of the start-up company's business. The indicator is experimentally verified in a model with an identical structure and different scenarios concerning the involvement of design change in the economic development of the firm. This paper aims to use the gamified DVCG model as an innovative concept in business management through a case study. The contribution of the paper to science and practice is to provide experimentally validated evidence to help identify the areas where design investments are needed to make the most sense for the economics and management of the organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study details the development and results of an information literacy game in which undergraduate students evaluated fictional sources to learn how to recognize a werewolf on campus. The game relied on inoculation theory and fiction to teach students to identify indicators of mis and disinformation outside of any real-world examples that might affect their learning experience. The game showed promise as students were far more engaged and demonstrated better retention later in the semester than students who received a more traditional lecture about disinformation and source evaluation. However, the game would likely be more effective if it were expanded beyond the one-shot model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explored how gamification addresses cataloguing and classification education difficulties in Nigeria. It illustrates how library schools may utilize gamification to improve students' teaching and learning experiences using technology. A comprehensive review of the literature was carried out. Literature discoveries were then utilized to build a gamification model suitable for the library school. The findings suggest that library schools should continue to plan through gamification in order to better position themselves for cataloguing and classification delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even though game elements can increase motivation and engagement, they also might distract learners and thereby decrease performance and learning outcomes. In the current study, we investigated the effects of intrinsically integrated game elements on performance and learning outcomes. In a pre-post training study, 85 adult participants were randomly assigned either to the game-based or non-game-based training condition. Participants trained their fraction magnitude understanding with digital number line estimation tasks on five consecutive days (á 15–20 min). The learning outcomes were evaluated using a paper-based number line estimation task. While participants in both the game-based and non-game-based condition improved their fraction magnitude understanding from pretest to posttest, their improvement did not differ significantly. However, during the training, participants in the game-based condition responded more accurately but were slower than those in the non-game-based condition. The current results suggest that game elements might increase participants' cognitive engagement and change their priorities or strategies (i.e., accuracy over speed) during learning. Nevertheless, better training performance did not lead to superior learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Responding to both recent interest in sound within qualitative education research and sound studies literature that conceptualizes sound as a posthuman technology, we use this paper to explore the following research questions: How does sound both enact and unveil posthuman learning ecologies? And how can education scholars engage sound within posthuman research? Through a posthuman framework, we position noise as an analytical tool for exploring and unveiling more-than-human relations. We then draw parallels between posthuman qualitative research into sound (via noise) and the ideological foundation of experimental music, a musical tradition deeply invested in working with sound as an agentic actor. Within this alignment, we propose using graphic scores to transcribe sonic data without reinscribing humanist research aims. To illustrate, we provide a micro-analysis of preservice teachers engaged in a role-playing game activity and uncover the ways sound asserts its agency within learning ecologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Opioids are often prescribed to treat chronic pain ailments, despite lack of evidence for many conditions. Prescriptions frequently become the gateway to opioid misuse and abuse. In response to the opioid crisis, medical school educators in the state of Pennsylvania developed core competencies pertaining to opioids and addiction for which all medical students should demonstrate proficiency before graduation. To enable students to achieve these competencies, we developed a web‐based app (IPEx) that delivers a gamified experience for learners in which they are (re)exposed to opioid competencies and practice applying pharmacologic principles in the context of a series of longitudinal patient scenarios. Learning and application are measured by student responses to application questions before and after each of five modules. Prior to launching the IPEx tool broadly, we wished to test the application questions; thus, we invited fourth year medical students to complete a 45 question quiz based on IPEx module content. Students had no specific preparation prior to taking the quiz but had been exposed to all content elsewhere in the curriculum. A total of 45 of 141 medical students (32%) opted to complete the quiz (mean score was 47% ± 13%; range 18%–73%). Cronbach alpha for the instrument was.74. These results suggest that the instrument has internal validity, and medical students have room for growth when it comes to application of opioid related competencies, a situation that the IPEx tool may be uniquely suited to remedy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of VR in engineering education provides a means for contextualising learning through authentic and engaging scenarios, e.g. the touring and operation of a chemical plant. This paper presents the design of an immersive VR simulation of an existing pilot plant in the School and its evaluation through a randomised non-inferiority trial to test student learning compared to a more traditional learning medium. Specifically, the study evaluates information retention (i.e. memory and understanding) when using the VR simulation and compares this to information retention when presented as a multimedia instructional video. Student self-efficacy in plant operation and design (e.g. equipment function and operation), as well as engagement in the learning activity, are also evaluated. The results indicate that both the VR and multimedia-based activities lead to comparable data retention and student self-efficacy. Moreover, students enjoyed the VR experience and welcomed the addition of the resource to their educational materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article was motivated by the question whether gamification represents a substantial innovation in internal party democracy, by contributing to change the dynamics of power within parties. To answer this question, we examine the only known case of gamification in the field of internal party voting, launched by the Italian Movimento 5 Stelle. We expected that gamified internal votes would reduce the incumbent advantage and promote party activists. Our data, however, suggest that these decision-making processes follow the same logic as the traditional ones. We thus conclude that digital innovations often end up working as "business as usual". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have shown that the application of gamification has positive effects on motivation and learning. However, various meta-studies indicate that there is high volatility in the published results. The purpose of this study is to analyze whether the student's activity as gamers is related to these differences. A comparative study was conducted with undergraduates' students in a database course. Students were divided into two instructional approaches: flipped learning (n = 47), and flipped with gamification (n = 49). Gamers were identified in each class using three methods: game frequency, spending money on videogames and most played game genre. The results showed that students in gamified class obtained significantly better results in learning, but there were no differences in motivation and satisfaction. When comparing gamers with non-gamers in the gamified class, the results using the three methods coincide with respect to motivation but show differences in satisfaction and learning. In the same way, when the effects of gamification on non-gamers were analyzed, there are coincidences in which those of the gamified class have better performance, but there are no coincidences regarding motivation and satisfaction. The results obtained show that the conclusions when comparing between gamers and non-gamers depend on the method used to identify them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The substantial growth in gamification research has connected gamified learning to enhanced engagement, improved performance, and greater motivation. Similar to gamification, personalized learning analytics dashboards can enhance student engagement. Objectives: This study explores the student experiences and academic achievements using a gamified dashboard in a large, introductory STEM course. Methods: We examined two groups of students enrolled in different sections of a one‐semester‐long physical geology course with a total enrollment of 223 students. The only difference between the groups was that one had access to the dashboard. The data collection included students' assignments, overall performances, and exam scores. Students in both sections completed a Science Literacy Concept Inventory survey at the beginning and end of the term. Additionally, students completed an end‐of‐term survey containing open‐ended questions on their experience and interactions with specific elements. Results: Students shared mostly positive comments about their experience with the dashboard, and the final grade of students with access to the dashboard was 13% higher, on average, compared to their peers in the non‐dashboard section. Conclusion: With low costs and little time invested, gamified dashboards could have a significant impact on student performance in large STEM lecture courses. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Leaner dashboards that provide personalized feedback are linked to improved student performance in undergraduate STEM courses. However, students may be reticent to adopt dashboards, especially students in the middle range of the performance distribution, for whom the impact of the dashboard may be most significant.Prior research on gamification in STEM courses suggests that adding gameful elements like progress trackers, badges, and rewards can increase students' engagement in undergraduate coursework.The combination of personalized learning in dashboards and the motivational experience of gamification should boost student engagement, dashboard adoption, and ultimately foster academic achievement. What this paper adds: In this paper, we examine the differences in academic performance between students with and without access to a gamified learning dashboard in an undergraduate Geology course.We observe that students with access to the dashboard (the treatment group), outperform students without access (the control group). The greatest benefit is observed for students who use the dashboard more frequently.Students reported that the progress tracker, the badges, and the rewards all incentivized their use and provided useful feedback about their performance. Students who did not adopt the dashboard expressed a need for more detail about the tool and its purpose. Implications for practice and/or policy: Instructors and instructional designers for large enrollment undergraduate STEM courses should consider the affordances of gamified learner dashboards for increasing engagement and for providing synchronous feedback about learners' strategies in the course.Aligning the dashboard to the content of the curriculum—by ensuring that badges reflect key concepts‐ encouraged participation and helped students identify the utility of the tool. Dashboards should be personalized to individuals and to the course.Adding gameful elements in a low‐cost intervention for increasing adoption and engagement of dashboards in large enrollment introductory courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microtask crowdsourcing platforms are social intelligence systems in which volunteers, called crowdworkers, complete small, repetitive tasks in return for a small fee. Beyond payments, task requesters are considering non-monetary incentives such as points, badges, and other gamified elements to increase performance and improve crowdworker experience. In this article, we present Qrowdsmith, a platform for gamifying microtask crowdsourcing. To design the system, we explore empirically a range of gamified and financial incentives and analyse their impact on how efficient, effective, and reliable the results are. To maintain participation over time and save costs, we propose furtherance incentives, which are offered to crowdworkers to encourage additional contributions in addition to the fee agreed upfront. In a series of controlled experiments, we find that while gamification can work as furtherance incentives, it impacts negatively on crowdworkers' performance, both in terms of the quantity and quality of work, as compared to a baseline where they can continue to contribute voluntarily. Gamified incentives are also less effective than paid bonus equivalents. Our results contribute to the understanding of how best to encourage engagement in microtask crowdsourcing activities and design better crowd intelligence systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meaningful gamification is the use of game elements and play to build engagement and help learners find personal connections in real-world settings. This study examined the impact of meaningful gamification design on preservice teachers' perceptions, performance, and motivation levels within a gamified lesson planning unit. Participants were enrolled in a language arts teacher preparation course at a regional campus over five semesters. Results show meaningful gamification incorporating mastery learning and leveled curriculum created a learning condition where preservice teachers surpassed expectations and felt intrinsically motivated. Challenges to gamification included waiting on feedback and learning within a new format. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gamification in digital design harnesses game-like elements to create rewarding and competitive systems that encourage desirable user behaviour by influencing users' bodily actions and emotions. Recently, gamification has been integrated into platforms built to fix democratic problems such as boredom and disengagement in political participation. This paper draws on an ethnographic study of two such platforms – Decide Madrid and vTaiwan – to problematise the universal, techno-deterministic account of digital democracy. I argue that gamified democracy is frictional by nature, a concept borrowed from cultural and social geographies. Incorporating gamification into interface design does not inherently enhance the user's enjoyment, motivation and engagement through controlling their behaviours. 'Friction' in the user experience includes various emotional predicaments and tactical exploitation by more advanced users. Frictional systems in the sphere of digital democracy are neither positive nor negative per se. While they may threaten systemic inclusivity or hinder users' abilities to organise and implement policy changes, friction can also provide new impetus to advance democratic practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The audience response systems are being implemented to support active learning in nursing degree programs. The benefits of audience response systems have been studied in lecture-based classes and seminars, but their advantages or inconveniences when included in the debriefing phase of a high-fidelity clinical simulation have not been explored. The study aim was to discover student´s experience about using of interactive questions during debriefing, and the self-perceived effects on attention, participation and motivation. Methods: A Mixed-methods study was used exploratory sequential design in a university. The participants were 4th-year students enrolled in the Nursing Degree in a university in Southern Spain. (1) Qualitative phase: a phenomenological approach was utilized, and focus groups were used for data-collection. (2) Quantitative phase: cross-sectional descriptive study using a questionnaire designed "ad hoc", on the experiences on the use of interactive questions in the debriefing phase and the Debriefing Experience Scale. Results: (1) Qualitative phase: the students highlighted the facilitating role of the interactive questions during the reflection part of the debriefing, and mentioned that the interactive questions helped with stimulating attention, participation, and motivation during the analytical part of the debriefing; (2) Quantitative phase: it was observed that the best evaluated dimension was "Motivation", with a mean of 4.7 (SD = 0.480), followed by the dimension "Participation", with a mean of 4.66 (SD = 0.461), and lastly, the dimension "Attention", with a mean of 4.64 (SD = 0.418). Conclusions: The use of interactive questions contributed the attention, participation, and motivation of the students during the debriefing, contributing towards a highly satisfactory experience of high-fidelity clinical simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem structuring methods imply the involvement of stakeholders and aim to create a shared understanding of the problem and commitment among them. The process and outcomes of such interventions entirely depend on the stakeholder's level of engagement and willingness to contribute to the discussion. Gamification, in its turn, has been extensively used to increase engagement in an activity and nudge certain behaviors. Several gamification frameworks exist for stakeholder engagement; however, none fully considers the context of the modeling workshops with stakeholders. In this paper, we focus on a specific method for problem structuring, called Participatory Modeling (PM), and aim to explore the essential components and steps to gamify the PM process. We look at the literature on gamification, stakeholder engagement, problem structuring methods and, specifically, PM. Based on this analysis, we propose a gamification framework for PM, which includes the steps commonly mentioned in other existing frameworks and more nuanced features within each step that are specific to the PM context. Emphasis is given to analyzing the context of the gamified activity, including such aspects as participants, group interaction, and modeling. In addition, consideration of ethical points and potential risks of gamification is suggested as a necessary step to prevent undesired side effects during the gamified PM process. The gamification framework for PM leads to a variety of ways in which gamified intervention can be designed and incorporated into the process. Further research on the appropriateness of gamification use, practical applications, their evaluation, and risks associated with gamified interventions can contribute to the extension and clarification of the proposed framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The smartphone market is saturated with apps and games purporting to promote mental wellness. There has been a significant number of studies assessing the impact of these digital interventions. Motivation: The majority of review papers solely focussed on the impact of strict rules and award systems of the apps. There is comparatively little attention paid to other game techniques designed to encourage creativity, a lusory attitude, and playful experiences. Results: This gap is addressed in this paper in a consideration and analysis of a purposive selection of six mobile games marketed for wellbeing, our focus is on both external and internal motivations that these games offer. Our specific interest is how these games balance rule-based play with creativity. We find that ludic play is a highly-structured, rule-bound, goal-oriented play, in contrast to paedic play which a freeform, imaginative, and expressive. We argue that while ludic play is purposed towards the promotion of habit formation and generates feelings of accomplishment, it nonetheless relies heavily on extrinsic motivation to incentivise engagement. By contrast, paidic play, specifically role-playing, improvisation, and the imaginative co-creation of fictional game worlds, can be used effectively in these games to facilitate self-regulation, self-distancing, and therefore provides intrinsically-motivated engagement. In the context of games for mental wellbeing, ludic play challenges players to complete therapeutic exercises, while paidic play offers a welcoming refuge from real world pressures and the opportunity to try on alternate selves. Conclusion: Our intention is not to value paidic play over ludic play, but to consider how these two play modalities can complement and counterbalance each other to generate more effective engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxicology students are frequently overwhelmed by the volume and complexity of information. To enhance the learning experience, medical toxicology lecturers created a digital card game named Toxicolitaire™. We sought to explore students' experiences with the online game. We first sent an anonymous, closed-ended survey to 18 students. This survey allowed students to give quick binary answers about the game. We followed the survey with in-person focus group interviews to identify themes of student perceptions about the game. We identified several themes concerning the students' experiences. Students found the game amusing and reported that it stimulated critical thinking. Students perceived that the game fostered self-regulated learning, pinpointed gaps in their toxicology knowledge, and facilitated their examination preparation. Students mentioned software-related problems in the game and expressed a preference for the physical card game. Students suggested adjusting the game to varying levels of difficulty and complexity. Students praised the game as an excellent tool for medical professionals and expressed a strong inclination to recommend it to their colleagues. The effectiveness of an educational game depends on its design, execution, and alignment with the target audience's needs and likings. Player feedback may contribute to an educational game's effectiveness in supporting learning objectives. Encouraging participants to provide feedback fostered a sense of community and involvement in the game. Limitations of this study include the subjective interpretation by the researcher, the small sample size of 18 students, the students' prior knowledge gained from two years of toxicology education, and the students' awareness of the study's purpose. The students gave positive feedback and reported that the online Toxicolitaire™ game was fun, reinforced classroom learning, promoted self-regulated learning, and stimulated critical thinking and examination preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An editorial is presented the growing significance of user feedback in various computerized systems, including recommender systems, social networks, e-democracy, and the Internet of Things (IoT). Topics include the challenge of stimulating users to provide explicit feedback, the central role of user feedback in designing interactive personalized systems.

There has been extensive debate among various disciplines about the nature and value of play. From these discussions it seems clear that play is a phenomenon with more than just one dimension: as a specific type of activity, as a form or structure, as an ontologically distinctive phenomenon, as a type of experience, or as a stance or an attitude towards a particular activity. This article focuses on the importance of the playful attitude in sport. It begins by attempting to describe the underpinning features of a playful attitude, and its relation to Suits' lusory attitude and the concept of gamification. Finally, it considers and critically evaluates the relationship between play and sport and the importance of the playful attitude in sporting activities. The purpose of this paper is a far deeper analysis of the playful attitude and its relationship to sport than has been previously provided, and a more precise definition as to what the playful attitude is. This will ultimately help to answer questions about the value of sport and how sport ought to be played. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fun and social affiliation are good predictors of long-term intention to use game-based interventions including those for motivating physical activity, yet current player matching algorithms are poor at facilitating social connectedness. In this paper, we report on the results of a study investigating how different player traits are associated with interest in social features of an exercise game for improving player experience through better player matching using common and complementary characteristics. Twelve conceptual scenarios were illustrated using storyboards and data was collected from 196 respondents who rated their attitudes and preferences towards gamification elements. Correlational results showed that all scenarios, except for cutting corners, were perceived as persuasive, enjoyable, engaging and are likely to increase future exercise intention for players who score high on Philanthropist- and Socialiser-oriented traits. Results also showed that many players favour the altruistic donation feature. Furthermore, qualitative results underscore that it is the player's partner that matters more than the players’ personalities. We conclude with practical recommendations for designing more personalised exercise games that can include more socially engaging game mechanics in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Disaster medicine is a growing field within the specialty of emergency medicine, but educational training typically focuses on hospital drills or other educational strategies, such as didactics, simulation, or tabletop exercises. With the success of gamification in other medical education applications, we sought to investigate if a novel gamified curricular innovation would lead to improved test performance and confidence in the ability to manage a real mass casualty incident (MCI). Methods: This was a prospective observational study of medical students and emergency medicine residents who participated in a 4-h simulation-based competition consisting of 4 unique stations. Each station had learning objectives associated with the content taught. Learners completed a pre-event survey, followed by participation in the competitive gamification event, and subsequently completed a post-event survey. Differences between pre- and post-event responses were matched and analyzed using paired and unpaired t tests for medical knowledge assessments, the Mann–Whitney U test for perceptions of confidence in the ability to manage an MCI event, and descriptive statistics provided on perceptions of the effectiveness of this educational strategy. Results: We analyzed data from 49 learners with matched (and unmatched) pre- and post-event survey responses. There was a statistically significant increase in medical knowledge assessment scores in both unmatched group means and available matched data (47 to 69%, p < 0.01, and 50 to 69%, p < 0.05). Self-reported confidence in the ability to handle an MCI scenario also significantly increased (p < 0.01). Finally, 100% of respondents indicated they "agreed" or "strongly agreed" that the event was an effective education tool for disaster preparedness and training. Conclusions: In this study, we found that learners perceived a novel gamification event as an effective educational tool, which led to improved learner knowledge and self-reported confidence in the ability to manage a real MCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft skills are interpersonal, communication, and personal attributes that enable individuals to interact effectively with others in personal and workplace settings. Despite the significance of soft skills for career success, these skills are not necessarily taught in traditional academic settings. Consequently, education institutions must adopt innovative teaching strategies to stimulate student interest and encourage the learning of appropriate soft skills for the job market. This research focuses on developing an online serious game prototype, assessing the students’ familiarity with one specific soft skill (emotional intelligence), and verifying if this online digital prototype will produce performance results comparable with the onsite analogic version of the game. The final testing phase of the game prototype was conducted at the University of Bari in two parts, namely online and onsite tests. For the testing, 394 students took part, where 173 participated in the onsite analogic experience (before the lockdown) and 221 in the online serious game-based experience (during the lockdown). Various statistical techniques were performed to evaluate the prototype's effectiveness in assessing the competencies derived from the Goleman emotional intelligence model. The study has implications for the development and use of serious games in imparting training and assessment of emotional intelligence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the evolution of sports from physical-based competitions (Homo Athletica) to the emerging digital landscape of esports (Homo Digitalis). It delves into the contrasts between physical prowess-driven sports ecosystems and the rise of competitive video gaming, highlighting how esports challenges traditional perceptions of athleticism and redefines the sports ecosystem.

The research objective of this study is to understand the effects of different types of learning scaffolding on learning effectiveness, flow, anxiety, motivation, and emotions. The research design was to divide the 96 students into three groups: mobile scaffolding game-based learning group, general game-based learning group, and video learning group, and the data collection method was convenience sampling. In terms of data analysis, the paired sample t-test and ANCOVA were used for within-group and between-group analyses for learning effectiveness and anxiety respectively. The independent sample t-test was used for between-group comparisons of flow, and the two-way mixed ANOVA was used for the comparison of motivation and emotion in the three stages of learning. The results showed that the two game-based learning groups had positive effects on learning effectiveness, flow, and learning anxiety due to the assistance of the scaffolding, while also increasing their positive emotion and decreasing their negative emotion during and after the game. Besides, the mobile scaffolding game-based learning group, with the addition of the dynamic evaluation procedure scaffolding, could enhance learning motivation during the game more than the general game-based learning group, and with the advantage of real-time evaluation, it could reduce the teaching burden of teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There is growing use of games for health professions education. Card and board games are relatively easy to develop, effective for education, supported by educational theory, and generally well accepted by learners; yet, they remain relatively infrequently described in the medical education literature. Methods: A questionnaire was developed to understand barriers to use of card and board games and to understand user preferences to inform their development. The questionnaire was offered to students and educators downloading a printable antibiotic card game online. Results: The questionnaire was completed by 335 health professionals primarily by physicians, pharmacists, and their trainees. Participants described preferences for shorter games and games with lower complexity. Player counts in the two to four range were the most commonly desired. The most frequently cited barriers were lack of availability in desired subjects, cost, and concerns about content accuracy. Conclusion: Educators looking to develop or use serious card and board games should start with shorter, lower-complexity games. Methods to assure and demonstrate content accuracy for educational games should be explored by educators and researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exergames are a new socio-technological phenomenon consisting of digital motor games that aim to stimulate players' motor skills. The physical-motor component of exergames has been well studied, but knowing more about their possible psychological effects in the school context is interesting to promote physical exercise practice. Gamification refers to the use of game-based elements in non-game contexts, whose aim is to motivate action by making activities more game-like. Gamification seems an innovative strategy to promote physical exercise habits at schools whose real effects are still poorly unknown. Physical education has significant direct and indirect influences on students' physical exercise. Exergames and gamification are associated with psychological benefits related to physically active behaviour. The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of a gamified exergaming school intervention on the psychological variables associated with physical exercise (PEx) promotion. We hypothesised that the gamified exergaming school intervention will produce more achievement motivation, more enjoyment, a more positive attitude towards exergames, and more exergame and PEx intention in students. A natural experiment with a non-randomised controlled design. The participants were 417 Primary Education students (53.2% girls, n = 222; 46.8% boys, n = 195) recruited from two public and two non-public schools (control group, n = 191; experimental group, n = 226). Their mean age was 11.1 (SD = 1.7), and 50.4% of the sample studied Primary Education Year 6 (aged 10–11 years; n = 210) and 49.6% studied Primary Education Year 7 (11–12 years; n = 207). The control treatment (traditional didactic intervention) was designed based on usual didactic dance teaching in Spain. Another similar experimental treatment was designed as the control treatment, but with a gamified climate and an exergame (gamified exergaming intervention). The Just Dance Now exergame was used. The Mechanics-Dynamics-Aesthetics framework was applied to achieve mastery-oriented motivational climates and an inclusive gamified atmosphere for all student-player types. Moreover, to gamify each class the ClassDojo application was used. The students completed: the Achievement Motivation in Physical Education Test (AMPET); the Sport Satisfaction Instrument (SSI); the 'Attitudes Toward Exergames' scale; the 'Exergame intention' scale; the 'Exercise Intention' scale. In order to test the research hypotheses, both study groups were compared using factorial ANOVAs 2 (time; pre-treatment condition vs. post-treatment condition) × 2 (treatment; traditional didactic intervention vs. gamified exergaming intervention). As the analysis threshold was set at ≤0.0125 with Bonferroni adjustment, the results showed better positive gamified exergaming effects on enjoyment and attitude towards exergames. No interaction effects on achievement motivation, exergame intention or PEx intention were found. This is the first study to examine an intervention combining Mechanics-Dynamics-Aesthetics (MDA) gamification framework as a didactic method and exergame as an educational resource, adopted as a strategy to promote the variables associated with encouraging PEx in primary schools. A gamified exergaming educational intervention might have some positive effects on variables associated with physical exercise promotion but its ability as an exercise promotion strategy is still unclear and future research should be conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a recognized need for research on how to teach computer programming in primary schools in Sweden grades 4–6 (10–12-year-old pupils). Studies of teaching show the importance of teachers' knowledge of content and pedagogy and how these two parts affect each other (i.e. pedagogical content knowledge [PCK]). Most teachers in Sweden have little or no formal education in computer programming, the revised Swedish curriculum requires them to teach it. The aim of this study is to explore the pedagogical strategies teachers use when they teach computer programming. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 participants, comprising 12 teachers and 2 teacher trainers. The data were analysed deductively with themes from previous research. The results show that teachers use eight pedagogical strategies, including three new strategies that have been constructed inductively: do-it-yourself, gamification and progression. These eight pedagogical strategies are mostly general, and teachers may be considered regressed experts, as they lack formal training in computer programming. They facilitate learning in a general sense, but, compared to other subjects, their PCK in computer programming is problematized. In-service teacher training is needed to increase content knowledge, thus enabling to develop PCK in computer programming. It would also be fruitful to deepen our knowledge regarding pedagogical strategies in the PCK domain of computer programming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study assessed the effectiveness of the ECRIMO educational application designed to build first‐grade level spelling skills. We tested whether using the app to teach spelling would be as effective as providing the same training using traditional paper exercises. The effect of integrating gamification into mobile learning apps, which has been little studied in the context of young children, is also investigated. A pretest/training/posttest design was implemented with 311 first‐graders divided in four groups: no training, paper training, the ECRIMO app with gamification features, and the ECRIMO app without gamification. Spelling, reading and phonological awareness abilities was measured at both pretest and posttest. The training was conducted over a 7‐week period (4.40 hours in total). The experimental design allowed us to answer three questions: (1) Is spelling training effective regardless of the medium used? (2) Is training through the app as efficient as paper‐based training? (3) Does gamification impact students' learning performance? Mixed‐model analyses revealed (1) a positive effect on the training outcome depended on the initial spelling ability of participants, (2) a comparable efficiency between autonomous training using the ECRIMO app on tablets and the same training provided by teachers using paper exercises and (3) a marginally positive effect of gamification that is greater for the weakest students. The present study proposes an original and pertinent experimental design to test the relevance of educational applications. The design features of learning apps can impact students' learning differently depending on their initial level. A critical step should be verifying that using online apps for training is at least as effective as the same training using paper exercises. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic A significant number of children experience difficulties in reading and spelling from the first years of learning.The use of new technologies to support classroom teaching is rapidly developing as a topic of interest for educational professionals and researchers.Evaluations of new technologies developed to enhance literacy skills suggest that many factors can vary their effectiveness.The effectiveness of a digital educational application can be enhanced or undermined by design choices, such as gamification.What this paper adds Spelling training with the app ECRIMO seems effective for first year students, especially those with the lowest and middle level.Comparable effects of both the tablet‐based and paper equivalent training on participants' spelling were found.The use of gamification in ECRIMO could be more suitable for the weakest students.Implications for practice and/or policy Educational technologies should be evidence‐based and should be evaluated with both a passive and an active control group.The design should be carefully considered and tested, as it may be advantageous for some students and disadvantageous for others.The use of digital technology in education can be beneficial for classroom practice, when the activity can be carried out in total autonomy, leaving the teacher available for a group of pupils with specific needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a system for self-supported martial arts training using an IoT sensing platform and Serious Game that can also be extended for general sports training. In martial arts, it is important that the practitioner is correctly performing each technique to accurately learn and prevent injury. A common stance in all martial arts, but especially in Shaolin Kung Fu, is the horse stance or Mabu. With the pandemic, many more people adopted remote training without the presence of a professional trainer to give advice. Our developed LifeMat system, which is a novel IoT pressure-sensitive training mat, uses pressure maps and pattern recognition to accurately classify key martial arts postures, provide feedback on form, and detect when the user performs the technique incorrectly. This is presented in the form of a Serious Game we have developed named Kung Future that focuses on the Mabu stance as a case study. We tested 14 participants with three different feedback conditions and demonstrated that, on average, participants had higher performance, duration, engagement, and motivation when game feedback was active. Furthermore, user responses from the surveys suggested positive feedback for real-world and long-term use and scalability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discussions on the future of work are pulled between technological optimism and the increasing concerns regarding the precarity brought about by the gig economy. Often, these scenarios fail to meaningfully engage and account for the workers' experiences, whose agency in effectively shaping their working future is denied and obscured behind discourses of autonomy, entrepreneurship and individual responsibility. In the context of the increased use of gamification strategies by platforms to both monitor and incentivise couriers, this article examines the capacity of playful methods to act as effective forms of engagement and mobilisation amongst gig workers. A workshop with this aim was run online in April 2021, at the end of the third Covid lockdown in the UK, using a role-playing card game with food couriers in Manchester. It drew on ethnographic data to explore how to support empathy and solidarity amongst couriers, how to facilitate the creation of a shared pool of knowledge about the job and how to reconfigure other stakeholders' roles to improve working conditions. We finally offer some ideas to take the game beyond the workshop space suggesting several pathways for the future: a face-to-face game using printed cards, an open-source version of the game and collaborating with trade unions to reach more couriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Definition: Active learning strategies are increasingly implemented in chemical engineering education, yet challenges persist in stimulating student participation and motivation. The rigorous demands placed on students in this field, from complex practical requirements to extensive programming and computational skills, underscore the need for innovative educational tools. Gamification emerges as a pivotal instrument in this context, fostering active student engagement, enhancing practical application of knowledge, increasing motivation, and providing a more precise assessment of student comprehension. These educational games serve as a powerful adjunct to traditional teaching strategies, equipping students with necessary skills for their future careers in the field. These games include laboratory course games, process simulators, games used in foundational courses, and those centered around reaction kinetics. This entry primarily investigates the various games employed to bolster student learning during chemical engineering laboratory courses. A thorough analysis is conducted on the survey of existing games used specifically in chemical engineering labs. The gamut of games discussed includes escape games, along with Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) games, all aiming to enhance laboratory experiences in areas such as fluid mechanics, organic reactions, and process control. This entry concludes by examining the prospective trajectory of gamification in chemical engineering labs, offering insights into future potential and advancements in this innovative educational approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this study is to examine the impact of gamification activities conducted through the Wordwall.net platform on student achievement and attitudes in middle school mathematics classes. A pre-test post-test control group quasi-experimental research design was employed to achieve this goal. The experimental and control groups were randomly selected from two different fifth-grade classes taught by the same teacher. The experimental group consisted of 16 students, while the control group consisted of 14 students. In the experimental group, activities containing relevant math concepts were implemented through the Wordwall.net platform, while the control group continued with regular math lessons following the Ministry of National Education (MEB) curriculum. Data was collected using an academic achievement test and a mathematics attitude scale. According to the results obtained from the four-week experimental application, gamification activities significantly contributed to students' academic achievement and attitudes towards mathematics. However, there was no significant difference between the experimental and control groups regarding the sub-dimensions of the mathematics attitude scale, including interest, anxiety, effort, and necessity. The research findings indicate that digital gamification tools like Wordwall.net have the potential to enhance academic achievement and attitudes among middle school students. The benefits of such gamification tools outweigh their disadvantages. These gamification tools can increase student engagement and enhance their learning experiences. Additionally, they can improve students' attitudes towards learning, cater to different abilities and needs, and prepare students for the digital world. Therefore, educators using such digital gamification tools effectively in mathematics classes can make the learning experience more positive and impactful for students. However, further research is needed to confirm these results with larger student groups and across different subject matters. It is also essential to conduct further studies to better understand the limitations of digital gamification in education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While gamification researchers have emphasised the exploration of game dynamics beyond typical game mechanics, there is still a blind spot regarding how specific game dynamics driven by social features enhance individual agility in the workplace. Since socially driven game dynamics are essential for collective units like organisations, this research conceptualized collaborative competition, paralinguistic digital recognition, and dynamic interactions as socially driven game dynamics and further, investigated how these game dynamics enhance individual agility through a moderated mediation model. Adopting a purposive sampling technique, 421 complete responses were found to be suitable for further analysis. The hypotheses were tested using an observed variable approach (Process Macro). The indirect effect of paralinguistic digital recognition on employee agility through collective engagement was found to be stronger than that of other game dynamics, such as collaborative competition and dynamic interactions. As hypothesised, collective goal difficulty acts as a positive moderator, accentuating the mediating effect of collective engagement. This study is one of the first works explaining the association between gamification and employee agility with a systematic framework, therefore advancing the existing literature on gamification and employee agility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Game-based learning is an educational approach aimed at acquiring knowledge through the use of play. There are various studies that note the effectiveness of playing as an educational tool and the use of digital platforms as a tool that can increase its effectiveness. We wanted to investigate whether a game-based learning approach may determine an improvement in Italian as a foreign language in terms of vocabulary expansion. The sample consists of 48 Ukrainian children between 6 and 7 years old. There were 24 female children and 24 male children in the sample, divided into two groups: the control group (Gr1) learnt Italian through frontal lessons (traditional approach), the experimental group (Gr2) learnt Italian through games and activities (game-based learning). The results have shown that the experimental group had a major increase in Italian vocabulary. However, both groups had an increase in this sense. Game-based learning remains an effective and promising educational approach, but other variables must be taken into account. Furthermore, the scarcity of literature on foreign language learning through game-based learning creates the need for more studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]