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Education is a pivotal pillar in modern society, and technology has brought about major changes in how students learn. Online learning is becoming an increasingly popular form of education, especially since the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic broke out. However, the challenge of maintaining student engagement and motivation in online learning environments remains a concern for many educators. This is where the concept of gamification erupts as an innovative solution to this problem. This study aimed to examine the effect of case and project-based gamification models on student engagement and academic achievement in online learning in tertiary institutions. Quasi-experimental post-test only non-equivalent control group design was chosen as the method of this research. The subjects of this study were 117 students from Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha. The instrument used to measure student engagement was a questionnaire developed by researchers with reference to the online student engagement (OSE) indicator; meanwhile, an objective test was to assess student academic achievement. The data were analyzed using a one-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) technique. The study results show significant differences in student engagement and academic achievement between groups of students taught using case and project-based gamification models and direct e-learning models. Case and project-based gamification models used in online learning were effective in increasing student engagement and student academic achievement.

This paper discusses the design of interactive gamified assessments for an introductory programming course based on the multimedia segmenting principle and gamification. The objective is to develop more engaging online programming assessments for low-achieving students. The general design follows Nielsen's design guidelines and incorporates Zaharias' usability evaluation framework with the motivation to learn. The methodology employed the Successive Approximation Model Version 2 (SAM2), comprising two key phases: preparation and iterative design. In the initial phase, a comparative analysis was performed to determine the design principles. The iterative design phase encompassed the application's design via storyboards, the development of the high-fidelity prototype, and users' reviews. A qualitative approach was adopted, involving a user-centred design (UCD) session through focus group discussions with 12 first-year students from the Diploma of Computer Science program, all of whom were low achievers in programming. The participants need to review and rate the prototype based on the scales of the usability recommendations, which are visual design, content design, navigation, interaction, gamification design, and multimedia design. The results from the UCD session revealed that all participants agreed with the usability recommendations integrated into the interactive gamified programming assessments, with the highest mean score of 5.00.

Given the rapid advancement of modern information and communication technologies, as well as the increasing demand for distance and hybrid learning models, it is imperative that prospective teachers attain a high level of digital competence. This study aimed to determine how effective the technique of using Kahoot! to develop the digital competence of prospective primary school teachers. To diagnose the effectiveness of the developed methodology, testing was used which included various types of tasks and questionnaires in order to assess prospective primary school teachers' readiness to use digital tools in their professional activities. The results obtained (tcrit = 1.982) made it possible to conclude that utilizing Kahoot! interactive platform in prospective primary school teachers' professional training contributes to enhancing their digital competence. According to the findings, the gamified application Kahoot! contributes to students' study motivation, creates a favorable psychological atmosphere. A promising area for further research is to explore the prospective teachers' readiness to create multimedia products using state-of-the-art software iClone Pro, Toon Boom Harmony, Anime Studio Pro, etc.

Purpose: Mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) apps such as Duolingo have great potential for promoting learners' motivation to learn a second language (L2). However, little research has investigated how this motivational impact takes place. Additionally, despite the flexibility of mobile learning, most existing studies are conducted in classroom settings, with less attention paid to out-of-school technology usage. Design/Approach/Methods: To address these gaps, we present a model based on self-determination theory and propose the idea of "motivational transfer" to explain the psychological mechanism underpinning the impact of technology. To examine the model, we conducted a case study with 20 Year 8 Chinese junior school students who used Duolingo to learn English as a foreign language (EFL) after school for 6 weeks. Findings: Questionnaire and group interview data support our hypothesized mechanism--learners' activity-specific intrinsic motivation (IM) for using Duolingo and their underlying psychological need for autonomy and competence can be transferred to a more general level, thereby enhancing learners' global IM for L2. Originality/Value: The proposed theoretical model expands our understanding of how digital technology stimulates learners' L2 motivation; it can help L2 educators design better technological affordances to promote learners' motivation both in and outside the classroom.

This action research aimed to study the use the Gamification-Incentive-Feedback (GIF) Model in enhancing the classroom learning experience of Grade 9 students in a private school in Cagayan de Oro, Philippines. The research used convenience sampling and used a combination of Likert scale pre-intervention and post-intervention survey questionnaires as well as focus group discussion (FGD) to gather data and responses. The results were analyzed through the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test and interview responses from the FGD through thematic analysis. Results reveal a significant difference in students' classroom learning experience in terms of motivation. Further, the participants' responses to the FGD revealed that the GIF Model encourages participation and teamwork; that it promotes competition; that it is motivating, fun, exciting, and interesting; that it encourages learning retention; and that the GIF Model should be implemented face to face; among others. It is concluded that the use of GIF Model is a promising approach for the students in the classroom to create an engaging, motivating, and rewarding experience. Educators are encouraged to adapt the GIF Model in their teaching practice but should make sure that it is properly and fairly organized to avoid student frustration.

Gamification can make learning more fun and engaging for students. Software engineering can utilize gamification to help students learn and improve their skills from the complexity of software engineering. This study used quantitative research to examines perceived ease of use, student satisfaction, and perceived usefulness to measure gamification quality, which can have an impact on software engineering intention, namely intention, loyalty, and participation in following and understanding software engineering materials. The data was collected based on an online questionnaire survey, 90 data were collected and then measured and analyzed using SmartPLS 3. The results showed that perceived ease of use, student satisfaction, and perceived usefulness have a significant influence on gamification quality, which also leads to a positive impact on software engineering intention. This research guides teachers and educational institutions that gamification is very successful as a learning medium to simplify complex information to be more interactive.

Educational games, prevalent in contemporary settings, leverage game-based learning (GBL) to actively engage and enhance learners' knowledge and skill acquisition through captivating in-game learning activities. To assess the effectiveness of GBL, game-based assessment (GBA) has emerged. GBA employs gameplay for learners to attain educational objectives while capturing data for analyzing their in-game competencies. The integration of gameplay in assessments has garnered increasing attention to GBA. This review of 21 studies provides an overview of the application of GBA in the field of education, covering aspects of the publication nature, theoretical frameworks, game types, in-game assessment details, and the assessed subjects and knowledge. Key findings include: (1) the annual number of publications fluctuates; a majority of studies originate from the USA; (2) the supporting theory tends to be unitary, with the evidence-centered design model cited the most; (3) simulation, immersive, and video games with rich game elements are applied most as assessment tools, and in-game assessment details are associated with game features; and (4) GBA is predominantly used in physics education. These findings indicate that applying GBA in education is promising with solid theoretical support, and practitioners are suggested to design GBA according to their educational needs and game features.

This research addresses the problem of how to tackle STEM education and its transformation into STEAM education in an inclusive school. It highlights the need for communication competence in collaborative teaching supported by problem-based (PBL), project-based (PrBL) and game-based (GBL) learning. At the same time, it is necessary to highlight the importance of arts in all the listed innovative forms of learning and teaching, as teamwork and cooperation between the members of these teams are extremely important. The key competence of this participation in the mentioned forms of knowledge is communication competence, which is manifested in students' self-confidence/lack of self-confidence, in their level of well-being, collaboration, motivation, their active role and awareness. The empirical research was conducted on a sample of eleven classes from six Slovenian-inclusive schools, with at least one student with SEN in each class. The research focused on the differences between students with and without SEN regarding their perception of STEAM lessons supported by gamification elements. The results showed that using innovative teaching methods can connect and positively affect STEAM, which, with the help of technology, engineering and art, consequently, improves a deeper understanding of the field of Science and Mathematics (S-tea-M).

Programming students need to be informed about plagiarism and collusion. Hence, we developed an assessment submission system to remind students about the matter. Each submission will be compared to others and any similarities that do not seem a result of coincidence will be reported along with their possible reasons. The system also employs gamification to promote early and unique submissions. Nevertheless, the system might put unnecessary pressure as coincidental similarities can still be reported. Further, it does not specifically cover self-plagiarism. We revisit the system and shift our focus to report simulated similarities from student own submission instead of reporting actual similarities across submissions. According to our evaluation with 390 students and five quasi-experiments, students with simulated similarities are slightly more aware of plagiarism and collusion, self-plagiarism in particular. Their awareness of the matter is somewhat acceptable (around 75%) and they see the benefits of our assessment submission system.

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have significantly advanced online education. Yet, MOOC instructors still grapple with the ongoing challenge of low learner engagement while striving to foster autonomous and self-directed learning (SDL). Integrating gamification into these courses could be a promising solution. However, the extent to which gamification shapes autonomous and SDL behaviors within MOOCs remains underexplored. This mixed-methods sequential explanatory study investigates the interplay between MOOC, gamification, autonomous learning, and SDL behaviors to harness the potential of online education. We address this research void by delving into the intricate relationship between gamification and learners' engagement in autonomous learning and SDL behaviors. Drawing upon self-determination theory (SDT) as a theoretical framework, we scrutinize how gamified MOOCs influence intrinsic motivation and SDL behaviors. Our study utilizes questionnaires and structured interviews to comprehensively examine the users' experiences within a gamified MOOC. The findings suggest that thoughtfully integrated gamification elements not only enhance learner engagement but also stimulate autonomous learning and SDL behaviors. However, it is crucial to approach the integration of gamification thoughtfully, ensuring a balance that promotes intrinsic motivation without undue reliance on extrinsic motivators. These findings hold significant implications for educators, course designers, and policymakers leveraging gamification to enrich online learning experiences and cultivate self-directed educational pathways. They offer valuable insights for educators, course designers, and policymakers aiming to leverage gamification for enriching online learning experiences and nurturing self-directed educational pathways in MOOCs.

This study explores the application of the Project-Based Learning with Gamification Model (PBLGM) through Visual Programming Language (VPL) to enhance digital competencies and problem-solving skills in learners. The PBLGM model integrates project-based learning and gamification techniques using Kodu Game Lab, aiming to develop essential 21st-century skills. The research involved designing, developing, and evaluating the PBLGM model. Participants included 30 undergraduate learners from Rajamangala University of Technology Tawan-Ok. The study's findings indicated significant improvements in digital competencies and problem-solving skills post-intervention. The consistency index values ranged between 0.40 and 1.00, with an average value of 0.84. The difficulty values ranged from 0.38 to 0.57, and the reliability value (KR-20) was 0.83. The model effectively enhanced digital competencies and problem-solving skills, as evidenced by improved test scores and positive expert evaluations. This study underscores the importance of integrating gamification and project-based learning in educational contexts to foster critical digital skills.

As coastal populations grow, so does the exposure to natural hazards such as hurricanes and flooding, creating the potential for increased social and economic disasters. The literature indicates coastal residents remain complacent when planning before, during, and after an event. There is a growing successful use of serious games in natural resources planning, and a growth in the use of digital and electronic games. We developed the serious digital game Plan for It! in response to identified needs and to capitalize on the public's familiarity with gamification and digital gaming.

Phonological processing of written characters has been recognized as a crucial element in acquiring literacy in any language, both native and foreign. This study aimed to assess Japanese primary school students' phoneme-grapheme recognition skills using both paper-based and touch-interface tests. Differences between the two test formats and the relationship between phoneme-grapheme recognition skills and interaction with digital tests were investigated. We hypothesized a relationship between paper test performance and digital item performance. Participants were sixth-grade students from two public schools. The results of comparison tests indicated that the touch-interface test had lower success rates compared to the paper-based test for most items, suggesting a difference in performance patterns. A consistent relationship between phoneme-grapheme knowledge tested on paper and successful digital interaction was found. Findings highlight the potential of touch-interface assessments for assessing phoneme-grapheme recognition skills in primary school classrooms and suggest incorporating more digital tasks to enhance student adaptation. [Note: The issue number (1) shown in the citation on the PDF is incorrect. The correct issue number is 2.]

Gamification in second language acquisition research is a popular topic, but there are few empirical comparative studies in the literature. This quasi-experimental mixed-approach study enrolled 77 Japanese university EFL learners to enable a comparison between two digital vocabulary flashcard learning software conditions carefully designed by the author; the gamified group's software (group 1; n = 26) had daily awards (i.e., consecutive day awards, medals related to daily participation, and a bonus point counter in an effort to encourage spaced learning principles and discourage cramming) and the non-gamified group's (group 0; n = 51) did not. The daily awards had a significant effect in encouraging the gamified group to spread out their study efforts throughout the 12-week study period more effectively than the control group as they completed a lower median number of tasks per active study day (non-gamified: 104.76, gamified: 82.11; p = 0.021, r(75) = --0.264) but studied on more days to complete a similar total number of vocabulary tasks (non-gamified: 2313.00, gamified: 2228.50; p = 0.601). Moreover, the gamified group significantly outperformed the non-gamified group in terms of vocabulary knowledge score gains between the pretest and posttest; p = 0.03, r(50) = 0.300. These results show the numerous and significant positive pedagogical impacts of gamified daily awards.

This research explores the perception of university students of Degrees in Education towards gamification mediated by Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) as an innovative teaching strategy, aligned with the principles of educational quality of the UN Agenda 2030. A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional and inferential research has been carried out, based on the survey technique. Research sample includes first year students of Degree in Early Childhood, Primary and Social Education, enrolled at the University of Jaen during the 2022-23 academic year (n=521). A questionnaire was used as an instrument for data collection. Data analysis was carried out using the SPSS software package: descriptive analysis, comparison of means and regression analysis. Results reflect a positive receptiveness on the part of the students towards ICT-supported gamification, considering it fun and dynamic. This strategy is widely known by students, which favors its implementation in the university environment. Specifically, quiz games and classroom management games stand out as the best-known ICT-supported gamification strategies. However, students of the Primary Education Degree show greater knowledge about gamification tools; students who plan to use gamification in their future professional practice have more favorable perceptions towards this didactic strategy. Gamification is considered an active and innovative methodology being a key element for quality improvement in Higher Education.

STEAM education with gamification, a method that integrates game elements into the learning process, has proven to be a powerful tool. It not only encompasses various forms of gamified education but also has the potential to captivate and inspire students, breathing life into the course material. This study aims to present a comprehensive summary of the research carried out in the domain of STEAM education, with a particular emphasis on gamification. The focus will be on analyzing studies published in the past seven years. A meticulous bibliometric analysis was conducted to investigate the patterns in the published literature on STEAM education with gamification from 2017 to 2023. The relevant documents were retrieved by using keywords related to steam and gamification in the title, abstract, and keywords of the documents. Thus, 34 documents were acquired from the Scopus database for bibliometric analysis. The review analyzes the rate of publication growth, identifies the papers with the highest number of citations, determines the primary sources of these articles, evaluates the productivity of authors, examines the leading countries contributing to the field, and identifies the prominent subject areas within the research domain. Thailand has the highest output level in terms of publications and citations, as inferred from the results of our analysis. The Ceur Workshop Proceedings are widely acknowledged as the foremost scholarly resource in their subject. We have identified the most important keywords related to gamified STEAM education by conducting keyword analysis. Factorial Analysis provides a visual summary of the complex relationships between various concepts related to educational technology.

In this study, a scale was created to measure the gamification ability levels of teachers. The rating system is a 5-point Likert scale. The scale has 36 items and 4 variables. The research's study group is made up of 526 instructors who are employed during the academic year 2022-2023 in kindergarten, primary schools, secondary schools, and high schools connected to the Ministry of National Education. By looking at the levels of exploratory and confirmatory component analysis, item discrimination levels, and meeting the goal, the validity of the scale was examined. Stability analyses and internal consistency coefficients were used to examine the scale's reliability. The investigation concluded that the scale is a viable and trustworthy measurement tool that may be used to assess teachers' degrees of self-efficacy with regard to gamification.

This scientometric analysis and systematic review methodologies examine the integration of gamification into steam education from 2017 to 2023. We collected data from the Scopus database. The study employed content analysis to evaluate 34 articles published during the past 7 years. The aggregate magnitude and trajectory of publications. The study examined trends in terms of annual accounts, number of articles, distribution of articles by sources, most productive sources, keywords, top collaboration groups, theme evolutions, contributions, practical consequences, and conceptual framework. The findings revealed the publication of 34 papers across 30 sources between 2017 and 2023, offering significant insights into the data and document formats. The research on steam with gamification revealed fluctuations, alternating between deceleration and positive acceleration. The articles experienced their highest growth rate in 2022. "CEUR workshop proceedings" is the primary source for the most frequently published articles. We request the keyword Plus growth rate for phrases such as "computer-aided instruction," "e-learning," and "embedded systems." The analysis's findings on thematic evolution unveiled three significant advancements: (1) Studies in science and technology have shifted their focus towards steam education. (2) Research on learning environments has expanded to include further investigation into stem education and the integration of science and technology. (3) School students' research has evolved and merged with the study of the learning process. The outcomes, contributions, and real-world significance of incorporating gamification into steam education. The conceptual framework ultimately fosters the development of creativity, problem-solving skills, and innovative abilities.

This article has crafted a detailed bibliometric review of gamified learning in higher education which provides the reader a broad scientific background and an overview of relevant publications and their up-to-date status in this growing domain. The study examines the spread of publications over the time, revealing a development of a dynamic curve from minor to peak in 2021, and then leveled-off of activity in the rest of the years. There is special focus on high-achieving authors and institutions that are praised by the work for their key contributions to the field of gamified learning research. The aspect of global geographical distribution of gamified learning studies in the literature is expounded. While the USA and Turkey rank first in this regard, they also head the discourse. The role of key journals and a citation analysis provide the evidence of the highly reputable and established place the gamified leaning has in higher education. This bibliometric review offers important information about the multifaceted aspects of gamified learning and subsequently may be used by future researchers to dig deeper and contribute to the literature.

Preservice teachers often need help applying classroom management theories to real-world situations due to their abstract nature. Using a case-based instruction strategy for teaching classroom management topics is a common practice to introduce preservice teachers to the contextual complexity of classrooms. This study investigates and compares the effectiveness of two case-based teaching strategies: face-to-face discussion versus a gamified online case-solving platform. Gamification is an instructional approach incorporating game design elements to enhance learners' motivation and engagement in educational environments. It is aimed at increasing students' interest and involvement in learning activities. The study showed that the gamified online case-solving platform group scored higher on the pre-test, post-test, and student perception surveys. The study examines and discusses the possible reasons for the new method's success and provides potential implications.

The evolution of learning design continues, focusing on blended laboratory approaches incorporating technology. The Sophisticated Thinking Laboratory (STB-LAB) and Gather Town are key tools in implementing collaborative learning in this context. This study assesses the effectiveness of blended laboratory implementation using STB-LAB and Gather Town as a gamification tool, utilizing the Assessment Based on Teaching and Learning Trajectory (AABTLT) with Student Activity Sheets (SAS). The results reveal the successful execution of STB-LAB syntax in blended laboratory activities. Additionally, STB-LAB and Gather Town significantly enhance students' collaborative skills, as indicated by a substantial Cohen's D Effect Size. For physics education majors, the effect size is 1.736 in the experiment group and 0.754 in the control group, while for biology education majors, it is 1.522 in the experiment group and 0.541 in the control group. This study highlights the positive impact of blended laboratories with STB-LAB and Gather Town on collaborative skill development, further emphasizing the role of technology in contemporary learning design. [Note: The page range (66-77) shown on the PDF citation is incorrect. The correct page range is 67-78.]

The purposes of this research were to: 1) develop and determine the efficiency of instruction media in board games to enhance the capability in the Development of Thai Textbook and the happiness in learning for undergraduate students, 2) compare the undergraduate students' learning capability in the Development of Thai Textbook before and after learning instruction media in board game and 3) to study the level of happiness in learning the Development of Thai Textbook for undergraduate students towards learning instruction media in board game. The sample group in this research consisted of 27 third year-undergraduate students, majoring in Thai, at the Faculty of Humanities, Srinakharinwirot University. The data was collected by research and development. The data was analyzed by using mean, standard deviation, t-test dependent, and content analysis. The findings of this study were as follows: (1) The efficiency of the instruction media in board games was 84.81/83.83 which was higher than the specified criteria. (2) The average student's learning capability in the Development of Thai Textbook after learning the instruction media in board games was higher than before using instruction media in board games. (3) The undergraduate students had the highest mean level showing their pleasure in learning the Development of Thai Textbook towards learning instruction media in board game and effective for content analysis regarding the undergraduate students' learning logs from Reflective Journal, it was found that this instruction media in board game enhanced the capability in the Development of Thai Textbook and the happiness in learning abilities.

The aims of this study were to synthesize and evaluate the learning model in gamification environment together with cartoon animation media to promote students' creative problem-solving skills. This study was divided into three phases, (i) synthesized and evaluated the appropriateness of learning model (ii) developed cartoon animation and (iii) assessed creative problem-solving skills. The results show that the learning model consisted of three main components: teaching component, gamification environment, and activities to promote creative problem-solving. The overall suitability assessment of the developed learning model was averaged at 4.69 (SD = 0.46) out of 5, being at the most appropriate level and the scores of the students' post-learn creative problem-solving skills assessment were significantly higher than the criteria at the level 0.05. These results lead to a conclusion that the learning model in gamification environment together with cartoon animation media can significantly promote students' creative problem-solving skills and can be applied to develop desired learners' achievements and skills.

Gamification is one of the innovative teaching approaches implemented in English classrooms nowadays. However, using gamification to enhance reading engagement and reading comprehension in language classrooms at the university level has not been much explored. This present study investigated gamification's effects on enhancing reading engagement, reading comprehension, as well as perceptions of gamification among Thai EFL university students. The participants in the research were 70 first-year students selected randomly. A mixed-methods research design was adopted to examine the effects of gamification between control and experimental groups. The quantitative results collected by the pre-test, posttest, pre-survey, and post-survey showed that the experimental group significantly improved reading comprehension and higher reading engagement after the implementation of gamification, compared to the control group that studied traditionally. Furthermore, the participants in the experimental group reported positive perceptions towards gamification, such as promoting reading engagement and creating a fun learning environment. Therefore, this study supports an alternative and innovative way to shift a reading class from a teacher-centered approach to a student-centered approach through gamification.

Gamification involves making teaching processes fun with the intention of improving factors that affect learning, such as motivation. Although the focus is not on the game itself and the corresponding entertainment, its design and results provide an alternative for developing educational proposals that make students the protagonists and generate student engagement with their education. On that basis, this study aims to understand pre-service primary school teachers' perceptions of gamification as an active methodology, taking the gender and time of analysis variables into account. To this end, a quantitative longitudinal panel design (pre-test and post-test) from a descriptive and inferential approach was applied. The sample consisted of 284 pre-service primary education teachers from the University of Málaga (2021/2022 academic year). The information was collected through a validated instrument that measures perceptions of both digital didactic resources and teaching methodologies. The results revealed positive perceptions of gamification as a methodology, with a significant improvement from the pre-test to post-test scores. As for the analysis of the gender variable, there were significant differences, with the male participants' ratings of gamification being higher than those of the female participants. In conclusion, gamification constitutes a feasible methodology to implement due to being well-received by university students, as a result of its motiving and fun nature and the fact that it makes students the protagonists of the learning process.

Gamifying educational practices is a trend in the field of education, especially in universities. Knowing which dimensions are significant in active gamified methodologies allows understanding the extent to which a dimension depends on another if there is a correlation between them. Through the GAMEX (gameful experience in gamification) scale, which measures gamified experiences ("Journal of Interactive Marketing," Elsevier 43:98-115, 2018), the aims of this study were to: 1) explore, using the structural equations model, the viability of the GAMEX model formulated to analyse the gamified experience level of university students; and 2) determine the influence of the GAMEX variables on the students' degree of mastery in gamified experiences. The sample was constituted by 405 university students. A structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis was carried from a PLS (partial least squares) approach, using SmartPLS software. The results show the reliability of the different constructs considered in the proposed model. The items presented acceptable reliability levels and strong consistency with the dimensions of the model. The model emphasises the multidimensional character of gamified experience and supports the students' mastery over the different gamified experiences.

This review explores the integration and effects of the Internet of Things (IoT) in education, highlighting its importance in transforming traditional teaching and learning techniques. It examines the early uses and historical growth of IoT, its development, and the turning points in its adoption. It explores IoT platforms, tools, and technologies in education, including wearables, smart devices, augmented and virtual reality, gamification, and collaborative learning. It discusses the role of IoT in improving campus management, including intelligent campuses with IoT-enabled infrastructure, energy-saving technologies, and safety and security improvements. The study discusses data security and privacy issues in IoT installations and the ethical and legal implications of data collection in the classroom. The study also discusses upcoming trends and prospects for IoT usage in education, including AI and machine learning integration. Finally, the review provides insights for educators, decision-makers, and stakeholders, identifying research gaps and recommending areas for future IoT implementation.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of digital gamification-based instruction on the attitudes towards mathematics and anxiety of seventh-grade gifted students in the "Equation and Equation" unit. In this study, pretest-posttest unbalanced group experimental design was used. The study was conducted in the 2022-2023 academic year with a total of 30 seventh-grade gifted students, 15 in the experimental group and 15 in the control group. During the study, the control group received a mathematics lesson based on traditional teaching and the experimental group received a mathematics lesson supported by digital gamification. In addition, the participants in the experimental group were asked to keep a diary throughout the implementation process to reflect their thoughts about digital gamification-based instruction. In the study, it was concluded that digital gamification-based instruction positively affected the attitudes of gifted students toward mathematics. It was observed that the anxiety levels of the students decreased after the application, but there was no statistically significant difference. In the study, students stated that mathematics lessons based on digital gamification were fun and their prejudices about the subject were broken.

The development of digital technology in leaps and bounds has resulted in offering different learning options and alternatives in physical education. In this regard, technology techniques, like gamification, have been utilized in several areas of education, leading to the identification of its several usage benefits. Nevertheless, there is a lack of studies concerning how gamification would enhance students' skills in physical education. Therefore, this study systematically reviews gamification in the physical education literature from 2015 to 2022, focusing on 27 indexed papers published in international databases. Based on the results, most studies had positive findings on gamification effectiveness in physical education samples. Besides, based on the findings, gamification studies primarily focused on how physical skills can be enhanced among physical education students. The findings contribute to the way technology enhances students' skills in physical education. To this end, more studies are required to mitigate the remaining gaps in gamification literature.

Mathematics is one of the essential subjects for students because it focuses more on the ability to remember, memorize, and interpret. In addition, gamification in mathematics is excellent since it promotes critical and creative problem-solving and enhances children's metacognitive abilities. This experimental study investigates the impact of digital gamification and metacognitive skills on the mathematical problem-solving capabilities of primary school students. This type of research is quasi-experimental with a pretest-posttest control group design. The number of samples used was 108 students consisting of 55 students in the experimental class and 53 in the control class. The research data was collected with the MAI (Metacognitive Awareness Inventory) instrument for metacognitive skills and problem-solving tests. The data analysis technique used is Two Way Anova. This study yielded several findings. Among them, there are significant differences in students' solving abilities based on the application of gamification in learning. Second, there is a significant difference in students' problem-solving abilities based on metacognitive skills. In addition, there is an interaction between digital gamification and metacognitive skills on students' mathematical problem-solving abilities.

The STEAM learning environment with a gamification system has been found to promote innovators by enhancing creative thinking and innovation skills in students. It can engage and motivate students, making the course content come alive. The objective of this study is to provide an overview of the research conducted in the field of STEAM education with a focus on gamification, specifically examining studies published within the last six years. A bibliometric analysis and systematic reviews were performed to examine the trends in published literature on steam learning environment on gamification systems to promote innovators between the years 2018 and 2023. The retrieval of pertinent documents was conducted by employing keywords associated with "TITLE-ABS-KEY ("steam" AND "gamification" AND "innovation" AND "skill" AND "innovator" AND "learning environment" AND "ecosystem")" in the title, abstract, and keywords of the documents. Consequently, a total of 5 documents were obtained from the Scopus database for the purpose of conducting bibliometric analysis and systematic review. The review examines the pattern of publication growth, identifies the papers with the highest citation counts, determines the primary sources of these articles, assesses the productivity of writers, analyzes the leading countries contributing to the field, and identifies the prominent subject areas within the research domain. Based on the results of our investigation, it can be concluded that Thailand exhibits the highest level of productivity in terms of publications and citations. Education and Information Technologies is widely recognized as the primary scholarly resource in its field. Through the co-occurrence of keywords analysis, we determined that the most significant keywords associated with steam learning environment on gamification systems to promote innovators are gamification, creative thinking, steam education, design thinking and digital learning ecosystem and so on. The computer science and social science domains have the highest number of published documents.

Teaching programming is a complex process requiring learning to develop different skills. To minimize the challenges faced in the classroom, instructors have been adopting active methodologies in teaching computer programming. This article presents a Systematic Mapping Study (SMS) to identify and categorize the types of methodologies that instructors have adopted for teaching programming. We evaluated 3,850 papers published from 2000 to 2022. The results provide an overview and comprehensive view of active learning methodologies employed in teaching programming, technologies, programming languages, and the metrics used to observe student learning in this context. In the results, we identified thirty-seven different ALMs adopted by instructors. We realized that seventeen publications describe teaching approaches that combine more than one ALM, and the most reported methodologies in the studies are Flipped Classroom and Gamification-Based Learning. In addition, we are proposing an educational and collaborative tool called CollabProg, which summarizes the primary active learning methodologies identified in this SMS. CollabProg will assist instructors in selecting appropriate ALMs that align with their pedagogical requirements and teaching programming context.

A massive open online course (MOOC) is a powerful tool for expanding educational opportunities, but one of the major challenges facing MOOCs is the high dropout rate. Low completion rates indicate issues with student engagement and motivation. Gamification, the incorporation of game elements in non-game contexts, has shown promise in increasing engagement and completion rates in education. This systematic review aims to explore the current state of research on gamification in MOOCs, including the most commonly used gamification aspects, their impact on motivation and engagement, and the influence on dropout rates. We searched several databases, such as Google Scholar, Scopus, and ERIC, from 2014 to 2021 and included studies that focused on the application of gamification in MOOCs and its effects on motivation, engagement, and dropout rates. A total of 16 studies were analyzed, and the results were synthesized to address the research questions posed. The results of this systematic literature review indicate that while research on gamification in MOOCs is still in its early stages, several studies have shown that gamification elements such as badges, levels, leaderboards, challenges, and rewards significantly affect student motivation and engagement, and reduce dropout rates in MOOCs. However, the effectiveness of these elements varies depending on their specific design, implementation, and alignment with students' intrinsic motivations and goals.

Gaming the system is a persistent problem in Computer-Based Learning Platforms. While substantial progress has been made in identifying and understanding such behaviors, effective interventions remain scarce. This study uses a method of causal moderation known as Fully Latent Principal Stratification to explore the impact of two types of interventions--gamification and manipulation of assistance access on the learning outcomes of students who tend to game the system. The results indicate that gamification does not consistently mitigate these negative behaviors. One gamified condition had a consistently positive effect on learning regardless of students' propensity to game the system, whereas the other had a negative effect on gamers. However, delaying access to hints and feedback may have a positive effect on the learning outcomes of those gaming the system. This paper also illustrates the potential for integrating detection and causal methodologies within educational data mining to evaluate effective responses to detected behaviors.

This pilot study aims to assess the acceptability of Open University's training platform called Gamified Intelligent Cyber Aptitude and Skills Training course (GICAST), as a means of improving cybersecurity knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours in undergraduate students using both quantitative and qualitative methods. A mixed-methods, pre-post experimental design was employed. 43 self-selected participants were recruited via an online register and posters at the university (excluding IT related courses). Participants completed the Human Aspects of Information Security Questionnaire (HAIS-Q) and Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) Scale. They then completed all games and quizzes in the GICAST course before repeating the HAIS-Q and FoMO scales as well as several open-ended questions. Pre-training HAIS-Q Knowledge, Attitude and Behaviour all improved from 'reasonable' pre-training levels to become 'very high' following training with large effect sizes estimated. FoMO improved to a lesser degree but also predicted the degree of HAIS-Q improvement suggesting it is relevant to the impact of this training course. Qualitatively, five key themes were generated: enjoyment, engagement, usability of GICAST, content relevance, and perceived educational efficacy. Overall, sentiment towards training was very positive as an enjoyable engaging and usable course. GICAST was found to be a feasible course for a wide range of students at a UK university: overall the training improved cyber-security awareness on a well validated measure with outcomes comparable to information-security-trained employees of a secure workplace. Despite a diversity of views about content, the course appears to be well suited to the non-IT undergraduate sector and may suit wide uptake to enhance students' employability in a wide range of cybersecurity relevant contexts.

Gamification, characterized by the integration of game design elements into non-game environments, has gained popularity in classrooms due to its potential for increased engagement and enjoyment compared to traditional lecture-based teaching methods. While students generally exhibit positive attitudes towards gamification, its impact on academic achievement remains a subject of debate. This study employed a meta-analysis approach to examine the overall influence of gamification on students' academic performance. The sample comprised 22 experimental studies conducted between 2008 and 2023, comparing the effects of gamified and non-gamified classes. Utilizing a random effects model, the results revealed a moderately positive effect of gamification on student academic performance (Hedges's g = 0.782, p < 0.05). The paper further discussed the outcomes of various moderator analyses, providing valuable insights into the selection and utilization of game design elements, as well as considerations specific to different educational stages.

This study utilised scale development analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of gamification based on Knowles' andragogical principle in facilitating online learning for adult students. An exploratory sequential mixed-method research design was employed, incorporating interviews and field notes to gather qualitative data for scale construction. The "Gamification for Adult Questionnaires" (GAQ) scale was developed via questionnaires and analysed quantitatively. The thematic analysis of qualitative interviews revealed 23 sub-themes based on the five main andragogical principles used as a foundation for the quantitative analysis scales. Initially, 47 items were constructed, but five items with low communalities were excluded and an EFA with varimax rotation was performed on the remaining 42 items. The KMO and Bartlett test yielded a satisfactory value of 0.90 Williams et al. (2010). The Chi-square test (Bartlett's method) resulted in a significant sphericity level of p < 0.01. The EFA results enabled the categorisation of the 42 items into four factors: independent learning (9 items), learning engagement (15 items), knowledge-experience sharing (7 items), and application to real-life situations (11 items). The high alpha coefficient of 0.97 suggests the scale is reliable, and the 42 items account for 81% of the variance. The results indicate that the GAQ scale is a valid and reliable tool for evaluating gamification based on andragogical principles in adult learning settings. This study provides a foundation for future researchers interested in exploring gamification with contemporary teaching methods and technology for adult learners using Knowles' andragogical principles.

Contribution: This study provides an implementation of a partially flipped classroom with gamification aspects that has shown a statistically significant increase in student performance relative to traditional lecture. Background: Electronic Circuits is a challenging required course for first-year students in the Electrical Engineering degree program at National Taiwan University. Students taking the English section have historically performed lower than other Chinese sections, likely due to their diverse backgrounds and less familiarity with Taiwanese-style exams. Intended Outcome: This study applied flipped-learning-with-gamification teaching methods to evaluate their effectiveness in improving students' motivation to solve ungraded practice problems and increase student performance. One-third of the class was a condensed in-class lecture with supplemental online videos, while two-thirds was a problem-solving session with students in teams. A class gameboard (leaderboard) and weekly concept cards (badges) were used to motivate the students to complete weekly ungraded practice problems. Findings: The results showed that the flipped-learning-with-gamification approach increased the average of the English section's normalized quiz and exam grades by 11.6% compared to the previous year, such that the section's average performance matched that of the other sections (control groups). Results also found that higher grades were most strongly correlated with higher completion rates of in-class problems and were uncorrelated with lecture attendance. Survey results showed that students liked the gamification aspects of working in teams, receiving concept cards, and completing challenge problems more than the course gameboard.

Previous studies have found positive effects of Game-Based Learning for mathematics. While most studies assume that this effect is explained by the presence of flow/immersion during games, this has not yet been established. The aim of the current study is to verify if immersion indeed is associated with mathematical skills improvement when using a Game-Based Learning intervention. This was tested among 59 Greek high school students, using authentic design. After having received a traditional education module, the students were tested and then engaged for four weeks in a desktop-based 3D Virtual Learning Environment where they could play mathematic minigames. They were subsequently re-tested to verify if they showed a significant increase in mathematical skills. The students showed an improvement in their mathematical skills (Cohen's d = 1.26), with significant results for functions, geometry, and thinking skills and methods. On the individual level, about half of the students showed a 10% increase in one of the domains (numbers & calculations, functions, geometry, thinking skills and methods, and algorithms and number theory). Immersion was found to be reflected by engagement and presence, but neither one of these aspects was associated with mathematical achievement after the intervention. It is concluded that Game-Based Learning is an effective approach to increasing mathematical skills, yet the underlying mechanisms are not yet understood. The authors discuss several alternative mechanisms based on the literature that can be verified in future studies.

To date, extensive work has been devoted to incorporating computational thinking in K-12 education. Recognizing students' computational thinking stages in game-based learning environments is essential to capture unproductive learning and provide appropriate scaffolding. However, few reliable and valid computational thinking measures have been developed, especially in games, where computational knowledge acquisition and computational skill construction are implicit. This study introduced an innovative approach to explore students' implicit computational thinking through various explicit factors in game-based learning, with a specific focus on Zoombinis, a logical puzzle-based game designed to enhance students' computational thinking skills. Our results showed that factors such as duration, accuracy, number of actions and puzzle difficulty were significantly related to students' computational thinking stages, while gender and grade level were not. Besides, findings indicated gameplay performance has the potential to reveal students' computational thinking stages and skills. Effective performance (shorter duration, fewer actions and higher accuracy) indicated practical problem-solving strategies and systematic computational thinking stages (eg, Algorithm Design). This work helps simplify the process of implicit computational thinking assessment in games by observing the explicit factors and gameplay performance. These insights will serve to enhance the application of gamification in K-12 computational thinking education, offering a more efficient method to understanding and fostering students' computational thinking skills.

Collaborative learning, driven by knowledge co-construction and meaning negotiation, is a pivotal aspect of educational contexts. While gesture's importance in conveying shared meaning is recognized, its role in collaborative group settings remains understudied. This gap hinders accurate and equitable assessment and instruction, particularly for linguistically diverse students. Advancements in multimodal learning analytics, leveraging sensor technologies, offer innovative solutions for capturing and analysing body movements. This study employs these novel approaches to demonstrate how learners' machine-detected body movements during the learning process relate to their verbal and nonverbal contributions to the co-construction of embodied math knowledge. These findings substantiate the feasibility of utilizing learners' machine-detected body movements as a valid indicator for inferring their engagement with the collaborative knowledge construction process. In addition, we empirically validate that these inferred different levels of learner engagement indeed impact the desired learning outcomes of the intervention. This study contributes to our scientific understanding of multimodal approaches to knowledge expression and assessment in learning, teaching, and collaboration.

This study contributes to the comparative analysis of outcomes between gamified and traditional training systems in the banking sector. On-the-job training is a vital aspect of the process of enhancing work performance within organizations. Thus, by employing a case-based asymmetric configural approach rooted in nonlinear and contrarian case analysis, this research investigates the impact of gamified training on human resource development. A global empirical survey of 388 banking employees revealed that a combination of complexity theory and configural analysis provides valuable insights into the outcomes of both gamified and conventional training methods. In the face of increasing competition, banks are compelled to enhance their professionalism by boosting employee motivation. It becomes apparent that there is no straightforward, necessary and sufficient path available to guarantee high levels of engagement and job satisfaction. Notably, some of these results challenge the expectations of self-determination theory (SDT), which posits the satisfaction of three basic psychological needs during training. These findings contribute to an enriched understanding of the nuanced application of complexity theory in the context of SDT research, particularly regarding the training and development of gamified systems for banking organizations and other service-oriented sectors that can benefit from such innovative training approaches.

This paper presents one elementary school librarian's experience using gamification and game-based learning in the specialist classroom. While the academic literature on gamification and game-based learning is increasing, there has not been much written on using these techniques in the specialist classroom. Using a case study method, the researcher explored the question, "How might a specialist teacher apply gamification and game-based learning techniques in the specialist classroom to improve student engagement and overall classroom management?" Data for this case study included a comparison of student work over 3 years, 1 year without gamification and game-based learning, and 2 years with gamification and game-based learning, and direct observation of student participation, attentiveness, and overall behavior. Analysis of the data showed that students responded positively to gamification and game-based learning, and the quality of student work improved when game-based learning and gamification techniques were employed in the specialist classroom.

This paper presents and discusses the inclusive inquiry-based alternate reality game (IB-ARGI) approach, a pedagogical gamified approach supporting inclusive contemporary educational contexts. The IB-ARGI approach comprises Inquiry-based Learning, Alternate Reality Games, Universal Design for Learning and Augmented Reality technology in order to shape an inclusive inquiry-based learning environment for all students. The aspects of the IB-ARGI approach are illustrated and discussed by focusing on an IB-ARGI implementation on the topic of Magnets and Magnetism for 65 preschool student teachers in the context of a laboratory course in Science. The study aims to explore preschool student teachers' perception of the IB-ARGI approach as learners and future teachers using a mixed method approach and assess the intervention's learning outcomes through pre- and post-tests. The results revealed fruitful insights into how the IB-ARGI approach motivated the student teachers to actively participate in the inquiry through an immersive experience involving multiple means of engagement, representation, and action and expression. Findings concerning the learning outcomes also indicated significant learning gains for the participants. Despite this work's suggestive and exploratory nature, the study offers new perspectives and findings to the literature regarding the formation of more inclusive inquiry practices. Additionally, it contributes to opening a route in the current literature concerning the formation of more inclusive approaches and practices in science education.

Gamification has a strong track record of improving student engagement and learning in the chemical sciences. Meta-analyses of different approaches to gamification have highlighted that providing a game fiction, encouraging students to work in teams, and breaking games into smaller "quests" are particularly effective. Here, we aimed to increase students' engagement and learning with four analytical biochemistry techniques (high-performance liquid chromatography, sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, Western blot, and mass spectrometry) by creating a game that required them to use every method to solve a "murder mystery". Our game was based on the popular games "Mafia" and "Among Us" and introduced an original game fiction relevant to our setting. Students attending the formative gamified session gave highly positive feedback. They indicated that they enjoyed the session and increased confidence in the methods involved. Free text comments praised many of the elements deliberately introduced into the game. To our surprise, the main criticism was that the session was not challenging enough. We developed a revised session that required students to undertake more detailed data interpretation, which students reported gave the expected increase in difficulty. All materials and code for running our session and generating new mysteries with original data are available online.

Summative lab assessments probe student mastery over concepts, but conventional ones often result in decreased student engagement and confidence. If conventional summative lab assessments are replaced by accessible gamified evaluations, such as online escape rooms, this leads to improved student engagement and confidence. In this work, we adapted two sustainability themed online escape room activities to increase student engagement and confidence in data analyses in Integrated Chemistry I (CHEM 381) over three semesters at CSU, Chico. Over 89.7% of students earned full credit. Further, 80.0% of the written comments included positive feedback. After the online escape room assessments, 60.0% of the students rated their confidence as "high" or "very high" in all categories assessed, compared to 25.6% before the experience. Students found that the online escape room assessments were more engaging than the traditional assessment and increased their confidence as they worked toward solving two sustainability crises and competed for the quickest time to complete the escape rooms.

In this research, a GAmified Mobile Leaning Framework (GAMOLEAF) developed as a new intelligent application designed for mobile devices to ensure learning, assessing, and advancing learners' knowledge in programming complex data structures in Java programming language. GAMOLEAF adopted motivational strategies to solve motivational problems during the COVID-19 pandemic by employing a gamification module, that integrates levels, scores, badges, leaderboard, and feedback. Furthermore, in order to assist learners to find useful and relevant lessons and best solutions for each data structure, GAMOLEAF incorporated personalized recommendations through two intelligent modules: a Lessons Recommendation Module (LRecM) and a problem-solving Solutions Recommender Module (PSSORecM). LrecM aims to provide learners with personalized lessons depending on the ratings collected explicitly from them. Whereas, PSSORecM bases on learners' behaviors and directs them to consult other solutions. Both modules were based on the collaborative filtering method and used Matrix Factorization (MF) applying Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) and Negative Matrix Factorization (NMF) algorithms, respectively. To explore how the integration of personalized recommendations and gamification impact on students motivation and learning achievements in higher education to learning programming complex data structures course using mobile technologies, especially in difficult times like COVID-19, an experiment was carried out to compare the learning achievement and motivation of 90 students divided into three groups (control group, first experimental group, and second experimental group) using three versions of GAMOLEAF respectively: GAMOLEAF-V1 without gamification and without recommendation, GAMOLEAF-V2 integrating gamification only and GAMOLEAF-V3 integrating both gamification and recommendation. The One-way ANOVA (analysis of variance) test and Post hoc Tukey test were employed to analyze the performances of the three groups before and after the learning activity. The results suggested that the students who learned with GAMOLEAF-V3 using gamification and recommendation achieved significantly better learning achievement than those who learned with GAMOLEAF-V2 and GAMOLEAF-V1. From the experimental results, it was found that the gamification applied in GAMOLEAF-V2 and GAMOLEAF-V3 had significantly better effectiveness in improving only students' motivation without improving their learning achievement. Moreover, the analysis result of the learning achievement indicated that the students in the second experimental group showed significantly higher learning achievement using GAMOLEAF-V3 in comparison with those in both the control group and the first experimental group who used GAMOLEAF-V1 and GAMOLEAF-V2 respectively. Such findings indicate that the personalized recommendations offered by the Lessons Recommendation Module (LRecM) and the problem-solving Solutions Recommender Module (PSSORecM) in GAMOLEAF-V3 may be one of the reasons why the learning achievement of students was increased.

Self-regulatory learning skills are recognized as an essential factor motivating students to learn. The lack of self-regulatory learning skills could reduce students' learning performance. Therefore, engaging students in making learning plans, executing the plans, and reflecting on their learning remains a challenge for teachers. To address this problem, this study proposes a gamified mobile self-regulated learning approach which provides multiple gamified rewards to motivate students' self-regulatory learning skills. Gamified elements were integrated into students' self-regulated learning stages to guide them in efficiently exploring how to achieve their goals and making deep learning reflections. To investigate the effect of this proposed approach on students' learning outcomes, two classes of students were recruited to conduct the experiment. The learning approach was used by the experimental group (N = 22) while the conventional mobile self-regulated learning approach was used by the control group (N = 22). Both groups of students' performance on the mathematics learning achievement test, SRL learning sheets, and goal-achieving intentions were collected and analyzed. The results showed that the gamification mechanism improved the students' learning achievement as well as their goal-setting and reflection performance. However, the students who used the proposed approach reached similar monitoring performance as those students who learned without gamification. This study confirmed the feasibility of introducing a gamification mechanism into self-regulated learning, and revealed how to apply multiple game elements in instructional activities to enhance students' learning intentions.