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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.

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.

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.

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.

Active methodologies such as gamification, combined with emerging technologies like augmented reality, are enhancing learning environments that facilitate the development of essential competencies. Particularly, students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) require reinforcement of their Communicative Competence (CC) to activate their abilities to communicate effectively in different contexts, and interventions supported by this type of methodology and resources can contribute to this goal. The aim of this study is to analyse the contribution of an Augmented Gamified Environment to the development of CC in a sample of 54 subjects diagnosed in public Special Education centres. Correlational methodology is adopted with an exploratory and analytical approach. Individualized intervention sought to relate students' level of interaction and immersion in the environment's narrative to the increase in their CC. Their degree of autonomy when interacting with the tablet and immersion in the game was measured using observation-based instruments with categories that allowed for subsequent statistical analysis. Additionally, the influence of gender, age, severity of ASD, comorbidities, and type of language on the level of competence achieved was contrasted. The results show that engagement in mission execution favoured their CC. It was observed that the higher the immersion in the challenges, the higher the CC of the students. Specifically, older students with less severe ASD, functional oral language, and no comorbidity exhibited higher levels of CC. In conclusion, intervention for optimal results must be tailored to individual characteristics, present engaging narratives, and integrate playful activities that require communicative strategies.

This article shares research, an empirical psychological case study, about cognition in higher degree art education. It proposes cognitive curation as a concept and practice that can develop knowledge and learning autonomy in and beyond the academy. Informed by the autoethnographic stories, interviews, and artworks of three academic art educators, this article's research demonstrates how cognition and its curation can manifest and develop in the teaching, research, and practice of higher degree art education. Open coding and framework alignment (cognitive, nexus orientated and visual) helped understand, locate, and exemplify cognition and curation in the research. Informed by the data, this article acknowledges how movement, identities, and frameworks, as learning strategies, can help facilitate cognition and cognitive curation. Cognitive curation provides means to responsibly form and follow learning, it is consequently relevant to the arts, education, and life. Art education's cognitive value is often questioned, this article dialogically contributes to the defense of its cognitive integrity whilst foregrounding cognitive curation.

Student's motivation towards physical education (PE) classes is a key factor for increasing physical activity (PA) levels in children. In order to increase motivation in PE, new teaching techniques are needed, such as gamification. This study examines the potential influence of gamification in PE classes on motivation-related variables such as basic psychological needs (BPNs) and positive behaviours in primary school students, considering the perceptions of students and teachers. A total of nine teachers and 506 primary students participated in this study: 250 from a gamified group and 256 from a control group. The students filled in the BPNs in the Classroom Scale in order to measure three BPNs (autonomy, competence and relatedness). In addition, the perceptions, feelings, and behaviours of the students and teachers were analysed and classified through drawings, teacher's diaries, and focus groups. An improvement in the three BPNs, namely autonomy (p < 0.001), competence (p < 0.001) and relatedness (p < 0.001), was observed for the gamified group compared to the control group. The qualitative findings showed a perceived increase in student motivation, participation, and cooperation behaviours. Students also reported values such as respect, and rejection of contempt and harassment. In short, gamification was associated with an increase in all BPNs and positive behaviours in primary school students in gamified PE classes compared to non-gamified classes.

Contribution: This research explores the effectiveness of a proposed teaching strategy in blockchain education, finding that it enhances learning outcomes, cognitive well-being, and student engagement in tertiary education, ultimately resulting in a shallower learning curve for STEM knowledge. Background: In the context of Industry 4.0, blockchain technology has emerged as a key driver of transformation in data management and system automation across a range of industrial applications. Despite its significance, the intricate theories and concepts associated with blockchain often serve as a deterrent for novice learners, inhibiting their ability to appreciate the value of industrial blockchain. Consequently, there is a pressing need to develop interactive teaching content that alleviates the steep learning curve. Intended Outcomes: The teaching strategy for the gamification in blockchain education is proposed, which positively influence students' cognitive well-being in terms of knowledge retention, cognitive curiosity, and heightened enjoyment. Application Design: Based on the experimental learning theory, the gamification of blockchain education, namely "BlockTrainHK", is implemented in the experimental learning cycle. Therefore, the gamified learning in experimental learning (GEL) strategy is proposed to examine the effectiveness of concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization and active experimentation by two case studies. Findings: The results of the two-year study on the gamified blockchain education are encouraging: test groups using the GEL strategy were better in the cognitive well-being, and students' cognitive well-being is positively proportional to the level of individual technical knowledge and skills.

Background: Effective learning in computer programming courses has been a constant challenge for university teachers and has become a relevant competence for current professionals. The literature on gamification in learning presents mixed results, mainly due to problems in instructional design and inconsistency in gamification. Studies with positive empirical results on computer programming formative activities and showing under what conditions gamification is effective still need to be included. Objectives: This study aimed to quantify the effects of gamification techniques in software tools that support computer programming learning applied to data-structures university students. The study focused on determining whether there are differences in learning when using gamification techniques in online exercising formative activities. The effects of gamification on learning objectives with diverse complexity are studied. Methods: The study was conducted on computer engineering university students following a pretest-intervention-posttest design. They were divided into control and experimental groups, where both used a bank of exercises in Moodle to support learning. The experimental group considered gamification techniques, including points, leaderboards, and badges. Results and Conclusions: Gamification techniques significantly outperformed in learning gains in exercising activities without gamification. Regarding learning complexity, increasing taxonomic complexity did not negatively affect gamification learning effects.

Background: The impact of digital gamified language learning on language achievement has been corroborated in the literature; however, its impact on language achievement, especially in the English as a foreign language (EFL) context needs further investigation. In addition, the related literature has not sufficiently confirmed the impact of digital gamified language learning on some psychological domains of EFL learning. Objectives: This study, therefore, employed a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach to explore the effects of digital gamified language learning using a mobile application (app) affordances on EFL learners' language achievement, foreign language enjoyment (FLE), and ideal second language (L2) self. Methods: To this end, 36 EFL learners were randomly divided into two groups; one group was randomly assigned to the digital class, including 19 EFL learners, and the other group was assigned to the non-digital class, consisting of 17 EFL learners. The digital learners did the digital gamified language learning activities individually and interactively and received peer and instructor feedback, whilst the non-digital learners did the same language learning activities in printed format and received peer and instructor feedback. A language achievement test, the FLE scale, and the ideal L2 self-scale were used to collect the quantitative data and an individual semi-structured interview was carried out to gather the qualitative data. Results and Conclusions: One-way ANCOVA, used to analyse the quantitative data, revealed that the digital and non-digital classes improved the EFL learners' language achievement, FLE, and ideal L2 self; however, the digital learners outperformed their non-digital counterparts in all the measures. Thematic analysis, utilised to analyse the qualitative data, uncovered some themes about the digital learners' positive and negative attitudes and perceptions towards the digital gamified language learning activities, clarifying the quantitative findings. Implications: Pedagogical implications are discussed.

Research in gamified learning is still needed to expound how gamification may be employed to realistically yield positive effects on learning motivation. It is essential to evaluate whether gamification can foster autonomous forms of motivation, such as intrinsic motivation, which has been related to learning persistence and performance quality, instead of non-autonomous extrinsic motivation, that has been shown to be unsustainable or at worse, harmful to learning. To explore this, the current study investigated how gamified learning affected various motivational dimensions such as the sense of competence, autonomy, valuation, intrinsic motivation, identified regulation and external regulation to provide a clearer picture of the motivational influence of gamification. This study involved a learning activity that was gamified in a long-term context. The findings showed that gamifying a non-graded learning activity increased the sense of autonomy and intrinsic motivation. Interestingly, the findings showed that gamification reduced non-autonomous motivation in an examination-oriented course. Nevertheless, gamified learning did not yield significant effects on the sense of competence and valuation. The relationships between the various motivational dimensions were discussed in this paper.

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

Educational escape rooms (ER) are an instructional activity designed to incorporate many elements of recreational ERs, which have become popular in recent years. There are many reasons to consider incorporating educational ERs into K-12 math instruction or after-school programs/camps. First, they are highly motivating for students because they engage them in game-like elements, including solving puzzles (Stohlmann, 2020). Second, education ERs foster teamwork and communication and encourage productive struggle (Borrego et al., 2017; Fotaris & Mastoras, 2019). Third, educational ERs can help students explore mathematical concepts in a fun way; however, it is important to ensure that ER puzzles are aligned with relevant learning goals and content standards (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 2014). Based on the literature, the main obstacles to incorporating ERs into instruction seem to be that teachers view educational ERs as too complicated, costly, and time-consuming to develop. Thus, the purpose of this article is to provide a step-by-step process teachers can follow to efficiently design high-quality educational ERs without breaking the bank. The authors use their elementary-level Treasure Hunt example to illustrate our ER design process, but this process can be applied across all grades and involve a variety of context.

This article aims to elevate the appreciation of Dr Michael D. Fetters's contributions to mixed methods pedagogy by highlighting his innovative teaching methods called the "mixed methods treasure hunt." Utilizing Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, this paper provides a detailed examination of how Fetters's legacy can be adapted and extended to Japan and beyond. It explores the efficacy of the mixed methods treasure hunt as a pedagogical tool, offering promising solutions for mixed methods research education. This paper contributes to the field by providing a practical methodology that bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application and enhances learning opportunities, especially for mixed methods learners in the East Asian cultural context, thereby broadening the applicability and impact of Fetters's legacy.

This systematic review examines the role and efficacy of gamification in leadership education, addressing a significant void in contemporary literature. Recognizing the universally acknowledged significance of leadership in diverse sectors, this study highlights the pervasive challenges in post-secondary leadership curricula, such as unclear objectives, student motivation, lack of access and practical applications. This review dissects gamification's effectiveness, identifies key outcome determinants, and discusses the hurdles to classroom implementation, suggesting potential solutions or interventions by examining 23 peer-reviewed journal articles that are published in various locations and disciplines from 2012-2022. The results cover the roles of digital tools in facilitating gamification, recurring obstacles such as resource limitations, evaluation difficulties, and identifies the challenges in formulating a consensus of an operational definition between scholars. The paper suggests the need for future research focusing on refining gamification's definition, extending its scope, and crafting robust evaluation strategies, thereby catalyzing a transformation in pedagogical practices and should prioritize the development and implementation of robust evaluation strategies for gamified leadership training programs.

Gamification possesses a great potential to shape human behaviors and performance. However, the mixed results in gamification research suggest the need to develop a thorough understanding of the mechanistic underpinnings of gamification. Although self-determination theory (SDT) provides a solid theoretical framework to achieve such purposes, it has been mostly applied superficially, limiting its potential to significantly impact gamification research and practice. This paper suggests that SDT, particularly three ideas in SDT -- a continuum of motivation, the mutually supportive nature of basic psychological needs, and the functional significance of an event -- have not been fully explored in gamification research and practice. Attention to the three ideas and relevant SDT literature will advance gamification research and practice in the following ways. First, the idea of continuum of motivation can serve as a powerful framework to conceptualize gamification. Second, the ideas of mutually supportive nature of basic psychological needs and the functional significance of an event can help us develop a nuanced instead of simplistic approach to gamification design. Finally, the three ideas suggest important research directions that have yet to be fully explored in current gamification research.

A growing body of research suggests that comprehension of expository texts presented digitally is a challenging endeavor, particularly for children. Many reading interventions, both from traditional classroom settings and computer-based contexts, have focused on much needed strategy instruction but have simultaneously neglected a focus on motivation. Alternatively, game-based learning environments (GBLEs) have the potential to simultaneously address both motivation and strategy use. Currently, there are few available GBLEs that target expository text comprehension. For this reason, this study employed a quasi-experimental between-subjects media comparison design to examine the effects of Missions with Monty, a GBLE supporting metacomprehension for expository science texts, on reading comprehension and motivation. Fifth-grade students (N = 234) engaged with either Missions with Monty or a comparison, computer-based version of the program lacking gamified elements for a period of 6 weeks and were assessed on reading comprehension skills and five dimensions of reading motivation. Results indicated that students in the GBLE condition showed significantly greater improvements in reading comprehension (g = 0.56), intrinsic motivation for reading (g = 0.52), and curiosity (g = 1.11) than their comparison-condition peers. Moreover, effects of the intervention on reading motivation were independent of prior reading comprehension for each of the reading motivation dimensions except reading efficacy. These findings support the notion that GBLEs can be an effective tool to foster digital expository text comprehension, particularly for struggling and uninterested readers.

The increasing ubiquity of gamification in everyday life normalizes it as a motivational tool. While much scholarship supports gamification, labor sociologists have long problematized the phenomenon. In this mixed-methods action research study, we explore the results of gamifying a lesson on gamification in a sociology of work course. We designed two gamified activities with varying degrees of consent that followed a lesson on gamification and consent. Students rated how problematic a series of gamified work scenarios were before and after the intervention. Our quantitative data did not show a significant increase in students' ability to identify consent after the intervention, but we did discover that students took either an employee or employer's perspective in their rating justifications. Furthermore, these findings were gendered. This article highlights the need for a more critical take on gamification in the classroom. We conclude by suggesting ways practitioners can teach about gamification in other contexts.

This article presents a study on the implementation of a virtual escape-room game as a novel teaching methodology in biochemistry education. The game aimed to engage students in producing monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 while reinforcing theoretical concepts and fostering teamwork. Three versions of the game were tested, incorporating modifications to address student feedback on and improve the overall experience. The study employed a satisfaction survey to gather insights from students regarding their perception of the game. Results showed that the implementation of answer flexibility using RegEx had a significant positive impact on student satisfaction and motivation. The introduction of RegEx allowed for a more realistic and immersive gaming experience, as students could provide varied answers while still being evaluated correctly. Overall, the findings highlight the effectiveness of the game's design, the suitability of the Google Forms platform for distance learning, and the importance of incorporating answer flexibility through RegEx. These results provide valuable guidance for educators seeking to enhance student engagement and satisfaction through the use of escape-room games in biochemistry education.