Gamification in Education: Where Are We in 2015?

Abstract

Abstract: This paper presents a follow-up of a systematic mapping study of the empirical research on applying gamification to education, covering the period July 2014-June 2015. Its goal is twofold: to complement the previous survey by reviewing the papers published within the last year and to identify the shifts and emerging trends in this research field by comparing the new results to the previous data. The study also confirms that the penetration of gamification in education is still fast growing and the practice has outpaced researchers’ understanding of its mechanisms. But it indicates that it has passed the “peak of inflated expectations” in Gartner’s hype cycle and is sliding down into the “trough of disillusionment”. The rise of the number of studies with inconclusive or negative results suggests that the gamification has passed its early phase and is considered in a more critical and analytical way instead of ‘riding the hype’. Introduction Gamification has been a rising technology trend since 2010. Its growing popularity is stemming from the belief in its potential to foster motivation, behavioral changes, friendly competition and collaboration in different contexts, such as customer engagement, employee performance and social loyalty. As a result, it has been applied in various domains including marketing, health care, human resources, training, environmental protection and wellbeing. One key sector where gamification techniques are being explored is education. Gamification in education refers to the