The happy association of game and gamification: the use and evaluation of game elements with game-based activities

Abstract

In this study, gamification with game-based activities was implemented in an undergraduate information technologies course in a university. While the qualitative results of this mixed methods revealed what aspects of gamification supported students’ learning in this course, the quantitative analysis of responses to pre- and post-testing showed that the implementation of gamification positively affected students’ motivation and engagement in the course. After the implementation, semi-structured interviews were conducted with the students to solicit their views of the treatment and its contribution to their learning. The interview results showed positive psychological effects; students who were unmotivated at the beginning of the semester had become more participatory and engaged in the course after experiencing learning through gamification. Overall, the findings of this study show that gamification warrants further examination as an effective pedagogical approach that can increase students’ motivation to learn and engagement in class.