An Examination of Influential Factors on Gamification in Higher Education: A Content Analysis
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Authors
Li, Wenzhen
Issue Date
2023
Type
Dissertation
Language
Keywords
gamification , gamified learning , higher education , social interaction
Alternative Title
Abstract
Student disengagement and disconnection post pandemic has become a prominent concern in higher education. As colleges and universities navigate the post-pandemic landscape, addressing student disengagement and reconnecting them to the learning community has become a priority. Gamification has been used in education since early 2010s, however, the empirical studies on the effectiveness of gamification have yielded inconsistent results. Without a clear understanding of how gamification works and which gamification design elements have a higher potential to influence learning outcomes, gamification intervention may not achieve the desired results. Guided by Self-Determination Theory and Theory of Gamified Learning, this study aimed to examine the factors that contributed to the successful implementation of gamification in higher education, and to identify the design elements that had most influence on student learning outcomes. The study employed a correlational research design and quantitative content analysis method. Data was collected from the empirical studies conducted between 2014 and 2023. The literature search yielded 1038 publications. After a careful screening, 67 experiments were included in this study. Data analysis was conducted using logistic regression and Chi-Square tests. Two gamification design elements, Social Interaction and Leaderboards, were found to have significant influence on student learning outcomes. The results showed that integrating social interaction and leaderboards in the gamification design facilitates the satisfaction of the needs for competence and relatedness, which helps improve student engagement and connection with the learning community and alleviates the issue facing higher education. This study provided insights for college instructors and instructional designers in the design of gamification intervention in instruction. Implications for practice and future studies were presented.