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Gamification of a Science Classroom

Donetha Meyers

University of Arkansas Fayetteville

ETEC 5203: Foundations of Educational Technology

Dr. Dennis Beck

May 7, 2023
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Abstract

Gamification is a tool that educators often use as a way to engage students in learning.

Science education and scientific literacy are subjects that require complex thinking and

scaffolding of ideas that can be difficult to achieve in normal classrooms. This literature

review aims to see if gamifying a science classroom can have benefits in the areas of

engagement, modifications and supports, scaffolding, and teaching science literacy.

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People between the ages of 15-19 spend almost an hour and half playing games

each day (Clement, 2022). This current generation is more plugged into technology

than ever before, and that is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact 73% of parents say that

gaming has had a positive influence on their children (Jovanovic, 2023). This large

upturn in the gaming industry (which includes more than just video games) has led to

educators trying to gamify their classrooms. Is this gamification of the classroom,

specifically a science classroom, a good thing? This literature review will be analyzing

research to help answer that question.

First let’s talk about what exactly gamification is and looks like. Gamification is a

technique that has been used in various industries to motivate and engage people in

different activities. Think of businesses that offer loyalty cards where customers can

earn free goods. They are motivating customers by offering a reward. Gamification of

education refers to the practice of incorporating game design elements and mechanics,

like giving rewards for accomplishments, into educational environments or learning

experiences in order to increase engagement, motivation, and learning outcomes. It is

not just about incorporating video games into instruction. Techniques may include the

use of rewards, leaderboards, badges, points, levels, and challenges (Landers et al.,

2018, 315-316). These are things that are commonly found in video games and what

makes the games so popular. By adding these elements, educators aim to make

learning more enjoyable and interactive, thereby promoting higher levels of student

engagement and achievement.

Science education is one of the fields that can benefit from gamification

(Smithsonian Science Education Center, 2023). It can help students to better

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understand and retain scientific concepts, as well as promote collaboration and

teamwork. Gamifying a science classroom can be a great way to increase student

engagement, motivation, provide proper modifications and scaffolding, and increase

science literacy.

Research Questions

The following questions were asked to help narrow the field of results for this review.

Firstly, does gamification promote engagement in a science classroom? Second, does

gamification in a science classroom provide modifications and supports for students

who are in need of those items? Third, is there scaffolding available in gamification?

Lastly, does gamification promote scientific thinking?

Methods

For this literature review journal articles were searched for through two different

databases. The first database, University of Arkansas Fayetteville Library System, has

access to many different scholarly databases. The other database, Google Scholar,

has access to any journal on the internet. Terms used to search for the articles were:

gamification science, gamification scaffolds, gamification engagement, gamification

science literacy, gamification modifications, and digital learning.

Engagement and Motivation

When an educator talks about engagement they are talking about students willingly

putting time and effort into learning a topic (A & Lee, 2020, 94). Engagement is when

students have a high level of interest in an assignment, task, or project (Amaral et al.,

2018, 6.) Gamification is supposed to make learning more fun and engaging, which can

help students stay focused and motivated. Science can be a complex subject, and it
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may be challenging for students to stay motivated and interested in the material. Critics

of gamification in the classroom, such as the article by O’Neil et al, often say that there

is not enough empirical evidence to support the fact that it encourages motivation

(O'Neil et al., 2005, 468). Some studies also suggest that there is not a significant

difference in outcome or motivation between students who were given a gamified

module and those who were not (García-Iruela et al., 2020, 96834). In fact, gamification

has been called a virus and feeds into student addiction to games (Erenli, 2013, 20).

Gamification is not just about playing video games. There are other ways to gamify

a science classroom such as implementing a rewards system that recognizes students’

achievements and progress, and motivates them to continue learning. For example,

students could receive badges for completing science-related tasks, such as conducting

experiments or completing research projects. This type of motivation has been found to

work in other areas of learning according to a study done with the online system Cogent

by researchers at Purdue University, so should apply to the science classroom as well

(Yang et al., 2015, 42-43).

Student engagement leads to students taking responsibility for their learning. This

active learning helps students recall knowledge and helps educators keep control in a

classroom. Gamification encourages students to actively engage in the learning

process by providing them with immediate feedback and rewards for their efforts. This

can help students stay engaged and motivated throughout the lesson. When students

have been given a unit that has been gamified they have responded positively to

enjoying the content and wanting to learn more (Murillo-Zamorano et al., 2023, 11).
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When talking about gamifying a science classroom most minds will think of middle

school or high school classes. However, gamification can help in higher education

science as well. A study done on a pilot program in medical school showed a significant

increase in student engagement when a gamified platform was introduced. This

engagement led to students' knowledge and satisfaction increasing as well (Alexander

et al., 2019, 360).

One study done by A and Lee mapped out the pleasure that students felt while

playing games in class. The study modified the criteria PLEX for game design to

exclude things like cruelty and eroticism that is not appropriate for a school setting and

added others like visualization and team work to create PLLEX framework. They tested

their framework and found that different majors found different factors of gameplay

engaging. STEM majors were more interested when the game contained collaboration

as that is what they use outside the classroom (A & Lee, 2020, 100-115).

Another research study done by researchers in Spain and Brazil collected and

analyzed data from various sources about quiz games like Kahoot! and simulation

games like ProDec. It found that students stayed engaged for longer while playing the

games. Students were less likely to be distracted and willingly interacted with the

games longer, as well as multiple times (Amaral et al., 2018, 53)

A website often used for gamification is Legends of Learning. This website is for

4th-8th math and science. It contains various types of games. Some games are lab

simulations, some are shooter or platform games that incorporate science questions

into the gameplay. Players can earn points to upgrade their avatar and go on special

missions to fight bad guys. Vanderbilt University conducted research of the same type
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of games to see if it really did help students. After conducting research it was found that

the type of platform Legends of Learning used raised student confidence in their

abilities. It also found that students who typically were off task during class were

engaged in the learning (Clark et al., 2017, 295). By incorporating game-like elements

into the classroom, students are more likely to enjoy the learning experience, which can

increase their engagement and retention of the material.

Modifications/supports

Gamification in a science class could be especially beneficial for learners with

disabilities. It could increase motivation because of its immediate feedback system. It

would also provide multiple learning opportunities since there can be multiple attempts

to master a task or concept. This could prove helpful to those students who need extra

practice or alternative ways of learning. Games and simulations can provide a safe

space for learners to experiment, take risks, and make mistakes without fear of failure

or judgment. This can be especially helpful for learners with disabilities who may feel

self-conscious or anxious in traditional classroom settings. Gamification allows for

personalized learning experiences that can be tailored to the individual needs and

abilities of each learner. This can be particularly helpful for learners with disabilities who

may require accommodations or modifications to their learning experiences.

Science education relies heavily on being able to see the diagrams, the data, the

graphs, and the lab equipment. This can make it difficult for students who are blind or

have low vision. A study conducted in Taiwan aimed to see if gamification could help

those students. The researchers used game based learning to teach about whale

evolution. The results ended up showing an extremely significant difference in the

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learning between the group who had the game and the group who did not. It also

showed that the test group had significantly more discussion and peer interaction on the

topic than the control group (Chang et al., 2022, 6-11).

Being able to read, collect and analyze research, and communicate results is also

necessary in science. Students with something like dyslexia may avoid reading. They

are more prone to interact with a device because that can provide clues in the form of

pictures and sounds that help those students decode meaning. That interaction

motivates those students to engage in their learning. Games also allow multiple

attempts without judgment. This provides a safe place where students feel able to

make mistakes and learn. An Iranian study showed that allowing students to use

gameplay helped them increase their literacy (Khaleghi et al., 2022, 12).

A study done in elementary classrooms in Long Island looked at if gamification

helped students with disabilities. It surveyed teachers about engagement and self

efficacy using regular direct teaching methods versus gamified teaching methods. The

study found that elements of gamification helped students with things such as ADHD

stay on task and engaged. It also found that students tried more since the the fear of

failure was taken away (Mason, 2018, 72-80)

Another modification and support that is found in classrooms is that for gifted

students. Keeping gifted students engaged and challenged can be a difficult task.

There is a learning system called MobyMax that gamifies learning by providing rewards,

points, and levels. A study by 3 doctors was done to see how the platform fared with

gifted students. They assessed 4000 students and found that having a system such as
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MobyMax allowed gifted students to work at their own pace. As a result they were more

engaged, challenged and their learning increased (Koch et al., 2018).

Gamification has become such a promising resource in helping students that

courses in software engineering in college are being used as a place to design gamified

courses to help students. An educational project of the Universidad Católica del Norte

concentrated on creating a gamified program to help students with hearing impairments.

The results were promising and will continue to be tested (Gasca-Hurtado et al., 2021,

391).

Scaffolding

Scaffolding is a teaching strategy that involves breaking down complex tasks into

smaller, more manageable steps and providing support and guidance to learners as

they gradually gain proficiency. Vygotksy, an educational theorist, created the concept

of scaffolding because he believed that social interaction was the basis of how people

learn (Kurt, 2020). Gamification can be an effective tool for promoting scaffolding in a

classroom.

It could provide learners with immediate feedback on their performance, allowing

them to quickly identify areas where they need improvement and adjust their approach

accordingly. This feedback can help learners progress through complex tasks step-by-

step, providing scaffolding along the way. Gamification can also provide learners with

challenges that are appropriate for their level of proficiency, gradually increasing in

difficulty as they gain proficiency. This provides scaffolding by breaking down complex

tasks into manageable steps, allowing learners to build on their skills over time (Morris

et al., 2013, 4-10).

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An important part of learning in science is being able to understand how the world

works. Hands-on learning is essential to help students develop scientific thinking. A

study by Barab et al was done on a simulation game to help students understand water

quality. Information was given slowly and students had to build hypotheses and

knowledge based on pieces of information they were given previously. The study

compared results from those who just read the information textually and those who

received the information in a more gamified, hands on way. It was found that those who

were given the information in a way that was scaffolded and framed in the context of

gameplay had a better working knowledge of water quality (Barab et al., 2009, 314-

317).

Mallas and Xenos designed a game to help professors teach about creating

diagrams to engineering students. This game, called Diagram⊷atic, allows students to

compete to create a diagram that matches the professors. Students can manipulate the

diagram, including an undo button, until they have it correct (Mallas & Xenos, 2019, 3-

5). This type of learning fits into the scaffolding model because students are starting

with simple diagrams and working their way up. They are able to modify their mistakes

and keep trying until they get it right. The developers plan to continue modifying the

game, adding leaderboards, sounds, and various other strategies to make it even more

game-like

Collaboration is another form of scaffolding. This allows students to learn from each

other with support and guidance as they work through complex tasks. Mad City

Mystery is an augmented reality game about toxic spills. The developers created the

game precisely to foster collaboration and scaffold scientific thinking for students.
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Students take on professional roles and no one player gets all the information required

to solve the mystery. They must rely on each other and communicate their findings to

each other (Squire & Jan, 2007, 5-29). This sort of collaboration gives each student

small manageable chunks of information that they can build on as they talk and play

through the game.

As Gee states in his book What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning

and Literacy, good video games have a tutorial section that feels like game play (Gee,

2004, 115-116). Players may not realize they are learning the game mechanics and

back story because it is done in a fun way. These mechanics are scaffolding the

learning for the player. Small chunks of information are built upon once mastered. That

is the whole aim of education: to build on previous knowledge to expand a student's

knowledge and schema. It can be difficult to do. Games such as the one developed by

Klopfer and Squire can be helpful in that way. Students start with a small world of

knowledge and through gameplay it widens. They build strategies and when they fail,

they try something else. Klopfer and Squire found that their game encouraged this in

students (Klopfer & Squire, 2008, 203-228).

Scientific Literacy

Educators claim that gamifying a classroom can be a powerful tool for promoting

scientific literacy among students. Scientific literacy is mainly about critical thinking. It is

the ability to look at a problem, form a hypothesis about what is wrong and create a plan

to fix it. If the solution fails, then scientific literacy assures that a person rethinks their

strategy and tries again. Adaptability and communication are also factors in scientific

literacy (Morris et al., 2013, 1).

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Scientific literacy is important not only in schools, but also in the workplace and as a

global citizen. Being able to problem solve, communicate effectively, and being

adaptable are all high on the list of what employers look for when hiring someone

(Indeed Editorial Team, 2023). None of these skills come naturally to people. They

must be taught and fostered by scaffolding science education. The effectiveness of

video games and gamification is one way to ensure that these skills are learned before

students are out in the workforce and there are multiple ways that games do this:

science content specific, science process specific, and games that are not necessarily

science related but advocate use of skills and attitudes needed for scientific literacy

(Morris et al., 2013, 4-5).

Using serious educational games (SEG) is often the way that educators promote

scientific literacy in a gamified classroom. In North Carolina there was a SEG game

that started out in a museum and then was studied as it was used in classrooms. The

game taught brain structure and function, how methamphetamines affect the brain, and

the drawbacks to their usage. The study found that there was a significant increase in

student knowledge of the brain and the effects of meth after playing through the game.

However no follow up was done to see if there was a long term increase in knowledge

(Cheng & Annetta, 2012, 203-210).

A study done by Clark et al aimed to look at the three different types of games

(content specific, process specific, and skill/attitude specific) to see if they did, indeed,

promote knowledge and which type of game garnered the highest result. The analysis

showed that there was an increase in knowledge and engagement with all three types

of games. Those games that were content specific showed highest results when
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compared to students who obtained information through non-gamified means (Clark et

al., 2017, 294-295).

Researchers tested the hypothesis that gameplay positively impacts student

knowledge with a game called The ECOn+Star Battles. In this game students went

through 5 levels of increasing difficulty as teams and could earn star badges (white

dwarf, supernova, etc). After performing data analysis on their results the researchers

found that there was a direct and positive impact on the knowledge of the students who

played the game versus those who did not (Murillo-Zamorano et al., 2023, 11-12).

Literacy, even scientific literacy, has become increasing multimodal (Gee, 2004, 14).

This means that students need to be able to understand not just text and vocabulary,

but also diagrams, charts, sounds, music, and many other forms of communication. A

study done in a middle school classroom found that through using a platform called 3D

GameLab students were able to come in contact and manipulate many different forms

of literacy. This led to students feeling more self confident in their learning and tests

showed that they learned the content on a deeper level (Kingsley & Grabner-Hagen,

2015, 55-60).

Skill practicing is also an important part of becoming scientifically literate. This can

be done within games that also contain science content or in games that are not

science driven but require those same types of skills. Games such as Mad City Mystery

is a game that has scientific content, but mostly focuses on the skill aspect. As stated

previously this game is an augmented reality game that focuses on toxic waste spills.

The game's focus is mainly to teach scientific argumentation, a skill that is difficult to

teach in a traditional classroom. The study done on the game found that this game
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helped develop those skills in a meaningful way that students carried with them (Squire

& Jan, 2007, 27).

Many, many games abound that are not science content related, but still require

using skills needed for scientific literacy. Games like Pirates require group

communication and cooperation. MAD Countdown and Majestic are games that require

creating hypotheses, problem solving, and working through puzzles (Klopfer & Squire,

2008, 205-206). Even current popular games like Minecraft, Fortnite, and Call of Duty

depend on these scientific skills. Using and practicing these skills outside the

classroom helps students become more proficient when these skills are needed for

scientific thinking.

Conclusion

Using gamification strategies in a science classroom can promote engagement and

scientific literacy. It can also be used to scaffold information for students, making it

more accessible. Making it more accessible also helps with modifying the learning for

students who need it. For further study it may be effective if more research was

conducted to see if gamification helps in the long term with student retention of

knowledge. Another field of research that should be looked into is if virtual learning

could use gamification to help students enrolled in science on that platform.

The majority of studies done on gamification in a science classroom show positive

results (Kalogiannakis et al., 2021, 25). Overall, it is found that gamification can be an

effective way to make education more engaging, interactive, and effective. By

incorporating game design elements into educational environments, educators can help

learners to develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in today's fast-paced
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and constantly changing world (Ridlo et al., 2022, 680). It can provide learners with the

support, guidance, and motivation they need to progress through complex tasks step-

by-step, promoting scaffolding in the classroom.

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