EFFECT OF GAMIFICATION ON STUDENTS' MOTIVATION IN

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Mashael Alqahtani

Dr. Michael Spector

The Impact of Gamification on Student Motivation
in Learning Environments

 Gamification has gained widespread adoption across various fields, including

education, marketing, personnel, and health care.

 There is a significant focus on applying gamification in educational settings to

enhance student motivation and improve learning outcomes.

 This study revolves around the following question:

 Does gamification truly affect students' motivation to learn?
 The Impact of Gamification on Student Motivation
in Learning Environments

 Popularity in Academic Research:

 The popularity of gamification in academic research is evident, as reflected in the growing
number of publications related to gamification.

Number of Publications related to Gamification Research from 2000-2019

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Histogram-Number-of-Publications-related-to-Gamification-Research-from-2000-2019_fig1_343845202
The Impact of Gamification on Student Motivation
in Learning Environments

 Limited Research Scope:

 Despite the growing interest, research on gamification, its elements, its impact on
student motivation, and its relationship to theories is still limited.

 Literature Review Purpose:

 The literature review aims to synthesize and analyze existing research on the impact of
gamification on student motivation in learning environments.

 Research Study Objective:

 The overarching purpose of the research study is to provide conclusive evidence that
the application of games in educational environments positively impacts student
motivation.
 Motivation in Learning

Definition of Motivation:
Motivation is defined as "an inner state that energizes, activates, or moves
and directs or channels behavior towards goals" (Vinoy & Kumar, 2019).

 Types of Motivation:
• Intrinsic motivation involves the desire to carry out a task or activity
because it brings pleasure or fulfillment to oneself.
• Extrinsic motivation is the desire to perform an action that leads to a
distinct outcome or reward.
Definition of Gamification

 Gamification is defined as “using game design elements in non-game

contexts" (Deterding et al., 2011, as cited in An, 2023).

 Kapp (2012) defined play as “the use of play mechanics, aesthetics, and thinking
to engage people, motivate action, and promote learning and problem-solving.”

 Werbach (2014) defined play as “the process of making activities more game-
like.”
 Gamification Elements

• These elements are employed in non-game contexts to increase

motivation and engagement.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/basics-gamification-training-leaders-7-key-elements-game-dubey-1
Studies Highlighting Positive Impact

 Research studies, such as those by Boverman et al. (2018) and Borrás-Gené et al. (2016),
showcase the positive impact of gamification on student motivation.
 Elements like badges and progress bars, when aligned with self-determination theory,
enhance intrinsic motivation and satisfaction with gamified learning environments.

 Studies, like the one by Bai et al. (2021), emphasize the importance of considering personal
preferences in gamification design.
 Different leaderboard designs impact intrinsic motivation, with absolute leaderboards
increasing motivation for highly ranked students and relative leaderboards promoting
collaboration.

 Studies like that of Hakulinen et al. (2015) explored the motivational effects of badges,
suggesting their potential as a promising tool in online learning environments.

 Research by Huang and Hew (2015) in an SPSS course demonstrated that incorporating
badges, points, and leaderboards enhanced the overall learning experience for participants.
 Studies Highlighting negative Impact
 Cruz et al. (2015) showed that participants' badge systems were viewed as tasks that
must be completed and rewards obtained for performing tasks in games, so they do not
impact their motivation.

 Domínguez et al. (2013) stated that although their motivation was higher, students who
finished the gamified experience scored higher overall and on practical projects.
However, our data also indicates that these students did poorly on written assignments
and participated less in-class activities.

Consensus on Positive Influence:

The consensus from various studies emphasizes the potential of gamification to positively
influence student motivation with attention to the careful design of play elements, which
is critical to success in educational settings. Except for the study of Cruz et al. (2015) and
sDomínguez et al. (2013),
The Theory of Gamified Learning

 Flow Theory:
• Definition: Flow theory, proposed by Csikszentmihalyi, describes a state
of total and deep focus on a specific task, where individuals are entirely
absorbed and feel involved.

• Application in Gamified Learning: Combining feedback and

recognition badges allows educators to integrate play and flow theory. A
multi-level system, where students can select difficulty levels, helps
balance skill and challenge, enhancing overall engagement and
immersion (Hamari & Sjoblom, 2017).
The Theory of Gamified Learning

 Social Comparison Theory:

• Definition: Proposed by Festinger, social comparison theory suggests
that individuals are naturally motivated to compare themselves to
relevant peers.

• Application in Gamified Learning: In the context of educational

motivation, gamification features like leaderboards, points, badges, and
levels act as motivators. Social comparison, including upward
identification (compared to more competent peers) and downward
identification (compared to less competent peers), can enhance students'
engagement in the classroom (Chen & Chen, 2015).
The Theory of Gamified Learning

 Self-Determination Theory:
• Definition: According to the self-determination theory by Ryan and
Deci, people are motivated by three basic psychological needs:
competence, relatedness, and autonomy.

• Application in Gamified Learning: Gamification in education, using

elements like leaderboards, points, and badges, can enhance users' sense
of competence. Relatedness is fostered through gaming activities that
allow users to cooperate or compete, increasing engagement and
promoting positive feelings. Autonomy is supported by gamification
practices that provide varying task difficulty levels, allowing individuals
to choose activities and enhancing behavioral and emotional engagement
(Sailer et al., 2017; Baydas & Cicek, 2019; Huang et al., 2019).
The Impact of Gamification on Student Motivation
in Learning Environments

The integration of gamification is highlighted as a cutting-edge strategy to enhance student motivation,

engagement, and overall learning outcomes.

The paper notes that game-inspired elements, such as badges, leaderboards, and points, have shown
promising outcomes in positively influencing student motivation.

Alignment with Motivational Theories: The findings align with social comparison theory, flow theory, and
self-determination theory, indicating that various game elements contribute to enhancing motivation.

Mixed Evidence on Gamification Effectiveness: Despite widespread enthusiasm, the paper acknowledges
that evidence regarding the effectiveness of gamification in enhancing learning motivation is mixed.
Some studies report positive impacts, while others present mixed or negative results.
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 References

 Vinoy Vincent, T., & Kumar, M. S. (2019). Motivation: Meaning, definition, nature of
motivation. International Journal of Yogic, Human Movement and Sports Sciences, 4(1), 483-484.

 Kapp, K. M. (2012). The gamifcation of learning and instruction: Game-based methods and strategies for
training and education. Pfeifer.

 Deterding, S., Dixon, D., Khaled, R., & Nacke, L. (2011). From game design elements to gamefulness:
Defining Bgamification.^ In Proceedings of the 15th International Academic MindTrek Conference:
Envisioning Future Media Environments (pp. 9–15). New York: ACM.

 Werbach, K. (2014). (Re) Defining Gamification: A Process Approach. In Persuasive Technology (pp. 266–
272). Springer International Publishing.

 An, Y. (2023). The Impact of Gamification on Doctoral Students’ Perceptions, Emotions, and Learning in an
Online Environment. TechTrends, 1-12.

 Hamari, J., & Sjoblom, ¨ M. (2017). What is eSports and why do people watch it? Internet Research, 27(2),
211–232. https://doi.org/10.1108/IntR-04-2016-0085

 Chen, Y.-H., & Chen, P.-J. (2015). MOOC study group: Facilitation strategies, influential factors, and student
perceived gains. Computers & Education, 86, 55–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2015.03.008