Gamification of learning and student engagement: A consultation project in a Greek middle school

Abstract

Student engagement is considered to be the externalization of student motivation. It is a multidimensional concept, encompassing behavioral, emotional and cognitive components. In the field of educational research, a new concept has recently emerged, aiming to increase student engagement through the use of game elements; gamification of learning. The present study adopted a consultation approach and aimed to assess the effects of gamification on student engagement in two greek middle school classes on the subject of geography. The results, although encouraging, were inconsistent, indicating that the effect of gamification on student engagement may be mediated by a number of confounding variables. After the implementation of gamification, students of class A showed a significant increase in all three types of engagement. However, the statistical analysis did not demonstrate a significant increase in student engagement in class B. All in all, gamification seems to be a promising novelty in the educational field; however, further research is needed to better understand the teacher and student characteristics that may mediate its effectiveness.