Is Classroom Gamification Opposed to Performance?

Antoni Hernández-Fernández, Noelia Olmedo-Torre and Marta Peña
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Antoni Hernández-Fernández: Complexity and Quantitative Linguistics Lab, Laboratory for Relational Algorithmics, Complexity and Learning (LARCA), Institute of Education Science, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
Noelia Olmedo-Torre: Department of Graphic and Design Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
Marta Peña: Department of Mathematics, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 08034 Barcelona, Spain

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 23, 1-20

Abstract: Learning through digital media is currently considered as a mixture of methodologies that aim to approach the reality of students to motivate them. Gamification emerges as one of the pedagogical methodologies on the rise in digital classrooms, but is it really practical? What are its effects? A gamification longitudinal case-study experience was carried out in the subject: complements for disciplinary training in technology of the master’s degree of secondary school teachers (technology specialty) that is taught at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, where gamified activities and alternatives to traditional master teaching have been introduced in a progressive way throughout three academic years (2016/17 to 2018/19). The results show that there is a negative correlation between the numerical scores of the different components of the evaluation and the marks obtained in the activities of gamification. It is surprising that the group less involved in the gamification obtained better academic results, although gamification improved the motivation and the valuations of the subject, due to the inclusion of more games in the course. This raises doubts on whether the positive effects of gamification on the climate of the classroom and on motivation are opposed to academic results.

Keywords: mobile learning; gamification; game-based learning; motivation; teaching methodology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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