Can Gamification Influence the Academic Performance of Students?

Víctor Arufe Giráldez, Alberto Sanmiguel-Rodríguez, Oliver Ramos Álvarez and Rubén Navarro-Patón
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Víctor Arufe Giráldez: Faculty of Education, University of A Coruña, Elviña University Campus, 15008 A Coruña, Spain
Alberto Sanmiguel-Rodríguez: Faculty of Language and Education, University of Camilo José Cela, 28692 Madrid, Spain
Oliver Ramos Álvarez: Departamento de Educación, Área de Educación Física y Deportiva, Avda. Los Castros, 50, 39005 Santander, Spain
Rubén Navarro-Patón: Faculty of Teacher Training, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, 15705 A Coruña, Spain

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 9, 1-17

Abstract: Gamification along with a whole range of other active methodologies are being incorporated into university classrooms due to their potential benefits for student learning. The aim of this paper was to analyse how a multimodal learning environment based on gamification could affect the final grades of university students in a subject taught at the Faculty of Education in a spanish university. The research was made up of 133 Spanish university students (Mage = 19.60; SDage = 0.43 years old). A quasi-experimental post-test design with a control group was used. The control group and the intervention group consisted of 66 and 67 students respectively. A multimodal gamified learning environment was set up for the intervention group, in contrast to traditional teaching methods which were reserved for the control group. Each one was implemented throughout an academic year. The results revealed statistically significant differences in the final average grade ( p < 0.001), with students from the intervention group obtaining higher overall scores. The same occurred in the voluntary learning tasks, with students from the intervention group earning more Health Points ( p = 0.006), more Experience Points ( p = 0.005), a higher Total Score ( p = 0.002) and a higher Level Achieved ( p = 0.002). These findings point to the fact that a multimodal gamified learning environment can influence the academic performance of students. However, more scientific research has to be carried out in order to support these findings.

Keywords: teaching/learning strategies; gamification; adult learning; media in education; distance education and online learning (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:9:p:5115-:d:800891

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