logo logo International Journal of Educational Methodology

IJEM is a leading, peer-reviewed, open access, research journal that provides an online forum for studies in education, by and for scholars and practitioners, worldwide.

Subscribe to

Receive Email Alerts

for special events, calls for papers, and professional development opportunities.

Subscribe

Publisher (HQ)

RHAPSODE
Eurasian Society of Educational Research
College House, 2nd Floor 17 King Edwards Road, Ruislip, London, HA4 7AE, UK
RHAPSODE
Headquarters
College House, 2nd Floor 17 King Edwards Road, Ruislip, London, HA4 7AE, UK
Review Article

Use of Gamification in Primary and Secondary Education: A Systematic Literature Review

Ana Vrcelj , Nataša Hoić-Božić , Martina Holenko Dlab

Gamification in education refers to the application of game design elements and game principles in teaching with the goal of increasing students&rsquo.

G

Gamification in education refers to the application of game design elements and game principles in teaching with the goal of increasing students’ motivation and engagement, which contributes to more successful achievement of learning outcomes. Gamification can be used in education at different levels, from primary and secondary schools to universities and adult education. An analysis of the literature on the use of gamification in education has shown that it is more common in university education and less common in primary and secondary schools. Nonetheless, experience shows that games and numerous digital tools are successfully used in schools for the purpose of gamification, although this is generally not supported by the relevant research published in the papers. The research presented in this paper represents a systematic review of the literature on relevant research on the use of gamification in primary and secondary schools to explore the field and make recommendations for future research. The conclusion is that research on gamification should continue to suggest appropriate pedagogical and technological frameworks which would facilitate the use of gamification in schools by teachers.

Keywords: Game design elements, gamification in education, systematic literature review.

cloud_download PDF
Cite
Article Metrics
Views
1036
Download
2792
Citations
Crossref
8

Scopus
1

References

Alshammari, M. T. (2020). Evaluation of gamification in e-learning systems for elementary school students. TEM Journal, 9(2), 806-813. https://doi.org/10.18421/TEM92-51

Anunpattana, P., Nor Akmal Khalid, M., Iida, H., & Inchamnan, W. (2021). Capturing potential impact of challenge-based gamification on gamified quizzing in the classroom. Heliyon, 7(12), Article e08637. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08637

Barahona Mora, A. (2020). Gamification for classroom management: An implementation using ClassDojo. Sustainability, 12(22), Article 9371. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229371

Dichev, C., & Dicheva, D. (2017). Gamifying education: What is known, what is believed and what remains uncertain: A critical review. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 14, Article 9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-017-0042-5

Dimitriadou, S. (2018). Designing and implementing a gamified system based on self determination theory in the Moodle learning platform. In L. Gómez Chova, A. López Martínez & I. Candel Torres (Eds.), Proceedings of the 11th International Technology, Education and Development Conference (pp. 3707-3714). IATED. https://doi.org/10.21125/inted.2017.0904

Dreimane, S. (2021). Gamification before its definition – An overview of its historical development. In L. Gómez Chova, A. López Martínez & I. Candel Torres (Eds.), Proceedings of the 15th International Technology, Education and Development Conference (pp. 7187-7193). INTED. https://doi.org/10.21125/inted.2021.1434

Ghaban, W. (2021). Can games and gamification improve online learners’ outcomes and satisfaction on the Madrasati platform in Saudi Arabia? In X. Fang (Ed.), HCI in games: Serious and immersive games. Third International Conference, HCI-Games 2021, Part II (Vol. 12790, pp. 189-200). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-77414-1_14

Gibson, D., Ostashewski, N., Flintoff, K., Grant, S., & Knight, E. (2013). Digital badges in education. Education and Information Technologies, 20(2), 403-410. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-013-9291-7

Hamari, J., Koivisto, J., & Sarsa, H. (2014). Does gamification work? - A literature review of empirical studies on gamification. In R. H. Sprague (Ed.), 47th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (pp. 3025-3034). IEEE. https://doi.org./10.1109/HICSS.2014.377

Hursen, C., & Bas, C. (2019). Use of gamification applications in science education. International Journal Emerging Technologies in Learning, 14(1), 4-23. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v14i01.8894

Idris, M. I., Mohd Said, N. E., & Hua Tan, K. (2020). Game-based learning platform and its effects on present tense mastery: Evidence from an ESL classroom. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 19(5), 13-16. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.19.5.2

Jagušt, T., Botički, I., & So, H.-J. (2018). Examining competitive, collaborative and adaptive gamification in young learners' math learning. Computers & Education, 125, 444-457. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2018.06.022

Lam, P., & Tse, A. (2022). Gamification in everyday classrooms: Observations from schools in Hong Kong. Frontiers in Education, 6, Article 630666. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2021.630666

Lam, Y. W., Hew, K. F., & Chiu, K. F. (2017). Improving argumentative writing: Effects of a blended learning approach and gamification. Language Learning & Technology, 22(1), 97-118. https://doi.org/10125/44583

Leitão, R., Maguire, M., Turner, S., & Guimaraes, L. (2022). A systematic evaluation of game elements effects on students’ motivation. Education and Information Technologies, 27, 1081–1103. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10651-8

Li, X., & Chu, S. (2020). Exploring the effects of gamification pedagogy on children’s reading: A mixed-method study on academic performance, reading-related mentality and behaviors, and sustainability. British Journal of Educational Technology, 52, 160-178. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13057

Lopez, P., Rodrigues-Silva, J., & Alsina, A. (2021). Brazilian and Spanish mathematics teachers' predispositions towards gamification in STEAM education. Education Sciences, 11(10), Article 618. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11100618

Martínez-Hita, M., Gómez-Carrasco, C. J., & Miralles-Martínez, P. (2021). The effects of a gamified project based on historical thinking on the academic performance of primary school children. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 8, Article 122. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-021-00796-9

Meng, N., Cameron Lee, S. Y., & Wah Chu, S. K. (2021). A pilot ethnographic study of gamified English learning among primary four and five students in a rural Chinese primary school. In K. Toeppe, H. Yan, S. K. W. Chu (Eds.), Diversity, divergence, dialogue: 16th International Conference, Iconference 2021 (Vol. 12645, pp. 575–586). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71292-1_45

Mora, A., Riera, D., González, C., & Arnedo-Moreno, J. (2017). Gamification: A systematic review of design frameworks. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 29(3), 516-548. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12528-017-9150-4

Nieto-Escamez, F. A., & Roldán-Tapia, M. D. (2021). Gamification as online teaching strategy during COVID-19: A mini-review. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, Article 648552. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.648552

O’Connor, C., & Joffe, H. (2020). Intercoder reliability in qualitative research: Debates and practical guidelines. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 19. https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406919899220

Okoli, C. (2015). A guide to conducting a standalone systematic literature review. Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 37, 879–910. https://doi.org/10.17705/1CAIS.03743

Okoli, C., & Schabram, K. (2010). A guide to conducting a systematic literature review of information systems research (Working Paper). SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1954824

Osatuyi, B., Osatuyi, T., & De La Rosa, R. (2018). Systematic review of gamification research in IS education: A multi-method approach. Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 42, 95-124. https://doi.org/10.17705/1CAIS.04205

Otero-Agra, M., Barcala-Furelos, R., Besada-Saavedra, I., Peixoto-Pino, L., Martinez-Isasi, S., & Rodriguez-Nunez, A. (2019). Let the kids play: Gamification as a CPR training methodology in secondary school students. A quasi-experimental manikin simulation study. Emergency Medicine Journal, 36(11), 653-659. https://doi.org/10.1136/emermed-2018-208108

Pal’ová, D., & Vejačka, M. (2020). Gamification tools improving university students’ involvement in the education process. In M. Koricic, K. Skala, Z. Car, M. Cicin-Sain, V. Sruk, D. Skvorc, S. Ribaric, B. Jerbic, S. Gros, B. Vrdoljak, M. Mauher, E. Tijan, T. Katulic, P. Pale, T. Galinac Grbac, N. F. Fijan, A. Boukalov, D. Cisic & V. Gradisnik (Eds.), Proceedings of the 43rd International Convention on Information, Communication and Electronic Technology (MIPRO) (pp. 581-586). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.23919/MIPRO48935.2020.9245113

Park, S., & Kim, S. (2021). Is sustainable online learning possible with gamification?—The effect of gamified online learning on student learning. Sustainability, 13(8), Article 4267. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13084267

Plantak Vukovac, D., Škara, M., & Hajdin, G. (2018). Korištenje i stavovi nastavnika o igrifikaciji u osnovnim i srednjim školama [Teachers’ usage and attitudes toward gamification in primary and secondary schools]. Zbornik Veleučilišta u Rijeci, 6(1), 181-196. https://doi.org/10.31784/zvr.6.1.14

Pozo Sánchez, S., Lopez Belmonte, J., Fuentes Cabrera, A., & López Núñez, J. A. (2020). Gamification as a methodological complement to flipped learning—An incident factor in learning improvement. Multimodal Technologies and Interaction, 4(2), Article 12. https://doi.org/10.3390/mti4020012

Ricoy, M.-C., & Sánchez-Martínez, C. (2022). Raising ecological awareness and digital literacy in primary school children through gamification. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(3), Article 1149. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031149

Rugelj, J. (2015). Serious computer games in computer science education. EAI Endorsed Transactions on Serious Games, 2(6), 1-7. http://doi.org/10.4108/eai.5-11-2015.150613

Sánchez-Rivas, E., Ruiz-Palmero, J., & Sánchez-Rodríguez, J. (2019). Gamification of assessments in the Natural Sciences subject in primary education. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 19(1), 95-111. https://doi.org/10.12738/estp.2019.1.0296

Toda, A. M., Klock, A. C., Oliveira, W., Palomino, P. T., Rodrigues, L., & Shi, L. (2020). Analysing gamification elements in educational environments using an existing gamification taxonomy. Smart Learning Environments, 6, Article 16. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-019-0106-1

Vrcelj, A., Hoić-Božić, N., & Holenko Dlab, M. (2021). Using digital tools for gamification in schools. In M. Koricic, K. Skala, Z. Car, M. Cicin-Sain, S. Babic, V. Sruk, D. Skvorc, S. Ribaric, B. Jerbic, S. Gros, B. Vrdoljak, M. Mauher, E. Tijan, T. Katulic, J. Petrovic, T. Galinac Grbac, N. F. Fijan & V. Gradisnik (Eds.), Proceedings of the 44th International Convention on Information, Communication and Electronic Technology (MIPRO) (pp. 848-852). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.23919/MIPRO52101.2021.9597137

Wang, F., & Hannafin, M. J. (2005). Design-based research and technology-enhanced learning environments. Educational Technology Research and Development, 53(4), 5-23. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02504682

...