Gamified online course design: a scoping review of the research

Abstract

The purpose of this scoping review is to synthesize knowledge of gamified online course design processes and practices extracted from the peer-reviewed research literature. The scoping review followed a systematic process involving five main stages: (a) identifying research questions, (b) identifying relevant studies, (c) study selection, (d) charting the data, and (e) collating, summarizing, and reporting the results. A total of 58 studies, published from 2013 through 2021 were included in this review. Five focus areas of gamified online course design were identified that include gamification elements, activities, tools, frameworks, and user attributes. The well-known ADDIE (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate) framework was used as a conceptual lens through which gamified online course design processes were considered. This scoping review addresses a gap in the knowledge base by aggregating and interpreting current gamified online course design practices through the common language of a well-known instructional design framework.

Keywords:

• Gamification
• online course design
• ADDIE
• scoping review

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Chareen Snelson

Chareen Snelson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Technology at Boise State University. Research interests include scoping reviews and online education.

Yu-Hui Ching

Yu-Hui Ching is a Professor in the Department of Educational Technology at Boise State University. Research interests include online education and instructional design.

Yu-Chang Hsu

Yu-Chang Hsu is a Professor in the Department of Educational Technology at Boise State University. Research interests include online education, gamification, and instructional design.

Ross Perkins

Ross Perkins is a Professor in the Department of Educational Technology at Boise State University. Research interests include online education, gamification, and instructional design.

Michele Alfieri

Michele Alfieri is a doctoral candidate in educational technology. Research interests include gamification and online education.