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.
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.