Effects of Gamification on Behavioral and Cognitive Engagement of Students in the Online Learning Environment

Abstract

The study investigated the effects of gamification on behavioral and cognitive engagement of students in online learning environments. The study was conducted in a quasi-experimental design including a control group. Students in the gamified environment were the experimental group, and the students studying in the non-gamified environment were the control group. Both groups of students studied in an online learning environment for 10 weeks. The study group consists of 46 students selected with the convenience sampling method. There were 18 male and 5 female students in the experimental group, and 19 male and 4 female students in the control group. Four research questions guided the study. Findings revealed that gamification enhanced students’ achievement by increasing their content interaction in the online learning environment. The study recommended the use of gamification in the online learning environment because it makes learning that looks difficult or boring become interesting and easier to understand. Hence, it is activity-based and involves students’ active engagement.

Acknowledgments

This article is based on the first author’s doctoral thesis conducted at Gazi University (Thesis No. 628621).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Necati Taşkın

Necati Taşkın is an assistant professor of Computer Technology at Ordu University. He received his PhD in Computer and Instructional Technologies at Gazi University in 2020. His research interests focus on distance education, online learning, blended learning, and gamification.

Ebru Kılıç Çakmak

Ebru Kılıç Çakmak is full professor at Computer Education and Instructional Technology Department of Gazi University. They have 20 years of experience in focusing on the theoretical and applications of online learning. She has been working as a manager and researcher in many national and international projects for many years.