Impact of Gamification on Student Engagement in Graduate Medical Studies

Rapid technological advances have created major societal changes, transformed business sectors, and revolutionized enterprises. In contrast, the curricular structure of medical education has remained unchanged for the last 100 years, and, for the most part, medical education has been reluctant to embrace the use of technology. The prevalent pedagogical model is reliant on rote memorization. The conceptual framework that informed this study was the user-centered framework for meaningful gamification. This framework\u27s components are organismic integration theory, situational relevance, situated motivational affordance, and the universal design for learning. This quantitative study focused on key research questions related to identifying whether significant increases occurred over time in cooperative learning, cognitive level, and personal skills \u27the dependent variables\u27 when using a gamified learning method-the independent variable. The validated Student Engagement Survey was used to collect data from second-year medical students in a Southern California medical school, with N = 64. A repeated measures MANOVA with follow-up univariate ANOVAs was used, and statistical results indicated that there were significant differences over time in cooperative learning, cognitive level, and personal skills when using gamified learning methods. This research was conducted over a period of 3 months, divided into 3 Time Periods (TP). For all three variables, significant increases were noticed between TP 1 and TP 2, followed by significant decreases between TP 2 and TP 3. These findings pointed to the fact that more studies are needed to better understand whether certain types of gamification implementations are detrimental to student engagement in medical education, or whether more sound design principles ought to be explored to produce effective gamified learning components that could positively impact student engagement in medical education

Technology readiness in enterprise resource planning gamification to improve student learning outcomes

In online learning, students often experience problems related to the use of technology. One of them is enterprise resource planning (ERP) technology. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the technology readiness index (TRI) to measure the extent to which students’ readiness for ERP gamification. This research targets students who use ERP gamification during management information systems and accounting information systems courses. The technique of determining the sample is using a census. So that all the population is used as a sample of 153 students in Indonesia, then analyzed using TRI. Through TRI analysis using SEM PLS, most students studying ERP gamification have a medium readiness index. The findings of this research showed that students are very close to technology, so they have a strong adoption of technology. Most students have an explorer character where they are enthusiastic and have high curiosity about learning ERP gamification. Pioneers who need a little encouragement from external parties to adopt ERP gamification. However, typical skeptics should be given a concrete example of the benefits of using ERP in learning. This research is also a benchmark for developing technology-based learning media according to the characteristics of students who are intended for technology in higher education

Student induction experiences: Through the lens of gamification

Student induction serves as the first step of the learning journey, helping students understand the resources, facilities, and supporting infrastructures in the learning environment. A positive induction experience helps improve better learning efficacy and boost performance later on. However, students nowadays complain induction as boring, time-wasting and useless. Given the importance of induction, scholars have called for new research, finding a new way to deliver better-quality and more engaging induction. To respond to this call, the current research aims to investigate whether gamification offers better induction experiences to the students. Gamification is the use of game design techniques, game thinking, and game mechanics in a non-game context. Drawing on the student-centred learning theory, we propose that, through the game-play process, students shall feel less stressed but more confident in learning, leading to a more positive learning experience and outcome. Following the same logic, we hypothesise that gamification is positively correlated with the experiences of induction. That is, gamification-empowered induction brings better experiences to the new students. To examine the research hypothesis, we plan to recruit 200 students (research participants) through flyers and noticeboards during the university induction period in September 2023 (Ethics Approval Ref: ETH2223-0198). The recruitment is operated on a voluntary basis and participants can drop out at any time. Participant Information Letter, Consent Form, and other participant protection measures are arranged in line with the guidance of institutional ethics committee. The participants will be randomly assigned into two conditions. In Condition A, participants will receive a conventional induction through a regular teaching classroom. All documents and instructions are communicated through paper-based handouts. Participants will receive a campus map, explaining the location of buildings and respective services. The induction will be completed inside the classroom. In Condition B, participants will receive gamification-empowered induction. All documents and instructions are communicated through a gamification APP (to be installed in participants’ mobiles). To complete the induction, participants must visit the designated locations in the campus, exploring the services in person. To further understand participants' views and experiences of the induction, we plan to collect data through anonymous questionnaires surveys at the end of induction. Condition A will receive questions through web-based surveys, where Condition B will receive questions through APP-based surveys. Both conditions will receive the same survey questions, and Condition B will receive additional questions of APP-user experiences (A copy of the survey questions is enclosed in appendix). The data collected will be analysed and compared through SPSS and Excel software. Research findings will first and foremost examine whether gamification-empowered induction offers better induction experiences to the students. The answers will bring new insights to the gamification-induction literatures. Research findings will be important to the teaching practitioners and policy makers, particularly for those who wish to create better induction programmes through innovative strategies. Implications on induction design and delivery will be clarified. Research limitation and suggestions for future research will also be discussed

A Phenomenological Study of Teachers\u27 Experiences with Educational Gamification and its Impact on Student Engagement in the Middle School Math and Science Classroom

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand digital gamification and its effect on student engagement based on the lived experiences of middle school math and science teachers in rural schools in the southeast region of the United States. Nick Pelling’s gamification theory guided the study herein. Gamification theory served as a tool to alter learner engagement which impacted instruction and learning. I used a criterion-based purposeful selection of 10 middle school math and science teachers with gamification experience. Participating teachers had three or more years of teaching experience and taught in regional rural schools. The hermeneutical phenomenological study resulted in the themes of gamification elements on student engagement, planning gamification lessons, and obstacles to gamification. The lived experiences of middle school math and science teachers positively addressed the gap in the correlation between gamification and enhancing student engagement

The integration of mobile learning app-based quiz-games in higher education teaching of anatomical sciences

Background: Mobile learning (mLearning) and gamification are two potential pedagogical tools that are continuously evolving in Higher Education. Their efficiency as learning tools is not fully understood and their use by staff is sporadic and sometimes viewed poorly compared to traditional methods. Aim: To determine a framework of best practice for the integration of mLearning app based quiz-games into the Higher Education (HE) teaching of anatomical sciences. This thesis presents three studies, which aim to 1) evaluate mLearning quiz-games as a revision tool for an anatomy online examination 2) and 3) investigate the effect of pre-seminar mLearning quiz gameplay on knowledge acquisition, retention and engagement in anatomy. Method: The data collection was performed over a two year period in a level 4 anatomy module for Sport and Exercise Science students. All three studies employed an experimental mixed methods approach within an action research framework to allow the development of the project in a naturalistic way. Study One was completed over two cohorts, 2014-15 (n=125) and 2015-16 (n=121). The module has four assessment points, A1, A2, A3, A4 where A1-3 are online assessments with a mixture of Multiple Choice Questions, labelling and matching questions and A4 is a viva voce. Students did A1, A2 and A4 as normal but at A3 they were offered a choice to revise as normal, the control group (n= 164) or to play mLearning games (n=87) for 15 minutes prior to the assessment on a tablet or smartphone device. All students completed a modified Study Process Questionnaire (SPQ) post-assessment and then for triangulation of data online focus groups were completed (n=84) as well as extended semi-structured interviews (n=9). Study Two was completed in 2015-16 using the same module as Study One. Over two consecutive weeks students were videoed in a two hour seminar session where in week one they did 15 minutes of no formal class preparation (n=87) and in week two they did 15 minutes of mLearning games (n=87). Students did a plenary and recap class Socrative quiz every week where the plenary scores indicate knowledge acquisition and the difference between the plenary and recap scores of subsequent weeks indicates knowledge retention. Observational behavioural engagement analysis was completed using an adapted coding system and students completed the National Survey of Student Engagement following each seminar. Study Three was completed on the same cohort in semester two using a randomised repeated measures design for the knowledge acquisition and knowledge retention scores over three weeks with three 15 minute interventions; Games, Control and Games plus question generation before class. Results: Study One found that the Games group performed better at A3 with no difference at A2 or A1 (p<0.0.01) but no differences were found in the SPQ surface and deep learning motives and strategies. Students revealed reasons for using mLearning quiz-games were primarily the fun, visual stimulation, instant feedback and accessibility. Study Two found that playing quiz-games prior to class increased on-task behaviours and peer interaction and improved knowledge acquisition and retention scores (p<0.01). Study Three agreed but found no difference in the Games-plus questions group compared to the control or games groups. Conclusions: The studies reveal the positive effect that mLearning quiz-games can have on achievement and engagement both in class and as a revision tool prior to assessment. The results of all three studies have been used to inform the proposed Mobigames framework for the integration of mLearning quiz-games in HE teaching. The framework has four key aspects: Information, Facilitation, Learning and Timing