Game mechanics and why they are employed: What we know about gamification so far
Abstract
This literature review addresses the research surrounding gamification in online learning, focusing on the game mechanics studied in conjunction with the pedagogical aspirations they were employed to support. Findings include frequencies of game mechanics studied, showing a continuum from most studied, badges closely followed by leaderboards, to the least studied, storylines. Pedagogical aspirations fell into five thematic groups, where frequencies ranged from the most often targeted numerical learning outcomes, to the least often targeted, playfulness. A frequency continuum of tools used to gamify instructional designs is included. We conclude that the strategic selection of game mechanics is possible, but the research trajectory surrounding the implementation of gamified designs is haphazard.
DOI:10.2458/azu_itet_v6i1_bevins
Keywords
References
Buckley, P. & Doyle, E. (2016). Gamification and student motivation. Interactive Learning Environments, 24(6), 1162-1175.
Cheong, C., Cheong, F., & Filippou, J. (2013). Quick quiz: A gamified approach for enhancing learning. Proceedings from the Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems, Paper 206: Jejeu Island, Korea.
Christy, K. R. & Fox, J. (2014). Leaderboards in a virtual classroom: A test of stereotype threat and social comparison explanations for women’s math performance. Computers & Education, 78, 66-77.
Codish, D. & Ravid, G. (2014). Academic course gamification: The art of perceived playfulness. Interdisciplinary Journal of E-Learning and Learning Objects, 10, 131-151.
De-Marcos, L., Garcia-Lopez, E., & Garcia-Cabot, A. (2016). On the effectiveness of game-like and social approaches in learning: Comparing educational gaming, gamification, & social networking. Computers & Education, 95, 99-113.
Deterding, S., Sicart, M., Nacke, L., O’Hara, K., & Dixon, D. (2011). Gamification: Using game design elements in non-gaming contexts. [Conference Workshop]
Dicheva, D., Dichev, C., Agre, G. & Angelova, G. (2015). Gamification in education: A systematic mapping study. Educational Technology and Society, 18(3), 75-88.
Dominguez, A., Saenz-de-Navarrete, J., de-Marcos, L., Fernández-Sanz, L., Pagés, C. & Martínez-Herráiz, J. J. (2013). Gamifying learning experiences: Practical implications and outcomes. Computers and Education, 63, 380-392.
Fleischman, K. & Ariel, E. (2016). Gamification in science education: Gamifying learning of microscopic processes in the laboratory. Contemporary Educational Technology, 7(2), 138-159.
Frost, R. D., Matta, V., & MacIvor, E. Assessing the efficacy of incorporating game dynamics in a learning management system. Journal of Information Systems Education, 26(1), 59-70.
Geelan, B., De Salas, K., Lewis, I., King, C., Edwards, D., & O’Mara, A. (2015). Improving learning experiences through gamification: A case study. Australian Educational Computing, 30(1), 1-21.
Hakulien, L., Auvinen, T., & Korhonen, A. (2013). Empirical study on the effect of achievement badges in TRAKLA2 online learning environment. Proceedings of the Learning and Teaching in Computing and Engineering, 47-54: Macau.
Hamari, J., Koivisto, J., & Sarsa, H. (2014). Does gamification work? A literature review of empirical studies on gamification. In R. Sprague et al. (Eds.), Proceedings of 47th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, 3025-3034.
Hanus, M.D. & Fox, J. (2014). Assessing the effects of gamification in the classroom: A longitudinal study on intrinsic motivation, social comparison, satisfaction, effort, and academic performance. Computers & Education, 80, 152-161.
Kapp, K. M. (2012). The gamification of learning and instruction. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.
Moccozet, L. Tardy, C., Opprecht, W. & Leonard, M. (2013). Gamification-based assessment of group work. Paper presented at Interactive Collaborative Learning, Kazan, Russia.
Nah, F. F. H., Zeng, Q., Telaprolu, V. R., Ayyappa, A. P., & Eschenbrenner, B. (2014). Gamification of education: A review of literature. In F. H. H. Nah (Ed.), Proceedings of 1st international conference on human-computer interaction in business, 401-409. Crete, Greece: LNCS Springer.
Nicholson, S. (2012). A user-centered theoretical framework for meaningful gamification. Paper presented at Games+Learning+Society 8.0, Madison, WI.
O’Donovan, S., Gain, J., & Marais, P. (2013). A case study in the gamification of a university-level games development course. Proceedings of the South African Institute of Computer Scientists and Information Technologists, East London, 242-251.
Olson, M., Mozelius, P. & Collin, J. (2015). Visualisation and gamification of e-learning and programming education. The Electronic Journal of e-Learning, 13(6), 441-454.
Paré, G., Trudel, M. C., Jaana, M. & Kitsiou, S. (2015). Synthesizing information systems knowledge: A typology of literature reviews. Information & Management, 52(2), 183-199.
Rose, J. A., O’Meara, J. M., Gerhardt, T. C. & Williams, M. (2016). Gamification: Using elements of video games to improve engagement in an undergraduate physics class. Physics Education, 51, 1-7.
Ténorio, T., Bittencourt, I. I., Isotani, S., Pedro, A., & Ospina, P. (2016). A gamified peer assessment model for online-learning environments in a competitive context. Computers in Human Behavior, 64, 247-263.
Tu, C. H., Yen, C. J., Sujo-Montes, L. & Roberts, G. A. (2015). Gaming personality and game dynamics in online discussion instructions. Educational Media International, 52(3), 155-172.
Wiley, D. A. (2002). Connecting learning objects to instructional design theory” A definition, a metaphor, and a taxonomy. In D. Wiley (Ed.). The Instructional Use of Learning Objects. Bloomington, IN: Association for Educational Communications and Technology.
Xu, Y. (2012). Literature review on web application gamification and analytics. (In CSDL Technical Report). University of Hawaii, Manoa Honolulu, HI.
