51-3 Why Gamified Course Design Leads to Student Success: The Power of Control and Choice and Relationship to Learning Theories

Session: Geoscience Education Research: Methods, Frameworks, and Results from Emerging Scholars

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Abstract:

Gamified course design is a pedagogical strategy that uses game elements in the structure of an entire course, such as the grading system and assignment choices, to increase motivation and success. The aim of this study was to learn which game elements students identified as important to their motivation and success and to explore the reasons why. To do so, I examined quantitative and qualitative survey data from 72 students in a gamified introductory geology course at a two-year college. With regards to identifying game elements, student responses indicated that they found the game elements of additive grading, choice of assignments, choice of topics, options to redo assignments, and flexible timelines to be most important and badges/ rewards/ achievements to be least important to their motivation and success. As an explanation why, students mentioned their control over the grade they earned and choice of how and when to earn that grade as key to why they were successful in the gamified course. These results support that the learning motivation theories of Self-Determination Theory, self-regulated learning, and Situated Expectancy-Value Theory can explain why gamified course design is successful. Overall, this study finds that for gamification to be effective, instructors need to fully embrace gamified course design and include game elements that give students some control and choice, which means that game elements beyond badges/ rewards/ achievements and leaderboards need to be incorporated.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Program. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025

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