Gamifying science education: How board games enhances engagement, motivate and develop social interaction, and learning

This study examines how integrating Minecraft into STEM education impacts seventh-grade students' STEM motivation and spatial abilities. The research was conducted with 46 students during the 2021–2022 academic year and employed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. Over an intervention period of approximately two months, weekly STEM activities were organized. Quantitative data were collected using a STEM motivation scale and a spatial ability test administered to experimental and control groups. Qualitative data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with students in the experimental group. The results indicate Minecraft-based STEM activities significantly enhanced students' STEM motivation and spatial abilities. These findings suggest that actively integrating digital games into STEM education can effectively increase students' interest in STEM fields and improve their spatial skills.

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Enhancing Learning Engagement: A Study on Gamification’s Influence on Motivation and Cognitive Load

Baah,

Govender,

Subramaniam

2024

Education Sciences

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Research has demonstrated that engagement in any learning environment improves learning and may even boost performance. Consequently, numerous scholars have examined various approaches to raising student engagement in learning. Gamification is one such approach because it is thought to increase motivation and reduce cognitive load to ultimately improve learning outcomes. However, some studies have called into question its benefits, prompting more research to be conducted to properly understand the phenomenon. Hence, the study examined gamification’s influence on motivation and cognitive load for enhancing learning engagement. The study was underpinned by the integration of the Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction (ARCS) model, self-determination theory (SDT), and cognitive load theory (CLT) in developing a conceptual framework. A sample of 407 university students who participated in five gamified courses were involved in the study. The data collected through a questionnaire were analyzed using SmartPLS structural equation modeling software. According to the study’s findings, both motivation and cognitive load influence engagement in learning, with cognitive load being the stronger influence. The study contributes to our knowledge by elucidating the relationship between gamification and students’ cognitive load and motivation to learn, as well as how these elements ultimately engage students in the learning process.

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Gamifying science education: How board games enhances engagement, motivate and develop social interaction, and learning

Cited by 3 publications

References 104 publications

Converging extended reality and Machine Learning to improve the lecturing of geometry in basic education

Converging extended reality and Machine Learning to improve the lecturing of geometry in basic education

The Role of Minecraft in STEM Education: A Study on the Development of Motivation and Spatial Abilities

Enhancing Learning Engagement: A Study on Gamification’s Influence on Motivation and Cognitive Load

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