Investigating the impact of gamification on student performance in a secondary science classroom

Abstract

The goal of this study was to investigate the impact of gamification on student scores, student motivation, parent and student perception, and teacher responsibilities within a secondary science classroom. This study was inconclusive in finding support for gamification improving student test scores, as all average test scores were not that different from those of previous years' data. The vast majority of students also performed within one standard deviation of their traditional test scores. Of the few students who did perform significantly worse on the gamified unit, almost half were absent from school a significant amount of time (10% or more of the unit). This study also showed that the gamification process was unsuccessful in changing the overall average of student motivational components. Students responded to Likert items with minimal change throughout the units and expressed similar views both before and after the video game was concluded. Student interest in the video game was promising in the first week of game play, but dwindled as the unit progressed as indicated by the number of students who identified the video game as the largest motivator decreased.