Abstract:

One of the biggest problems for university students, especially in the first years, is the difficulty in being able to contextualize the content they are studying in a real environment. This fact, added to the amount of information received during the first months, can cause certain discouragement and hinder students' efficient progress. On many occasions, the answers to exams and exercises do not reach a level that is adequate to what is intended., because students do not understand the business environment and fail to adequately grasp the applicability of business models and theories in a real context.

This paper proposes a new method of innovation based on the generation of a teaching project through gamification and metacognition methodologies. Rather than relying on traditional teaching methods, gamification aims to actively involve and entertain students. This is achieved through the use of elements such as points, levels, challenges, rewards, and competition applied to academic activities. Combined with the gamification phenomenon, we propose metacognition processes, which refers to the ability of students to be aware of and control their own thinking and learning processes. It involves reflecting on how one learns, monitoring progress, regulating strategies, and evaluating one's own academic performance. Students who are aware of their own learning strategies and have developed metacognitive skills tend to have better academic performance, greater knowledge retention and a greater ability to transfer what they have learned to new situations.

The educational experience was carried out in the with first year students, in the different engineering degrees of the Universitat Politècnica de València, specifically for the basic subject called Fundamentals of Business Organization. The project allowed the student to achieve competencies (deep learning) overcoming decontextualized memorization (superficial learning). To this end, a gamification and metacognition process were used in the classroom based on AHASLIDES, an educational software platform that offers interactive learning and assessment games. It allows teachers and students to create, share, and play quizzes, surveys, and discussions in real time. During the gameplay, the questions were projected on a screen, and students selected their answers on their devices. Points were awarded based on correct answers and response speed, fostering a competitive and engaging learning environment. Gamification was complemented by an assessment system for learning and metacognition through questions during classes, supplying immediate feedback to both teachers and students. To evaluate the success of this project, the first level of students was set up, and checkpoints were conducted.

The results of this study offer promising perspectives and suggest that the gamification and metacognition strategies used in this teaching project can be successfully applied in other educational contexts. Enhanced student engagement and participation, as well as effective contextualization of content, demonstrate the potential of these methodologies to foster more active and meaningful learning. These findings propose that gamification and metacognition could be valuable tools in the design of educational projects in different disciplines and educational levels, improving overall student motivation and performance.

Keywords:

Metacognition, Higher Education, Engagement, Gamification.