Abstract:

Since 2018, significant reforms have been carried through in Latvia at all levels of education with a special focus on a competence approach. In the higher education system, the competence approach was introduced about learning outcomes and their evaluation criteria. This process was hampered by the invention of distance learning caused by the Covid 19 pandemic that required a major overhaul of teaching methodologies to achieve the learning outcomes. One of the ways to implement the competence approach and ensure the achievement of learning outcomes is the application of gamification, which can be considered as the introduction of informal methods into the formal study environment. To analyse the peculiarities, advantages and disadvantages of gamification in a study process and to identify its drawbacks, research was conducted among the academic staff and students enrolled in different level study programmes and directions within one study year, taking into account the challenges and advantages of distance learning.

The article aims to show the best experience cases when non-formal education methods such as gamification were also applied in the distance learning process. The obtained data were analyzed according to the qualitative research strategy.

The findings of the research show that implementation of the competence approach is a complex and time-consuming process. Lecturers and students point out that nowadays there is a need to change the study methods and special efforts should be made to diversify them during distance learning, thus making the study process more challenging, information perception more efficient and directed to developing students' general competencies. Students acknowledge that distance learning successfully enhances their independent study skills. However, other important competencies, such as teamwork, problem-solving, quick decision-making, case study etc., are less developed should one compare them with the on-site studies. Gamification of the higher education study process is one of the methods that contribute to the development of life skills in an interactive way and professional competencies. However, the distance learning process and the learning outcomes to be achieved reveal the necessity to further develop the digital literacy of both lecturers and students.

Keywords:

Competence approach, gamification, learning outcomes, distance learning.