Abstract:

Recent studies show that gamification is increasingly recognised as an effective strategy for enhancing motivation, engagement and conceptual understanding in STEM higher education. In [1] a systematic review is presented and demonstrates consistent positive effects of gamified activities on participation and the acquisition of scientific and technical competencies. Empirical evidence further indicates that structured gamification mechanics—such as badges, progress indicators and competitive dynamics—can significantly improve student performance and persistence across STEM courses [2]. These findings collectively provide strong justification for integrating gamification within STEM curricula.

The work presented in this article is part of ThinkGame project, an Erasmus+ Higher Education program funded by the European Union. The project aims to modernize higher education by encouraging international collaboration to develop gamified digital learning tools tailored for STEM students. By integration of gamification into LMS, ThinkGame enables the creation of accessible, shareable digital content that makes complex concepts more engaging and easier to understand.

We present the development and application of the gammification approach in a mathematics course, specifically related to statistics. First particularity is that the course is integrated into a social science-oriented degree, where students use to experience difficulties with STEM content. The study evaluates the impact of using gamification on the course performance and students’ engagement. It also analyses various ways to implement gamification combining the functionalities of Moodle learning management system.

The experiment was conducted in a degree with 62 students. The students have the possibility to work additionally gamified exercises in addition to the ordinary exercises. The analysis of the experiment was based on feedback from students and statistics provided by the Moodle LMS. The article will present both the design and implementation of the gamified exercises as well as the impact gamification had on the course performance. It is show how gamification had a clearly positive impact on students’ engagement, participation, and overall learning experience in the statistics course. Students reported higher levels of motivation and perceived relevance of the activities, particularly valuing the narrative structure, progressive challenges, and immediate feedback embedded in the gamified design. Participation rates increased across the modules, and absenteeism decreased noticeably, with students attending more regularly and showing greater persistence in completing both mandatory and optional tasks. This is shown by providing the average marks of the subject in comparison with previous years. Also, students’ attendance has been increasing as weeks were progressing, and this is linked to the progression of the game.

References:
[1] Cavus, N., Ibrahim, I., Ogbonna Okonkwo, M., Bode Ayansina, N., & Modupeola, T. (2023). The Effects of Gamification in Education: A Systematic Literature Review. BRAIN. Broad Research In Artificial Intelligence And Neuroscience, 14(2), 211-241
[2] Afari E, Khine MS. Gamification in STEM education: A systematic literature review. Int J Technol Math Educ. 2024;Vol7, (3):182-188.

Keywords:

Gamification, Creative Thinking, STEM.