Abstract:

This study evaluates the use of digital badges as a motivational tool to increase students' situational interest in two university courses: "Introduction to Programming" for students in the Computer Science Teacher Education programme and "ICT in Education" for students in the Primary Teacher Education programme. The primary data source for this analysis was Moodle, an open source learning management platform used for the delivery of these courses. Moodle's comprehensive tracking features allow for detailed tracking of how and when students earn badges, providing a rich data set for analysis. The research findings suggest that badges can increase students' situational interest in course content, potentially improving learning outcomes. This paper discusses the implications of these findings for education professionals looking to integrate digital badges into their teaching strategies. It emphasises the importance of aligning badge-based incentives with course objectives and student interests.

Keywords:

Digital badges evaluation, gamification, teacher training, situational interest.