Gamification Enhances Student Academic Performance in Educational Contexts: Evidence From Meta-Analysis

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 27
  In Roundtable Session: Meta-Analysis in Education: Timely and Topical Evidence About Improving Student Learning

Abstract

Despite the buzz around gamification as an exciting new method to engage students, evidence of its ability to enhance learning is mixed. In fact, gamification has attracted considerable controversies. Therefore, to make the case for or against gamification in education, it is important to examine the effects of gamification on student learning achievements. This study is a meta-analysis of 30 independent interventions (3,202 participants) drawn from 24 quantitative studies to examine the effects of gamification on student academic performance in various educational settings. The results show an overall significant medium effect size in favor of gamification over learning without gamification (Hedges’s g = 0.504, 95% CI [0.284 – 0.723], p < 0.001). No publication bias is detected.

Authors

• Shurui Bai, The University of Hong Kong

• Timothy Khe Foon Hew, The University of Hong Kong