Gamification in Higher Education: The Impact of Bonus Points on Student Motivation

• In Event: AERA Research in Progress Roundtable Session Two
  In Invited Roundtable: Research-in-Progress RT037 (Thursday)

Abstract

This quantitative study explores the extent to which the gamification element of bonus points impacts the motivation of higher education students. We consider significant factors in students’ motivation to complete bonus points and participants’ preferred bonus point activities. Current participant totals include 183 undergraduate and graduate students at a large research university. The participants completed Likert-scale surveys surrounding seven constructs related to their perceptions of gamification through bonus points. The anticipated findings will have important implications for educators, researchers, and instructional designers by offering valuable insights to improve course design and teaching strategies. The increased understanding will improve educational outcomes for higher education students.

Author

• Kathleen Julian Dang, University of North Texas