An Empirical Study Evaluating the Effects of Gamification in an E-learning Environment

Abstract

The University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) is a fully online university that uses open and e-distance learning (ODeL) methods of teaching through the use of a learning management system (LMS) called Moodle, which is considered their virtual classroom. In an ODeL system, students are expected to study independently without meeting with their fellow students and instructors face-to-face. It is said that motivation is the main factor in a student’s learning, especially in a distance learning environment. However, distance learners tend to feel easily demotivated, distracted, and isolated as compared to students in a traditional learning environment (Manlapaz, 2020). This can often lead to lower performance and higher dropout rates. To make distance learners feel more motivated, many institutions have proposed the use of gamification as a way to motivate the students to be more engaged in class and improve their grade performance. In this study, the researcher aims to assess the effects of gamification on undergraduate UPOU students and to see if gamification is a factor that helps improve student performance. The results show that gamification has several positive effects on students in UPOU. There is also a significant difference between the performance and engagement of students in a gamified course compared to a non-gamified course.