Achieving flow-state through gamification in education

Achieving flow-state through gamification in education

Achieving flow-state through gamification in education

Petra Takács

Abstract

"Gamification is a relatively new and evolving topic that has appeared in fields like marketing, healthcare, fitness, social areas - and education. The proper use of gamification in learning systems, like e-learning, is aimed at fostering students' intrinsic motivation and deeper engagement in the learning process. These goals can be achieved through the integration of game-like elements into traditional learning environments, and by rethinking education from a game-design, experience-orientated point of view. The primary goal of this study is to explore the theoretical and experimental effectiveness, possibilities of gamification in education, and its impact on student engagement, motivation, and fostering the optimal experience - the flow state. In order to obtain a more accurate picture of these topics, we conducted a comprehensive literature review that examined the pedagogical, psychological, and neuroscientific possibilities and methods. We investigated the effects of gamification on student motivation and flow experience through two e-learning courses: one gamified and one non-gamified control group. During the experiment and data analysis, we aimed to use not only subjective questionnaires, and therefore, we also monitored participants' brain waves using an electroencephalograph (EEG). The analysis of the flow questionnaire (Flow Short Scale) finding points to that participants of the gamified group experienced flow more consistently and at a higher level than the non-gamified group's participants. The examination of the EEG data also showed a significant difference between the two groups' alpha and theta brainwaves, indicating deeper engagement and higher flow experience in the gamified group. The research pointed out that, although there are still many unexplored areas in the field of gamification and flow state, gamification can help to achieve deeper engagement, motivation, and flow-like experiences in students."

Reference

…Takács, P. (2023, June 15). Achieving flow-state through gamification in education. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/371575341_Achieving_flow-state_through_gamification_in_education

Keywords

Gamification, Student Engagement, Intrinsic Motivation