IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/simgam/v45y2014i6p769-785.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

An Empirical Test of the Theory of Gamified Learning

Author

Listed:
  • Richard N. Landers
  • Amy K. Landers

Abstract

Background The theory of gamified learning provides a theoretical framework to test the impact of gamification efforts upon learner behaviors and attitudes , as well as the effect of these behavioral and attitudinal changes on learning. It does so by providing mediating and moderating processes linking specific game elements to learning outcomes . Aim This article links specific game elements common to leaderboards (conflict/challenge, rules/goals, and assessment) with a focal learner behavior , time-on-task, by exploring educational research on competition and psychological research on goal-setting theory. Method The mediating process of the theory of gamified learning is tested experimentally by assigning learners completing an online wiki-based project to a gamified version with a leaderboard or to a control version without a leaderboard . Leaderboard achievement was not tied to course grades. Results Random assignment to leaderboards supported a causal effect . Students with leaderboards interacted with their project 29.61 more times, on average, than those in a control condition. Bootstrapping was used to support the mediation of the effect of gamification on academic achievement by this amount of time. Conclusion The mediating process of the theory of gamified instruction is supported . Leaderboards can be used to improve course performance under certain circumstances .

Suggested Citation

  • Richard N. Landers & Amy K. Landers, 2014. "An Empirical Test of the Theory of Gamified Learning," Simulation & Gaming, , vol. 45(6), pages 769-785, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:simgam:v:45:y:2014:i:6:p:769-785
    DOI: 10.1177/1046878114563662
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1046878114563662
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/1046878114563662?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:simgam:v:45:y:2014:i:6:p:769-785. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.