We have known for some time that gamification, the addition of game elements to education, can motivate students and keep them engaged. Many of the principles used in games originate from education or have been known in educational settings for some time. Think of ‘token economy’, or reward systems, or Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development. But which game elements really work best? And does it really matter how long you use those game elements? A recent meta-analysis by Dai and colleagues sheds light on these questions.

In this meta-analysis, they combined data from 37 studies to determine the exact effect of gamified learning. The result? A clear confirmation that gamification can work. The average positive impact on learning results turned out to be medium, meaning that students generally perform better on average thanks to the addition of game elements.

Interestingly, the combination of goals, challenges and mystery worked best. This trio creates curiosity, keeps students engaged and encourages them to go further than with traditional learning methods. However, elements such as badges and progress bars (rules and goals) alone do not appear to have a significant effect. Only when they are combined with challenges and surprising elements does the effect skyrocket. Unfortunately, the research does not provide much more clarity about what these last elements are exactly:

Mystery refers to unexpected situations that arouse students’ curiosity. Elements related to mystery include “adventures,” “surprises,” “randomness,” and others.

It also appears that the subject area matters. Technical and scientific subjects, such as mathematics and technology, in particular benefit greatly from gamification, while social sciences and art experience a slightly less impact. This is probably due to the more transparent structure of exact subjects, which makes game elements easier to connect to the learning process.

The length of time the gamified approach is applied also has an effect. Very short sessions, lasting a maximum of one day, have a strong effect due to their novelty. At the same time, long-term trajectories (lasting six months or more) are effective because they help students develop intrinsic motivation over time. Medium-term interventions (between one day and one week) turned out to be less effective.

These insights offer valuable guidelines for those who want to apply gamification in practice. Provide sufficient challenge, add surprising elements, and tailor the approach well to the field and the duration of the learning path. Then you will get more out of gamification than just a fun experience.

Abstract of the meta-analysis :

In educational settings, gamified learning integrates a variety of game elements to improve the learning experience, but a thorough analysis comparing different combinations of these elements is sparse. This meta-analysis consolidated data from 182 effect sizes across 37 randomized or quasi-randomized trials to assess the impact of gamified learning on student outcomes. Statistical analyzes were conducted with gamified learning as the independent variable, learning outcomes as the dependent variable, and learning domain, learning stage, and intervention duration as moderating variables. The study aimed to evaluate the overall effect of gamified learning and to determine the most effective combinations of game elements. The results revealed a medium positive effect of gamified learning on learning outcomes (d = 0.566), with the “Rules/Goals + Challenge + Mystery” combination yielding the highest impact. And significant moderation was observed regarding the learning domain and the duration of the intervention. These findings offer valuable guidance for the design and application of gamified learning strategies, highlighting the need to consider moderating factors in educational practice.