Toward Usability Testing of Motivational Affordances through Gamification

• Published in: International journal of human-computer interaction Vol. 40; no. 9; pp. 2398 - 2414
• Main Authors: Durmaz, Taygun B., Fuertes, José L., Imbert, Ricardo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Norwood Taylor & Francis 02.05.2024; Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc
• Subjects: Education; Information systems
• ISSN: 1044-7318; 1532-7590; 1044-7318
• DOI: 10.1080/10447318.2022.2162277

Motivation is fundamental for user engagement in applications. In particular, in educational software systems, gamification is widely used to try to increase student performance and well-being, as it comprises motivational benefits. However, the effectiveness of gamification has sometimes been under question, since a variety of research experiments with the same gamification elements result in conflicting outcomes. Advancement in motivational psychology allows us to relate how perceptions are predictors of well-being and performance. With this purpose, relevant studies have been researched directing the user toward the desired outcomes, and a usability checklist has been developed to assess Motivational Information Systems. We then carried out an experiment from the perception questionnaires and the performance of the students to evaluate a particular gamification system in an educational context. The observed results from the field study have validated the applicability of the checklist, as the predictions were consistent with the literature.