Gamification and active learning in higher education: is it possible to match digital society, academia and students' interests?

• Published in: International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education Vol. 18; no. 1; pp. 1 - 27
• Main Authors: Murillo-Zamorano, Luis R., López Sánchez, José Ángel, Godoy-Caballero, Ana Luisa, Bueno Muñoz, Carmen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 17.03.2021; BioMed Central, Ltd; Springer Nature B.V; SpringerOpen
• Subjects: 21st century; 21st Century Skills; Academic Achievement; Academic Standards; Active Learning; Computer Appl. in Social and Behavioral Sciences; Computer Science; Computers and Education; Cooperative Learning; Critical Thinking; Digital society; Education; Educational Technology; Flipped Classroom; Game Based Learning; Gamification; Higher Education; Humanities; Influence of Technology; Information Systems Applications (incl.Internet); Law; Learning; Learning Experience; Learning Processes; Learning Strategies; Lifelong Learning; Outcomes of Education; Research Article; Satisfaction; Skill Development; Skills; Statistics for Social Sciences; Student Interests; Student Motivation; Student Participation; Student Satisfaction; Students; Undergraduate Students; Value creation; Digital society; Academic achievement; Active learning; Skills; Gamification; Satisfaction
• ISSN: 2365-9440; 2365-9440
• DOI: 10.1186/s41239-021-00249-y

This study aims to examine whether it is possible to match digital society, academia and students interests in higher education by testing to what extent the introduction of gamification into active learning setups affects the skills development demanded by the workplace of the digital society of the twenty-first century, the academic achievement standards claimed by the academia, and the satisfaction with the learning process required by the students. Our results provide statistically significant empirical evidence, concluding that the generation of a co-creative and empowered gameful experience that supports students' overall value creation yields to satisfactory active learning setups without any loss of academic achievement, and allowing to develop a series of skills especially relevant for twenty-first century professionals.