AnnotatedBibliography

Howgamificationcanhelpincreasestudentmotivation,performanceandachievement
BethWardlaw
ITEC7470

Dicheva,D.,Dichev,C.,Agre,G.,andAngelova2,G.(2015).Gamificationineducation:A
systematicmappingstudy(inpress).EducationalTechnologyandSociety,18(3).
Retrievedfrom:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/270273830_Gamification_in_Education_
A_Systematic_Mapping_Study

Theuseofeducationalgamesaslearningtoolsisapromisingapproachduetotheirabilities
toteachandreinforcenotonlyknowledgebutalsoimportantskillssuchasproblemsolving,
collaboration,andcommunicationaccordingtoDichevaetal(2015).Thepurposeofthis
articleistoprovideinformationregardingmappingofseveralarticlestoseeifgamificationis
beneficialinaneducationalsetting.Gamificationhasbeenusedforseveralyearsbybusiness
andcorporatecompaniestotraintheiremployeesandhelpshapetheirbehavior.However,
gamificationineducationisafairlynewtrend,anditisgrowinginpopularity.Forthisstudy,
theauthorswantedtobeabletoanswertwoimportantquestionsWhateducationalcontexts
hasGamificationbeenappliedto?andWhatgameelementshavebeenusedingamifying
educationalsystems?(Dicheva,D.,Dichev,Agre,andAngelova,2015)Gamificationisa
greattoolformotivationandreward.Theauthorswantedtoseeexactlyhowthishadbeen
measured.Theysearchedsevenmajorscientificdatabases,buttheyonlyusedthefollowing:
ACMDigitalLibrary(376papers),IEEEXplore(100papers),ScienceDirect(119papers),
SCOPUS(405papers),SpringerLink(86papers),ERIC(7papers),andGoogleScholar
(554papers)(Dicheva,D.,Dichev,Agre,andAngelova,2015).Theleveloftheclassification
structureingameelementswasexplored.Theauthorsdecidedtofocusonatwolevels:
gamemechanicsandeducationalgamificationdesignprinciples.Motivationformostgamesin
thisstudyincludespointsand/orbadgesthatcanbeearned.
Researchfromallthedatabasesshowedthemostutilizedgamificationdesignprinciplesin
educationalcontextarevisualstatus,socialengagement,freedomofchoice,freedomtofail,
andrapidfeedback(Dicheva,D.,Dichev,Agre,andAngelova,2015).Freedomofchoice
allowsstudentstowhattypeofchallengetocompete.Freedomtofailallowsstudentstotake
outtheworryofpoorperformanceand/orgradingoftheperformance.Socialengagementis
individualorgroupcompetitionduringthetask,anditoftenincludesgroupsandcooperative
learning.Asfarasgamemechanics,badgesseemedtobethehighestmotivator,alsonoted,
badgesdidnotcorrelatewithanygradeontheassignment.Asfaraswhousesgamification
themost,ComputerScienceclassestakethelead.Themajorityofthepapersreport
encouragingresultsfromtheexperiments,includingsignificantlyhigherengagementof
studentsinforums,projectsandotherlearningactivities(Dicheva,D.,Dichev,Agre,and
Angelova,2015).Theconclusionstatedthatwhilegamificationlookseasy,the
implementationanddevelopmentcanbecomplicated.Administrationandteacherslookingto
addgamificationtotheschool/classroom,mayfindtheseresultstobehelpful.Thisarticleis

distinctive,becauseittakestheworkfrommultiplepeerreviewedpapersandarticlesand
giveshowtheyallrelatetogamification.

Anderson,J.,&Rainie,L.(2012).Thefutureofgamification.Elon,NorthCarolina:Elon
UniversityImaginingtheInternetCenterandWashington,DC:PewResearch
CentersInternet&AmericanLifeProject.Retrievedfrom
http://www.pewinternet.org/2012/05/18/thefutureofgamification/

Theauthorsofthisstudyconductedanonlinesamplesurveyof1,021internetexpertsand
otherusersoftheinternet.Theuserswereaskedtoselectbetweentwodifferentscenariosof
thefutureforthedevelopmentofgamification.AndersonandRainiedefinedgamificationas
theuseofgamemechanics,feedbackloops,andrewardstospurinteractionandboost
engagement,loyalty,funand/orlearning(2012).Fortytwopercentagreedthatby2020,
therewillbelittleimplementationofgamificationinmosteverydayactivities,while53%
agreedthattherewillbesignificantadvancesintheadoptionanduseofgamificationin
communications,education,health,andwork(AndersonandRainie,2012).Andersonetal
statesthatwhilesomepeopledismissgamificationasafad,neuroscientistsarediscovering
moreandmoreaboutthewaysinwhichhumansreacttosuchinteractivedesignelements
(2012).Manyoftheresponsesfromthesurveyfeltthatgamescanbecompelling,which
leadstohighermotivationwithstudents.Theyalsofeltlikethetermgamificationneededan
upgrade.Thesesurveyresultswereveryinteresting,aswellasshowthatthefutureof
gamificationisbright.However,theywerenotfromawidevarietyofusers,consideringover
40percentwerescientistandresearchers(AndersonandRainie,2012).Whenyoulook
deeperintotheactualresponses(p.2)ofthesurveys,therearemuchmorenegativefeelings
thattheychosetodiscuss.Theresultsofthissurveywouldhelpstudentsseetheimportance
andfutureofgamification,makingitmorerelevant.

Levine,M.,&Millstone,J.(2012).Teacherattitudesaboutdigitalgamesintheclassroom.
NewYork:JoanGanzCooneyCenteratSesameWorkshop.Retrievedfrom
http://www.joanganzcooneycenter.org/wpcontent/uploads/2014/03/jgcc_vq_teacher_s
urvey_2012.pdf
.

ThisarticlefocusedonsurveysforK12teachersandhowtheyfelttowarddigitalgames
intheclassroom.Thequestionsfocusedonthetypesandfrequencyofthedigitalgameuse
intheclassroom,thebenefitsandbarrierstodigitalgamesintheclassroom,andbudget
concerns/issueswithdigitalgameuse(Levine&Millstone,2012).Theconclusionofthese
surveysshowedthatmostteachershadaverypositiveopinionofdigitalgamesinthe
classroom,ashowitimpactsstudents.Whenitcametobarriers,theyfeltthatcostandtech

resourceswerethemainconcerns.Teachersthatweremostcomfortableusingdigitalgames
useditmuchmorefrequentlywiththirtytwopercentusinggames24daysperweekand
eighteenpercentusethemeveryday(Levine&Millstone,2012).Twofifthsofteachers
believedtheirstudentshadbecamebettercollaboratives,andthreefifthsbelievelower
performingstudentsshowedincreasedengagement(Levine&Millstone,2012).Thesurvey
alsoaddressedlowerperformingstudentsandshowedhowteachersfeltthatdigitalgames
engageandmotivatethestudents,aswellasmakeiteasiertodifferentiateandreachall
students.Thisarticledidagoodjobshowinghowteachersfeelaboutusingdigitalgamesin
theclassroom.Thisarticlewouldbegreattoshowadministrationthereasoningfor
gamificationintheclassroom.

Duncan,S.C.(2012).Learninginvideogameaffinityspaces.NewYork:Peter
Lang.Retrievedfrom:
http://ldm.sagepub.com/content/7/1/21.full.pdf+html
.

Thisarticlestartsbyaskingsomeveryimportantquestions,includinghowcanusing
onlinegamesandsiteshelpthestudentslearn.Thearticlewaswritteninveryeducational
wording.Itcanbebrokendownintosimpleterms,ifgiventhetime.Duncanobviously
assumedwhoeverwasreadingandusingthearticlehadabackgroundwithdigitallearning
andwaswelleducated.Duncanreferstoaffinityspaceswhiledescribingthespaceswhere
learnerscangainaffinityforeachotheracommontopic(Duncan,2012).Next,hegives
examplesofthreepopulargamesandcommunities:Zelda,WorldofWarcraft,and
Kongregate.Hedrawsfromresearchonthesegamesthatresearchersneedtoseethe
growingandimportantopportunityforunderstandinghowthesespaceswork,thentheycan
determinehowtheycanhelptheeducationalsystems(Duncan,2012).Duncanmakesabold
statementinhisconclusionIsuggestthataffinityspacesaroundvideogamescanand
shouldprovideexamplesofproductivedesignactivitiesthatcauseustoquestionthelimited
formsofinstructionfosteredbyrestrictivetestingregimessuchasNoChildLeftBehind
(2012).Thisarticlehadplentyofresearchandinformationtobackthisstatementup.
However,itwouldhavehelpedtohavemoredataforthisstudy.

Hirumi,A.(Ed.).(2011).Playinggamesinschool:Videogamesandsimulationsfor
primaryandsecondaryeducation.Washington,DC:InternationalSocietyfor
TechnologyinEducation.Retrievedfrom:
ht
tps://www.iste.org/handlers/ProductAttachment.ashx?ProductID=539&Type=exce
rpts

Hirumiwritetoshowhowtosuccessfullyintegrategamesandteachingwithgame
basedlearning.Hirumistatedtoeffectivelyintegrategamesintoprimaryandsecondary
classeseducatorsmustseehowspecificgamesfitinwiththeirinstructionandfacilitate
importantinstructionaleventsbeforeand/oraftergameplay(Hirumi,2011).Thechaptertakes
gamebasedlearningandbreaksitintocoursesdependingonhowmuchyouchoosetouse
gamingintheclassroom.Thebreakdownoflevelsmakeiteasytounderstandforteachers

thatcanreallybenefitfromreadingthis.Next,hegivesfivestepstointegrategameplay.
Thesestepsinclude:Selectagroundedinstructionalstrategy,basedonspecifiedobjectives,
learnerscharacteristics,classroomcontext,andepistemologicalbeliefsplaygamesand
determinetheirsuitabilityandinstructionalpurposeoperationalizeinstructionalstrategyby
describinghoweacheventwillbeappliedandnotingwhenagameshouldbeplayedaddress
technicalandlogisticalissues,andpilottestgameplayandformativelyevaluateinstructional
materials(Hirumi,2011).Inthesummary,Hirumitalksabouttheimportanceofproviding
instructionalsupportandfacilitatingimportantinstructionaleventsbeforeandaftergameplay
togetthebestoutofgamebasedlearning(2011).Hirumidoesagreatjobofsummarizing
informationandlayingthegroundworkforsuccessfulgamebasedlearningintegrationina
regularclassroom.

Merkel,L.,&Sanford,K.(2011).Complexitiesofgamingcultures:Adolescentgamers
adaptingandtransforminglearning.LearningandDigitalMedia,8(4),397407.
Retrievedfrom:
http://ldm.sagepub.com/content/8/4/397.short

Thisarticlelooksathowgamingcanimpactstudentlearning,aswellasthenegativeview
gaminghasineducation.Studentsareoftenexpectedtofitintoarubricorgradingscale,and
theygothroughprescribedlinearmotionstomeettheexpectedoutcomethosewhodonotfit
maydropout,bereprimandedand/ormaycontributetothegeneralpopulacesgrowing
concernthatyoungpeoplearenotpractisingtraditionalliteracypracticesandarenot
successfulatschooling(MerkelandSanford,2011).Inordertolookatthedeepengagement
ofstudentsinvideogames,theauthorslookedatstudiestoseehowtheirthinkingis
impacted.Theydiscussedallthedifferentcomplexitiesthatgointohowwereceive
informationandhowourthoughtsareprocessedandinfluenced.MerkelandSanfordnoted
thatvideogamersareactingandlearningwith/indeep,reciprocalrelationships,shapingthe
world(s)withinwhichtheywork(2011).Thisarticlewouldbeagreatreadforeducatorsthat
viewgamificationinanegativelight.Theresearchdoesagoodjobofshowinghowthese
gamescaninfactgrowdeeperknowledge.Theauthorsconcludewiththeyoungpeoplewe
observeplayingaredeeplyengagedinfluidrelationshipwithandongoingrenegotiation
betweenpersonalknowing,collectiveknowledgeandtheenvironmentastheyactandadapt
inonandofflineworlds(MerkelandSanford,2011).Thisstatementiswhatmosteducators
wanttohear.

Plhn,T.(2014).PervasiveLearningusinggamestoteardowntheclassroomwalls.
ElectronicJournalofeLearning,12(3),299311.Retrievedfrom
http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1035621.pdf
Plhnstartsthisarticlewithpervasivegamingisanewandemerginggaminggenrewhere
thephysicalandsocialaspectsoftherealworldareintegratedintothegameandblendsinto
theplayerseverydaylife(2014).Pervasivegamingistoldtobeagaminggenrewherethe

gameisnotconfinedtothevirtualdomainofthecomputerbutextendthegamingexperience
outintotherealworldbeitoncitystreets,intheremotewilderness,oralivingroom(Plhn,
2014).Therefore,studentscantakewhattheylearnfromalectureandapplyitoutinthereal
world,sincethewallshavebeenremoved.Plhnalsodiscusseshowgamescanbeusedto
insteadofthetraditionalassignments,aswellastoincreasemotivationandparticipation
(2014).Pervasivegamingiscurrentlybeingusedmostlyforresearchandhasnotbeenused
verymuchinthecommunity.
NuclearMayhem
isaprototypeofapervasivegamedeveloped
tosupportuniversitystudiesinMultimediaandWebgametechnologyatNordTrndelag
UniversityCollege,Norway(Plhn,2014).Bystudyinggameslikethis,researcherswillhave
abetterknowledgeofhowthesegamescanbeusedtohelpstudentswithcourses.The
audienceforthiswouldberesearchersinterestedinthetopicaswellashighereducation
instructors.

Whitton,N.(2012).Theplaceofgamebasedlearninginanageofausterity,10(2),
249256.Retrievedfrom:
http://eric.ed.gov/?q=games+in+education&pr=on&ft=on&id=EJ985426

Whittonstartedhisarticlewith
digitalgameshavethepotentialtocreateactiveandengaging
environmentsforlearning,supportingproblemsolving,communicationandgroupactivities,
aswellasprovidingaforumforpracticeandlearningthroughfailure(2012).Theauthor
discussesthreewaysthatcomputergamescanbeusedineducationatalowercost.Whitton
thentalksaboutthebenefitssuchasproblemsolving,collaboration,andlearningthrough
failure.Anothergoodpointtoconsideristhedifferentlevelsandchallengestheymustpass
beforereceivingaprizeoraward.Hethendiscussessomeofthenegativedrawbacks
includingcost,hardware,andthetimeittakesforteacherstolearnanddevelopknowledgeof
thegames.Educatorscouldlearnalotfromthispaper,duetoalltheinformationhegives
concerningfreesoftwareandprogramsatlowtonocost.Whittonalsodiscusseshow
studentscanlearn
from
thegames,aswellas
creating
thegames.Oneconclusionthatis
veryinterestingincludedthefearthatstudentswouldrushthroughtryingtomeetobjectives
andwinprizeswithoutlearning.Whittonendswithsomeprofoundstatements.Hefeelsthat
theuseofgamesintheclassroomneedtomovebeyondjustusingthegamestoteach
content,butforstudentstousetheelementsofthevideogamefortheactuallearning
(Whitton,2012).Theaudienceforthisarticlecouldbeaparentoreducatorinterestedinhow
gamificationcanhelpstudentswithlearning.