Exploring Teachers Perspectives towards Using Gamification Techniques in Online Learning
• The purpose of the study was to explore Teachers perspectives towards the effects of using gamification techniques in online learning.
• Methodology: Exploratoryresearch
• Participants: 47 in-service and preservice Teachersenrolled in a graduate instructional technology program. Their ages range between 25-33 years old
• Data collection:
1. Survey tool created by the researcher
• The threesectionsof this survey are:
? Positive Effects of Incorporating Game Elements (points, badges, and leaderboards) in Learning Managements Systems (12 items)
? Positive Effects of Online Course Design Features that Employ Game Elements (5 items)
? Negative Effects of Incorporating Game Elements (points, badges, and leaderboards) in Learning Managements Systems (5 items)
2. Data collection strategy:
The purpose of thisresearch study was to explore teachers’ perspectives toward the use of gamification techniques in online learning.Forty sevenparticipants were assigned to ten different online courses. Each course was taught and managed by a group of 4-5 teachers. The online courses were hosted in a learning management system that supports gamification (TalentLMS). Each group was asked to design the online course based on specific guidelines,and manage the course by monitoring students’ progress in assignments and in the discussion board. The guidelines were related to the minimum number of modules and the assignments in the course and the difficulty level of the selected units. The time allocated to complete all courses was two weeks. At the end of the two weeks period, participants were asked to respond independently to the survey.
Online courses design guidelines:each course should have the following:
• Content should be studied in no more than two weeks period
• Learning objectives
• A minimum of three modules of increased difficulty
• Assignments thatmatch learning objectives
• A discussion activity
• Final assessment
3. Data Analysis/Results
• Responses to the survey were analyzed based on total percentages to each item on every point on the five point Likert scale.
• Average was calculated on each survey section
• Results: (for more info. Please see the results document)
• The results showed a general positive perception toward the use of gamification tools in online learning among graduate students. The table below shows the detailed percentages of students’ responses to each Likert scale point. The three areas of inquiry were: the perceived positive effects of incorporating game elements (points, badges, and leaderboards) in learning managements systems, the perceived positive effects of online course design features that employ game elements, and the perceived possible negative effects of incorporating game elements (points, badges, and leaderboards) in learning managements systems.
Areas Total Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree
Positive Effects of Incorporating Game Elements (points, badges, and leaderboards) in Learning Managements Systems 47 43% 43% 11% 3% 0%
Positive Effects of Online Course Design Features that Employ Game Elements 47 50% 44% 4% 2% 0%
Negative Effects of Incorporating Game Elements (points, badges, and leaderboards) in Learning Managements Systems 47 7% 14% 25% 27% 26%
• The results of the first construct (the perceived positive effects of incorporating game elements (points, badges, and leaderboards) in learning managements systems) showed 86% total percentage of agreement among graduate students, and 3% total percentage of disagreement (chart 1). The results for the second construct (the perceived positive effects of online course design features that employ game elements) showed 94% total percentage of agreement and 2% of disagreement (chart 2). The results of the third construct (the perceived possible negative effects of incorporating game elements (points, badges, and leaderboards) in learning managements systems) showed 22% total percentage of agreement and 53% total percentage of disagreement (chart 3).
Paper Specifications
The paper should be written in a suitable and acceptable format in order to be published in the:Journal of Online Learning and Teaching:
http://jolt.merlot.org/index.html
• The paper should include the following headings:
o Abstract (150 words)
o Background: previous research done in the area and the research gap
o Problem Statement: The purpose of this research study was to explore teachers’ perspectives toward the use of gamification techniques in online learning.
o Methodology and Data Collection: exploratory using a survey as the data collection tool
o Results
o Discussion: should include explanation of the results and it should be tied to previous research.
o Conclusion
o References (APA style)
• The overall paper style should adhere to the APA style and not less than 4000 word count.
• References should be chosen carefully to reflect the sequence of literature in the area of gamification.
• The survey tool should be attachedand validation information should be calculated and included
• References shouldn’t be older than 5 years.
• Please feel free to email me if you have any questions
Survey:
Gamification in online Learning Survey: Teachers’ Perspectives
Item Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree
Positive Effects of Incorporating Game Elements (points, badges, and leaderboards) in Learning Managements Systems
1. Incorporating game elements in online learning increased my students’ motivation. • • • • •
2. Incorporating game elements in online learning Drew my students’ attention to the various parts of the course. • • • • •
3. Incorporating game elements in online learning increased my students’ curiosity to navigate and explore all the various elements of the LMS. • • • • •
4. Incorporating game elements in online learning increased my students’ satisfaction about the learning experience in the e-learning course. • • • • •
5. Earning points for task completion motivated my students to do more than what they were required to do in the course. • • • • •
6. Incorporating game elements in online learning gave my students a sense of autonomy that increases their feelingof being in control over their learning. • • • • •
7. Game elements gave my students a sense of autonomy that helped them to directly see the outcome of their actions in the e-learning course. • • • • •
8. Passing successfully the predesigned challenges and seeing that directly through the use of game elements increased in my students a feeling of competence. • • • • •
9. My students expressed a sense of enjoyment while working on the course. • • • • •
10. My students were motivated to participate more often in the discussion board in order to earn more points. • • • • •
11. My students were more careful not to make any mistakes in the final test so they don’t lose any points. • • • • •
12. My students were more relaxed with making mistakes when completing the course tasks because they can redo the tasks and regain the lost points. • • • • •
Positive Effects of Online Course Design Features that Employ Game Elements
13. Designing the learning materials of the e-learning course in a way that challenges the students within their competence level and support that with the utilization of game elements gave my students a feeling of competence. • • • • •
14. Designing the learning materials of the e-learning course in a way that challenges the students within their competence level and support that with the utilization of game elements gave my students a feeling of accomplishment. • • • • •
15. Designing the learning materials of the e-learning course in a way that challenges the students within their competence level and support that with the utilization of game elements gave my students a feeling of joy. • • • • •
16. Sharing success criteria with my students in the e-learning course increased their confidence level about succeeding in the course. • • • • •
17. The instant feedback made available through game elements motivated my students to do better in the course. • • • • •
Negative Effects of Incorporating Game Elements (points, badges, and leaderboards) in Learning Managements Systems
18. Incorporating game elements in online learning created negative feelings in my students due to the adverse effects of competition. • • • • •
19. Incorporating game elements in online learning discouraged the formation of strong relationships between students. • • • • •
20. Utilizing game elements in online learning lowered my students’ motivation to complete the course. • • • • •
21. Utilizing game elements in online learning made my students anxious. • • • • •
22. My students were more concerned about collecting points than effectively learning the materials. • • • • •
