Gamification
R. Badri Gargari; H. Dehghanzadeh; H. Habibi; Z. Arkani
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The use of effective teaching methods for delivering educational content, particularly in mathematics education, has always been a key concern in educational systems. Research evidence indicates that low levels of active student participation and a decrease in positive emotional ...
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Background and Objectives: The use of effective teaching methods for delivering educational content, particularly in mathematics education, has always been a key concern in educational systems. Research evidence indicates that low levels of active student participation and a decrease in positive emotional experiences in mathematics classes are significant challenges in this subject. Traditional teaching methods, in many cases, reduce academic engagement and students’ perceived enjoyment of classroom activities, creating conditions for demotivation and gradual disengagement from the learning process. Therefore, implementing changes and innovations in teaching methods and utilizing active learning approaches can play an important role in increasing participation, interaction, and positive emotional experiences among students. In recent years, schools and educational systems have increasingly focused on integrating technologies into the teaching process and curricula, particularly in mathematics education. In this context, a novel approach known as gamification has emerged. Gamification, through the use of game elements, has been introduced as an effective strategy to enhance academic engagement and create a pleasurable learning experience. Among these, collaborative gamification, which emphasizes group interaction, shared goals, and social support, holds great potential for strengthening academic engagement and students’ perceived enjoyment. Accordingly, the present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of collaborative gamification on academic engagement and perceived enjoyment in mathematics.Methods: This applied study used a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test and post-test. The statistical population consisted of third-grade female students with mathematics learning difficulties (mean age 9–10 years) in Marand County during the 2024–2023 academic year. A total of 30 students were selected using convenience sampling and then randomly assigned to the experimental group (15 students) and control group (15 students). After the pre-test, the experimental group received a 12-session, 30-minute per session (four sessions per week) gamified program, while the control group was taught using traditional methods. Data were collected using standardized questionnaires on academic engagement, mathematics attitude, academic emotions, and a teacher-made mathematics learning test. Data analysis involved descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics included frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation, while inferential statistics included multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA), Levene’s test, and Box’s test, conducted using SPSS 26. The significance level was set at p < 0.05.Findings: Levene’s test indicated that the assumption of equal variances between the experimental and control groups was met (p ≥ 0.05). Box’s test confirmed the assumption of equality of variance–covariance matrices for performing MANCOVA. The results of the multivariate analysis of covariance showed that collaborative gamification had a significant effect on academic engagement (F = 15.542, p< 0.001) and perceived enjoyment in mathematics (F = 17.836, p < 0.001), with significance at the 0.05 level.Conclusion: The findings indicate that collaborative gamification can serve as an effective and creative approach to enhance academic engagement and perceived enjoyment in mathematics classes. Accordingly, it is recommended that teachers and educational planners, instead of relying solely on traditional methods, adopt collaborative gamification to create interactive, engaging, and enjoyable learning environments.
Educational computer games
F. Esfandiyar; K. Salehi; F. Seraji
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The rapid transformation in technology and the evolving lifestyles of the new generation have significantly exposed today's students to the "digital divide." This divide has led students to seek more interactive, engaging, and personalized learning methods. Digital educational ...
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Background and Objectives: The rapid transformation in technology and the evolving lifestyles of the new generation have significantly exposed today's students to the "digital divide." This divide has led students to seek more interactive, engaging, and personalized learning methods. Digital educational games are powerful tools for bridging this gap and providing captivating learning experiences. This research aimed to investigate the impact of game-based educational applications (apps) on facilitating mathematics learning among second-grade elementary students.Methods: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with pre-test, post-test, and a control group. The statistical population comprised of all female second-grade elementary students in Firoozkooh during the 2023-2024 academic year. The research sample was conveniently selected from Golehaye Behesht Girls' Elementary School, consisting of two intact natural classes. Specifically, two classes out of the three second-grade classes in this school were chosen, with one class randomly assigned to the experimental group and the other to the control group. The primary educational tool used in this study was the "Chakmeh" digital game, developed by the researcher using the Unity game engine. Unity is a robust and flexible engine for creating both 2D and 3D games. The game comprised 52 pages and featured four educational stages based on the concepts of process-oriented addition and subtraction from the second-grade mathematics textbook (place value, number patterns, introductory addition and subtraction, and advanced addition and subtraction). A researcher-made mathematics test was used to assess process-oriented addition and subtraction concepts. The experimental group received instruction for 18 sessions based on a curriculum designed according to the Karbasi-Jiménez model, utilizing the new game-based teaching method with the "Chakmeh" digital game. In contrast, the control group was taught using traditional methods. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics, specifically univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA).Findings: The results of the ANCOVA revealed that students in the experimental group, who learned using the "Chakmeh" digital game, showed significant improvement in learning process-oriented addition and subtraction concepts compared to the control group (p<0.0001). The effect size (η2=0.43) indicated that 43% of the variance in students' mathematics scores could be attributed to the use of the educational game. Furthermore, the calculated Cohen's d (1988) of approximately d≈1.74 falls into the category of a large effect. These findings demonstrated the effectiveness of digital game-based learning in facilitating mathematics concepts for second-grade elementary students.Conclusion: The findings of this research suggest that the implementation of game-based educational applications is an effective method for facilitating the mathematics learning process and enhancing motivation among elementary students. Given these results, the design of such applications should be based on the individual needs of students and used as a supplement to traditional teaching methods. Overall, this study indicates that using gamification in mathematics education has high potential and capacity for improving learning and increasing student motivation. Therefore, it is recommended that this tool be used more extensively alongside other methods, and with consideration for individual student characteristics, to enhance the quality of learning and overcome the limitations of traditional approaches.
Electronic learning- virtual
E. Aminifar; B. Saleh Sedghpour; F. Valinejad
Abstract
To investigate the impact of technology on the mathematics learning, female students of two mathematics classes who studying at pre-university level in Torkamanchay, were selected as experimental and control group. Graph subject was taught to the experimental group by NEWGRAPH software (a kind of dynamic ...
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To investigate the impact of technology on the mathematics learning, female students of two mathematics classes who studying at pre-university level in Torkamanchay, were selected as experimental and control group. Graph subject was taught to the experimental group by NEWGRAPH software (a kind of dynamic interactive software), and to the control group without it. At first a pre-test and after the teaching period, a post-test was given to both groups. Statistical analysis revealed the experimental group’s marks is better than the control group’s marks. This research is also about answering to questions, in teaching by technology, whether the total of teaching should be done by using technology, or must integrate with other teaching methods?, which patterns for teaching without technology could be deducted from this research?
