Document Type : Original Research Paper

Authors

• Rahim Badri
• Hossein Dehghanzadeh
• Hamdullah Habibi
• Zahra Arkani

Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

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 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.

Keywords

• Collaborative gamification
• Mathematics learning
• Academic engagement
• Attitude
• Perceived enjoyment

Main Subjects

• Gamification

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© 2025 The Author(s).  This is an open-access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)