Game on: a pilot study of a gamified digital learning platform and protocol

Gamification use in educational contexts impacts learning performance, engagement, motivation, cognition, and emotions. However, limited theoretical support, heterogeneous results, and lack of objective measures or validated questionnaires hinder gamification research. Via descriptive statistics and qualitative analysis, this pilot study aimed to assess the usability and functionality of the gamified digital learning platform, validate the study protocol through platform usage, gauge the presence of promising evidence regarding its effectiveness, and gain insights into hypotheses. A digital course was nested within different versions of a gamified digital learning platform with embedded game elements alongside a version without game elements. Eight students completed the course (6 participated in the embedded versions and 2 participated in the version without game elements), watching video lectures and doing exercises, while we measured affective states, motivation, user experience, and feedback through questionnaires. Furthermore, we assessed learning performance by analyzing the exercises and gathered webcam-based eye-tracking and facial emotion recognition data to gauge student attention and emotional states. Participants adeptly executed the established protocol, and the gamified digital learning platform (coupled with both webcam applications for eye-tracking and facial emotion recognition) functioned properly, capturing all requisite data. Due to the small sample size and limited statistical power in this pilot study, the other results across all measurements were further discussed to derive insights, formulate hypotheses, and identify potential enhancements for the forthcoming randomized control trial, which will involve a larger sample size. Our results will allow us to refine the experimental design to further evaluate the influence of gamification in a digital learning setting and thoroughly investigate, via scientific inquiry, how it can significantly enrich the field of education. Moreover, the platform’s potential for controlled experimental research augments its usefulness for diverse other studies, delving into the impact of game elements on educational outcomes.