This study explores the perceived effects of integrating gamification into science education and examines how these effects translate into and enhance student engagement and understanding of scientific concepts. Using a phenomenological approach, data were collected from 20 students through open-ended questionnaires to gain insights into their experiences with gamification. The study followed rigorous procedures, including question validation, securing school authority permissions, and systematic data analysis. Findings reveal that gamified elements, such as point scoring, significantly boost motivation and make learning more engaging. Gamification also fosters critical thinking by prompting students to analyze and apply complex scientific concepts, enhances problem-solving through strategic, competitive learning, and promotes collaboration by creating a community-driven educational experience. These perceived benefits lead to greater participation, interactive engagement, and student autonomy, cultivating intrinsic motivation and positive attitudes toward science learning. The study recommends future research on comparative gamification strategies and encourages educators to adopt these techniques to improve student engagement and academic outcomes.
science, gamification, learning engagement, motivation
Shena Mae C. Alburo.
Cyroz A. Montibon.
Rhio Mae R. Petrasanta.
Chrizza Kaye R. Sotomayor.
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
This work was made possible through the support of the Academic Inquisitive Mind Society (AIMS) of Sta. Catalina National High School.
The author declares the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in writing this paper. In particular, the author used Grammarly in finding literature and other materials. The author takes full responsibility in ensuring that research idea, analysis and interpretations are original work.
This paper is presented in the 2nd International Student Research Congress (ISRC) 2025
Alsawaier, R. S. (2018). The effect of gamification on motivation and engagement. The International Journal of Information and Learning Technology, 35(1), 56–79. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJILT-02-2017-0009
Amir, B., & Ralph, P. (2014). Proposing a theory of gamification effectiveness. In Proceedings of the 2014 ACM International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 1–10).
Azman, H., & Mustaffa, R. (2014). A match or mismatch between learning and teaching styles in science education. International Journal of Education and Research, 2(3), 45–56.
Bouchrika, I., Harrati, N., Wanick, V., & Wills, G. (2021). Exploring the impact of gamification on student engagement and involvement with e-learning systems. Interactive Learning Environments, 29(8), 1244–1257. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2019.1636086
Buljan, M. (2021). Gamification for learning: Strategies and examples. Elearning Industry. https://elearningindustry.com/gamification-for-learning-strategies-and-examples
Cabello, C. A., Abadiano, M. N., Mabitad, A., Pulma, D. B., & Hipe, A. (2021). Gamification in education: The motivation-exploration-implementation theory. Turkish Online Journal of Qualitative Inquiry, 12(7).
Carmo, D.Ê. P., Klock, A. C. T., de Oliveira, E. H. T., & Gasparini, I. (2020). A study on the impact of gamification on students’ behavior and performance through learning paths. IEEE 20th International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies (ICALT) (pp. 84–86). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICALT49669.2020.00029
Cruz, C. S. D., & Palaoag, T. D. (2019). An empirical study of gamified learning application engagement to exceptional learners. Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Informatics, Environment, Energy and Applications (pp. 263–267).
Dichev, C., & Dicheva, D. (2017). Gamifying education: What is known, what is believed, and what remains uncertain: A critical review. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 14(1), 9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-017-0042-5
Godtsfriedt, J., & Cardoso, F. L. (2022). Webgames and the four pillars of education. Journal of Physical Education, 33, e3309. https://doi.org/10.4025/jphyseduc.v33i1.3309
Goulart, J. (2022). School disinterest: In search of an understanding. Revista Científica Multidisciplinar Núcleo do Conhecimento, 07(1), 89–110.
Hakulinen, L., & Auvinen, T. (2014). The effect of gamification on students with different achievement goal orientations. International Conference on Teaching and Learning in Computing and Engineering (pp. 9–16). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/LaTiCE.2014.10
Hamari, J. (2019). Gamification. In G. Ritzer & C. Rojek (Eds.), The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology. Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781405165518.wbeos1321
Hamari, J., Koivisto, J., & Sarsa, H. (2014). Does gamification work? A literature review of empirical studies on gamification. 47th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (pp. 3025–3034). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/HICSS.2014.377
Hellín, C.J., Calles-Esteban, F., Valledor, A., Gómez, J., Otón-Tortosa, S., & Tayebi, A. (2023). Enhancing student motivation and engagement through a gamified learning environment. Sustainability, 15(19), 14119. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151914119
Kalogiannakis, M., Papadakis, S., & Zourmpakis, A. I. (2021). Gamification in science education: A systematic review of the literature. Education Sciences, 11(1), 22. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11010022
Khoshnoodifar, M., Ashouri, A., & Taheri, M. (2023). Effectiveness of gamification in enhancing learning and attitudes: A study of statistics education for health school students. J Adv Med Educ Prof., 11(4), 230-239. https://doi.org/10.30476/JAMP.2023.98953.1817
Landers, R. N. (2014). Developing a theory of gamified learning: Linking serious games and gamification of learning. Simulation & Gaming, 45(6), 752–768. https://doi.org/10.1177/1046878114563660
Lochmiller, C. R., & Lester, J. N. (2015). An introduction to educational research: Connecting methods to practice. Sage Publications.
Macayan, V. D., Baguistan, D. C., & Golias, J. B. (2022). Game-based activities and gamification in the mastery of science process skills: A systematic literature review. EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR), 8(7), 388–398.
Malahito, J. A. I., & Quimbo, M. A. T. (2020). Creating G-Class: A gamified learning environment for freshman students. E-Learning and Digital Media, 17(2), 94–110. https://doi.org/10.1177/2042753019882567
Mee, R. W. M., Rao, Y. S., Pek, L. S., Abd Ghani, K., Von, W. Y., Ismail, M. R., & Shahdan, T. S. T. (2022). Gamifying education for classroom engagement in primary schools. International Journal of Evaluation & Research in Education, 2252(8822), 1361.
Pratama, G. A. (2020). Students’ perception of gamification to promote classroom engagement and motivation in senior high school. Language Research Society, 1(1).
Rakasiwi, D., Tanzarez, S., & Simanjuntak, R. R. (2021,). Gamification for improving students’ comprehension in learning history. 3rd International Conference on Cybernetics and Intelligent System (ICORIS) (pp. 1–5). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICORIS52787.2021.9649625
Riar, M., Morschheuser, B., Zarnekow, R. & Hamari, J. (2022). Gamification of cooperation: A framework, literature review and future research agenda. International Journal of Information Management, 67, 102549. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2022.102549
Rodrigues, L.F., Oliveira, A. & Rodrigues, H. (2019). Main gamification concepts: A systematic mapping study. Heliyon, 5(7), e01993. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e01993
Sailer, M. & Homner, L. (2020). The gamification of learning: a meta-analysis. Educ Psychol Rev, 32, 77–112. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-019-09498-w
Smiderle, R., Rigo, S. J., Marques, L. B., Peçanha de Miranda Coelho, J. A., & Jaques, P. A. (2020). The impact of gamification on students’ learning, engagement, and behavior based on their personality traits. Smart Learning Environments, 7(1), 3. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-019-0098-x
Tvarozek, J., & Brza, T. (2014). Engaging students in online courses through interactive badges. International Conference on e-Learning, (pp. 89–95).
Uyar, G. (2019). Effects of gamification on students’ motivation and vocabulary development. Master’s thesis, Eğitim Bilimleri Enstitüsü.
Zaric, N., Roepke, R., Lukarov, V., & Schroeder, U. (2021). Gamified learning theory: The moderating role of learners’ learning tendencies. International Journal of Serious Games, 8(3), 71–91. https://doi.org/10.17083/ijsg.v8i3.431
Cite this article:
Alburo, S.M.C., Montibon, C.A., Petrasanta, R.M.R. & Sotomayor, C.K.R. (2025). Translated effect on the integration of gamification to students' learning engagement. International Student Research Review, 2(1), 19-33. https://doi.org/10.53378/isrr.170
License:
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) International License.
