Technological Aspects of Gamification: Criteria for the Selection of Digital Tools and Platforms

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.34190/ecel.23.1.2568

Keywords:

gamification in education, digital tools and platforms for gamification, MDA framework, gamification framework

Abstract

This work-in-progress paper describes research conducted as part of the ongoing project "Enhancing Motivation for Learning Through Gamification", whose main aim is to develop a pedagogical-technological gamification framework to help high school teachers design and implement gamification activities. The research will be conducted using the Design-Based Research (DBR) methodology. Currently, the project is focussing on researching the technological aspects of the gamification framework. This paper proposes criteria to consider when selecting digital tools and platforms for gamification and presents the results of analysing selected tools. The main contribution of the paper lies in its own categorisation of the gamification criteria based on the MDA framework, in which the gamification categories are described according to Mechanics, Dynamics and Aesthetics. As an example of the application of the categorisation, the analysis of the gamification tool Kahoot! is described in detail.

Author Biographies

Ana Vrcelj Božić, University of Rijeka, Faculty of informatics and digital technologies

Ana Vrcelj Božić is a Ph.D. student at the doctoral study of Informatics of University of Rijeka (Croatia). She works as a computer science teacher at a vocational high school “Civil Engineering Technical School”. Her research interests include game-based learning, gamification and the use of digital tools for teaching and learning.

Nataša Hoić-Božić, University of Rijeka, Faculty of informatics and digital technologies

Prof Nataša Hoić-Božić is head of the Laboratory for the Application of Information Technologies in Education at the Faculty of Informatics and Digital Technologies,  University of Rijeka (Croatia). Her research areas are: technology-enhanced learning (e-learning) including gamification, recommender systems, blended learning approaches and ICT tools for teaching and learning.

Kristian Stančin, University of Rijeka, Faculty of informatics and digital technologies

Kristian Stančin, PhD is a postdoctoral researcher at the Faculty of Informatics and Digital Technologies,  University of Rijeka (Croatia). His research areas are technology-enhanced learning (e-learning) including game-based learning, gamification and ICT tools for teaching and learning, especially for students with disabilities.

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Published

2024-10-23

Issue

Vol. 23 No. 1 (2024): Proceedings of the 23rd European Conference on e-Learning - ECEL 2024

Section

Work in Progress papers