View in EDS

Exploring gender dynamics in gamified physics learning -- investigating gamification's impact on engagement and learning across genders.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Exploring gender dynamics in gamified physics learning -- investigating gamification's impact on engagement and learning across genders.
Alternate Title: Esplorare le dinamiche di genere nell'apprendimento della fisica attraverso il gioco -- indagare l'impatto della gamification sull'impegno e l'apprendimento tra i generi.
Authors: RICHTER, KATHARINA1 katharina.richter@phsg.ch, KICKMEIER-RUST, MICHAEL1 michael.kickmeier@phsg.ch
Source: Italian Journal of Educational Technology. 2025, Vol. 33 Issue 1, p87-103. 17p.
Subject Terms: *Physics education, *Student engagement, *Secondary school students, *Educational outcomes, Gender differences (Psychology)
Abstract (English): This study examines the effects of gamification on student engagement, motivation, and learning outcomes in the Basketball Physics Challenge, a physics-based educational game. Twenty secondary school students (aged 15-18) participated in a crossover study, experiencing both gamified and standard versions of the game. The findings revealed no significant overall gender differences in motivation or performance. However, female learners showed a decrease in motivation after transitioning to the gamified condition, while male learners exhibited a slight increase. Performance metrics indicated males initially scored higher in the gamified condition, while females demonstrated higher engagement, which declined over time. A multivariate ANOVA identified significant gender effects on performance. These results suggest gamification may enhance male learners' performance, while sustaining female engagement may require adaptive strategies. The study highlights the need for gender-specific approaches in gamified educational technologies and suggests further research with larger, more diverse samples to better understand the impact of gamification on learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Abstract (Italian): Questo studio esamina gli effetti della gamification sul coinvolgimento, la motivazione e i risultati dell'apprendimento degli studenti nella Basketball Physics Challenge, un gioco educativo basato sulla fisica. Venti studenti di scuola secondaria (di età compresa tra i 15 e i 18 anni) hanno partecipato a uno studio incrociato, sperimentando sia la versione gamificata che quella non gamificata del gioco. I risultati non hanno rivelato differenze significative tra i sessi per quanto riguarda la motivazione o le prestazioni. Tuttavia, le studentesse hanno mostrato un calo della motivazione dopo il passaggio alla condizione gamificata, mentre gli studenti maschi hanno mostrato un leggero aumento. Le metriche delle prestazioni hanno indicato che i maschi hanno inizialmente ottenuto punteggi più alti nella condizione gamificata, mentre le femmine hanno dimostrato un maggiore impegno, che è diminuito nel tempo. Un'ANOVA multivariata ha identificato effetti significativi del genere sulle prestazioni. Questi risultati suggeriscono che la gamification può migliorare le prestazioni degli studenti maschi, mentre per sostenere l'impegno delle donne possono essere necessarie strategie di adattamento. Lo studio evidenzia la necessità di approcci specifici per genere nelle tecnologie educative gamificate e suggerisce ulteriori ricerche con campioni più ampi e diversificati per comprendere meglio l'impatto della gamificazione sui risultati dell'apprendimento. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Italian Journal of Educational Technology is the property of Firenze University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
Description
Abstract:This study examines the effects of gamification on student engagement, motivation, and learning outcomes in the Basketball Physics Challenge, a physics-based educational game. Twenty secondary school students (aged 15-18) participated in a crossover study, experiencing both gamified and standard versions of the game. The findings revealed no significant overall gender differences in motivation or performance. However, female learners showed a decrease in motivation after transitioning to the gamified condition, while male learners exhibited a slight increase. Performance metrics indicated males initially scored higher in the gamified condition, while females demonstrated higher engagement, which declined over time. A multivariate ANOVA identified significant gender effects on performance. These results suggest gamification may enhance male learners' performance, while sustaining female engagement may require adaptive strategies. The study highlights the need for gender-specific approaches in gamified educational technologies and suggests further research with larger, more diverse samples to better understand the impact of gamification on learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:25324632
DOI:10.17471/2499-4324/1378