The Role of Gamification in Learning Transfer: Does Early Skill Learning Predict Performance in Complex Tasks?
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| Title: | The Role of Gamification in Learning Transfer: Does Early Skill Learning Predict Performance in Complex Tasks? |
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| Authors: | Richter, Katharina1 katharina.richter@phsg.ch, Kickmeier-Rust, Michael1 michael.kickmeier@phsg.ch |
| Source: | Proceedings of the European Conference on Games Based Learning. 2025, Vol. 19 Issue 2, p725-732. 8p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Gamification, *Transfer of training, *Cognition, *Educational games, *Learning, *Attention, *Instructional systems design, Knowledge transfer |
| Abstract: | Gamification is widely employed in digital education to enhance engagement and motivation, yet its effectiveness in promoting cognitive skill transfer remains debated. This study investigated whether early learning efficiency in foundational levels (L1-L4) predicts performance in more complex tasks (L5-L8) within a physics-based educational game, and whether gamification moderates this transfer process. Ninety-four secondary school students were randomly assigned to either a gamified (n = 49) or standard (n = 45) training condition. Performance outcomes included overall efficiency, average points per attempt, and conceptual learning gains. Independent Welch's t-tests revealed no significant group differences across these metrics (all p > .05, ds < 0.12), suggesting a high degree of performance equivalence between the gamified and standard conditions. Regression analyses indicated that early learning efficiency significantly predicted later performance in Level 5 (ß = 0.611, p < .001) and Level 7 (ß = 0.427, p = .017), but not in Levels 6 and 8. A composite model across Levels 5-8 confirmed a generalized t ransfer effect (ß = 0.405, p = . 002, R² = .10), emphasizing the c ritical role of foundational skill acquisition in complex problem-solving. Gamification did not significantly moderate this overall transfer relationship. However, a notable exception emerged at Level 7: a significant interaction (ß = 0.762, p = .031) suggested that gamification enhanced transfer under conditions of heightened conceptual complexity, likely by supporting adaptive learning processes. No significant trajectory effects were observed across successive levels, with participants maintaining relatively stable performance. Further analysis of foundational levels revealed that strategic variation and cognitive challenge in Levels 2, 3, and 4 contributed most strongly to later success, whereas simple introductory practice in Level 1 was insufficient. These findings indicate that while gamification alone does not universally improve learning transfer, it may selectively facilitate skill adaptation when learners face novel or disruptive challenges. The results highlight the importance of scaffolded instructional design, emphasizing task complexity and strategic engagement during early learning stages, and suggest that gamification should be deployed adaptively rather than uniformly to optimize educational outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Proceedings of the European Conference on Games Based Learning is the property of Academic Conferences & Publishing International Ltd. 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 |
| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 188969544 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Conference PubTypeId: conference PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: The Role of Gamification in Learning Transfer: Does Early Skill Learning Predict Performance in Complex Tasks? – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Richter%2C+Katharina%22">Richter, Katharina</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> katharina.richter@phsg.ch</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kickmeier-Rust%2C+Michael%22">Kickmeier-Rust, Michael</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> michael.kickmeier@phsg.ch</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Proceedings+of+the+European+Conference+on+Games+Based+Learning%22">Proceedings of the European Conference on Games Based Learning</searchLink>. 2025, Vol. 19 Issue 2, p725-732. 8p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gamification%22">Gamification</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Transfer+of+training%22">Transfer of training</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognition%22">Cognition</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+games%22">Educational games</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Learning%22">Learning</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attention%22">Attention</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Instructional+systems+design%22">Instructional systems design</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Knowledge+transfer%22">Knowledge transfer</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Gamification is widely employed in digital education to enhance engagement and motivation, yet its effectiveness in promoting cognitive skill transfer remains debated. This study investigated whether early learning efficiency in foundational levels (L1-L4) predicts performance in more complex tasks (L5-L8) within a physics-based educational game, and whether gamification moderates this transfer process. Ninety-four secondary school students were randomly assigned to either a gamified (n = 49) or standard (n = 45) training condition. Performance outcomes included overall efficiency, average points per attempt, and conceptual learning gains. Independent Welch's t-tests revealed no significant group differences across these metrics (all p > .05, ds < 0.12), suggesting a high degree of performance equivalence between the gamified and standard conditions. Regression analyses indicated that early learning efficiency significantly predicted later performance in Level 5 (ß = 0.611, p < .001) and Level 7 (ß = 0.427, p = .017), but not in Levels 6 and 8. A composite model across Levels 5-8 confirmed a generalized t ransfer effect (ß = 0.405, p = . 002, R² = .10), emphasizing the c ritical role of foundational skill acquisition in complex problem-solving. Gamification did not significantly moderate this overall transfer relationship. However, a notable exception emerged at Level 7: a significant interaction (ß = 0.762, p = .031) suggested that gamification enhanced transfer under conditions of heightened conceptual complexity, likely by supporting adaptive learning processes. No significant trajectory effects were observed across successive levels, with participants maintaining relatively stable performance. Further analysis of foundational levels revealed that strategic variation and cognitive challenge in Levels 2, 3, and 4 contributed most strongly to later success, whereas simple introductory practice in Level 1 was insufficient. These findings indicate that while gamification alone does not universally improve learning transfer, it may selectively facilitate skill adaptation when learners face novel or disruptive challenges. The results highlight the importance of scaffolded instructional design, emphasizing task complexity and strategic engagement during early learning stages, and suggest that gamification should be deployed adaptively rather than uniformly to optimize educational outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Proceedings of the European Conference on Games Based Learning is the property of Academic Conferences & Publishing International Ltd. 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.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.34190/ecgbl.19.2.4009 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 8 StartPage: 725 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Gamification Type: general – SubjectFull: Transfer of training Type: general – SubjectFull: Cognition Type: general – SubjectFull: Educational games Type: general – SubjectFull: Learning Type: general – SubjectFull: Attention Type: general – SubjectFull: Instructional systems design Type: general – SubjectFull: Knowledge transfer Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: The Role of Gamification in Learning Transfer: Does Early Skill Learning Predict Performance in Complex Tasks? Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Richter, Katharina – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Kickmeier-Rust, Michael IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 07 Text: 2025 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 20490992 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 19 – Type: issue Value: 2 Titles: – TitleFull: Proceedings of the European Conference on Games Based Learning Type: main |
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