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Which Combination of Game Elements Can Lead to a Useful Gamification in Education? Evidence from a Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis

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Title: Which Combination of Game Elements Can Lead to a Useful Gamification in Education? Evidence from a Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis
Language: English
Authors: Mouna Denden (ORCID 0000-0003-0035-3490), Ahmed Mohamed Fahmy Yousef (ORCID 0000-0003-0522-0734), Ahmed Tlili (ORCID 0000-0003-1449-7751), Ronghuai Huang (ORCID 0000-0003-4651-5248), Ahmed Hosny Saleh Metwally (ORCID 0000-0002-9545-5870), Haijun Zeng, Huanhuan Wang (ORCID 0000-0001-8979-2769), Rustam Shadiev (ORCID 0000-0001-5571-1158)
Source: Open Praxis. 2025 17(2):394-408.
Availability: International Council for Open and Distance Education. Lilleakerveien 23, 0283 Oslo, Norway. Tel: +47-22-06-26-30; Fax: +47-22-06-26-31; e-mail: icde@icde.org; Web site: https://openpraxis.org/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 15
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Gamification, Educational Games, Design, College Students, Student Attitudes, Recognition (Achievement), Online Courses, Computer Science Education
ISSN: 1369-9997
2304-070X
Abstract: Despite the importance of gamification in education, there is still ongoing debate in the literature about how to design effective and useful educational gamification. This is because gamification is a complex concept that requires combining various game elements together. To further contribute to this discussion, this study first develops a gamified course, using seven game elements, where eighty-three university students were enrolled in the course during an entire semester (three months). It then builds on the complexity theory and fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) to investigate which combination of the seven game elements can explain students' perceived usefulness of gamification in the given course. The findings revealed that no single game element leads to students perceiving gamification useful. Additionally, the evidence from this study suggests that there are ten solutions which can explain the students' perceived usefulness of gamification in the course. Particularly, badge was the most present game element in these solutions, where it is found in eight among the ten solutions. The findings of this study can guide various stakeholders (e.g., educators, designers and developers) on how to create a useful educational gamification, hence enhancing learning experiences and outcomes.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1481279
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Which Combination of Game Elements Can Lead to a Useful Gamification in Education? Evidence from a Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mouna+Denden%22">Mouna Denden</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0035-3490">0000-0003-0035-3490</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ahmed+Mohamed+Fahmy+Yousef%22">Ahmed Mohamed Fahmy Yousef</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0522-0734">0000-0003-0522-0734</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ahmed+Tlili%22">Ahmed Tlili</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1449-7751">0000-0003-1449-7751</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ronghuai+Huang%22">Ronghuai Huang</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4651-5248">0000-0003-4651-5248</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ahmed+Hosny+Saleh+Metwally%22">Ahmed Hosny Saleh Metwally</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9545-5870">0000-0002-9545-5870</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Haijun+Zeng%22">Haijun Zeng</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Huanhuan+Wang%22">Huanhuan Wang</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8979-2769">0000-0001-8979-2769</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rustam+Shadiev%22">Rustam Shadiev</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5571-1158">0000-0001-5571-1158</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Open+Praxis%22"><i>Open Praxis</i></searchLink>. 2025 17(2):394-408.
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  Data: International Council for Open and Distance Education. Lilleakerveien 23, 0283 Oslo, Norway. Tel: +47-22-06-26-30; Fax: +47-22-06-26-31; e-mail: icde@icde.org; Web site: https://openpraxis.org/
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  Data: 15
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gamification%22">Gamification</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Games%22">Educational Games</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Design%22">Design</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Students%22">College Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Recognition+%28Achievement%29%22">Recognition (Achievement)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Online+Courses%22">Online Courses</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+Science+Education%22">Computer Science Education</searchLink>
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  Data: Despite the importance of gamification in education, there is still ongoing debate in the literature about how to design effective and useful educational gamification. This is because gamification is a complex concept that requires combining various game elements together. To further contribute to this discussion, this study first develops a gamified course, using seven game elements, where eighty-three university students were enrolled in the course during an entire semester (three months). It then builds on the complexity theory and fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) to investigate which combination of the seven game elements can explain students' perceived usefulness of gamification in the given course. The findings revealed that no single game element leads to students perceiving gamification useful. Additionally, the evidence from this study suggests that there are ten solutions which can explain the students' perceived usefulness of gamification in the course. Particularly, badge was the most present game element in these solutions, where it is found in eight among the ten solutions. The findings of this study can guide various stakeholders (e.g., educators, designers and developers) on how to create a useful educational gamification, hence enhancing learning experiences and outcomes.
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: EJ1481279
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 15
        StartPage: 394
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      – SubjectFull: Gamification
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Games
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      – SubjectFull: Design
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      – SubjectFull: College Students
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      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
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      – SubjectFull: Recognition (Achievement)
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      – SubjectFull: Online Courses
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      – SubjectFull: Computer Science Education
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