Book widgets as a gamification tool to support teaching and learning in Grade 5

Abstract

Gamification has been demonstrated to be helpful in enhancing educational activities as well as motivating students to learn. This study explored the use of a gamification tool to support teachers when facing students with low levels of engagement and participation. Considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the excessive use of online learning, students have lost interest and motivation to learn in the classroom. Hence, gamification tools like Book Widgets were used to encourage motivation, engagement, and participation to enhance student learning. The research questions guided the study, examines the gamification elements within Book Widgets and demonstrates how the elements are used to motivate students and improve engagement and participation. To address these questions, a gamification evaluation rubric was used, along with a qualitative research design using semi-structured interviews with students from Grade 5 in a private primary school located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In this study, the researcher aimed to gain a better understanding of how the gamification elements in Book Widgets support teaching and learning by providing students with motivation, engagement, and participation within the classroom. Guided by the gamification taxonomy, the results of the analysis showed the students were motivated to learn more and that gamification elements, like badges, time frames, and animations, helped enhance classroom engagement. Moreover, gamification elements in Book Widgets have shown to improve students' attention, motivation, and engagement, as well as participation in various learning activities. Further, the study made a significant contribution to the scholarly community at several levels. Firstly, this study provided an in- depth understanding of the gamification elements of the Book Widget application and how they motivate students both intrinsically and extrinsically and promote engagement and participation in the classroom. Secondly, the researcher is now aware that the Book Widget application does support teaching and learning in the classroom through the incorporation of gamification elements. Lastly, the study contributed to a knowledge gap in gamification regarding the value of gamification elements in education.