| Title |
Country |
Research Design |
Aim/Objective |
Game Element |
Affected Learning Outcome |
Findings |
| How do games affect the writing skills of young EFL learners? (Åževik, 2020) |
Turkey |
Qualitative |
To determine the effect of games on the writing skills of primary school 3rd grade EFL learners |
Points |
Writing skill |
Primary school EFL learners’ writing skills were influenced positively by the usage of games |
| A Pilot Intervention Using Gamification to Enhance Student Participation in Classroom Activity Breaks (Beemer et al., 2019) |
United States |
Qualitative |
To investigate the effect of incorporating game elements to increase in-class physical activity participation |
Badges, stickers, progress graph, feedback |
Classroom participation |
Gamification increased students’ participation, especially in the 4th and 6th grade classrooms and female students |
| Formative assessment with interactive whiteboards: A one-year longitudinal study of primary students’ mathematical performance (Chen et al., 2020) |
China |
Qualitative |
To analyse the changes in the mathematical performance through formative assessment for primary school students participating in interactive whiteboard-based instruction. |
Leader board, immediate feedback, points, avatars |
Learning performance |
The element of feedback in this study was able to clear students’ doubts regarding the learning content. |
| Applying Digital Escape Rooms Infused with Science Teaching in Elementary School: Learning Performance, Learning Motivation, and Problem-Solving Ability (Huang et al., 2020) |
Taiwan |
Qualitative |
To study the effectiveness of digital escape room (DER) on students’ learning performance, learning motivation, and problem-solving ability. |
Level, reward (coins) |
Learning performance, learning motivation, and problem-solving ability |
The digital escape room was effective in enhancing students’ learning motivation and problem-solving ability but both comparison and experimental groups had the same level of performance. |
| Investigating the impact of an adventure-based 3D solar system game on primary school learning process (El Mawas et al., 2020) |
Ireland |
Qualitative |
To identify the issues related to students’ motivation and engagement and to enhance their learning experience in STEM subjects |
Level, immediate feedback |
Motivation, engagement, learning experience |
The experimental group displayed better learning performance compared to the control group and the students had a great learning experience |
| We Play We Learn: Exploring the Value of Digital Educational Games in Rural Egypt (Lazem & Jad, 2017) |
Egypt |
Qualitative |
To determine if digital technology can motivate primary students to collaboratively learn a difficult topic in Mathematics. |
Level, points, feedback, challenge, progress bar |
Motivation |
Educationally disadvantaged students were affected positively using the game format as they were able to devise their own play and study strategies |
| Engaging children with educational content via Gamification (Nand et al., 2019) |
New Zealand |
Qualitative |
To study the effect of gamification in an educational context and identify appealing game elements from the students. |
Levels, feedback, challenges |
Learning performance, motivation |
The game elements were able to improve the students’ learning outcomes and boost their motivation |
| Investigating the effects of gamifying homework on students’ perceived satisfaction, behavioral intention and intrinsic motivation (Metwally et al., 2019) |
Not stated |
Qualitative |
To investigate the students’ level of satisfaction, attitude, and behavioural attention as well as their motivation when involved in a gamified learning setting. |
Experience points (XP), leader boards, badges, levels, progress bars, awards, challenges, timer |
Enjoyment, motivation |
Gamification elements enhance students’ satisfaction levels, behavioural intentions, and intrinsic motivation. |
| Design Rationales of a Mobile Game-Based Intervention for German Dyslexic Children (Holz et al., 2018) |
Germany |
Qualitative |
To present the design of a mobile serious game that involves gaming elements, for dyslexic children |
Feedback, points |
Engagement |
The children displayed a positive perception of the game elements |
| Evaluating the use of gamification in mathematics learning in primary school children (Cunha et al., 2018) |
Not stated |
Qualitative |
To evaluate the use of gamification in Mathematics learning in primary school students |
Levels, badges |
Motivation, achievement |
Students improved their learning experience in a positive and effective way via gamification to gain new information |
| Examining competitive, collaborative and adaptive gamification in young learners’ math learning (Jagust et al., 2018) |
Not stated |
Qualitative |
To determine the effectiveness of different gamification types in learning processes and performance |
Points, leader board, timer, feedback |
Learning performance |
Gamified activities improved learners’ learning performance in Mathematics |
| Applying game mechanics and student-generated questions to an online puzzle-based game learning system to promote algorithmic thinking skills (Hsu & Wang, 2018) |
Not stated |
Qualitative |
To study the effects of using game elements to promote algorithmic thinking skills in an online puzzle-based game learning system. |
Points, feedback, challenges, leader board, levels, badges, progress bar |
Thinking skill, learning performance |
Game elements improve students’ algorithmic thinking skills and performance in solving puzzles |
| The effect of pedagogical GAME model on students’ PISA scientific competencies (Tsai et al., 2020) |
Taiwan |
Qualitative |
The effect of a pedagogical model of digital games on students’ scientific competencies. |
Points, rewards, levels, and badges |
Scientific competency |
The gamification, assessment, modeling and enquiry (GAME) model can enhance students’ Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) scientific competencies. |
| Learning about sustainable mobility in primary schools from a playful perspective: A focus group approach (Sipone et al., 2019) |
Spain |
Qualitative |
To determine the influence of gamification in learning related to sustainable mobility. |
Avatar, points, rewards, and challenges |
Participation, motivation |
Children were aware of sustainable mobility and were able to gain new knowledge regarding the concept via gamification elements |
| Gamification and physical education. Viability and preliminary views from students and teachers. (Fernandez-Rio et al., 2020) |
Spain |
Qualitative |
To study the application of gamification in Physical Education and its effect on students and teachers. |
Rewards, badges, immediate feedback |
Motivation |
Gamification has the potential to improve students’ intrinsic motivation toward physical education |
| Evaluation of Gamification in E-Learning Systems for Elementary School Students (Alshammari, 2020). |
Saudi Arabia |
Qualitative |
To study the effect of gamification in e-learning systems on students’ learning outcomes and learning motivation in an Arabic language course |
Points, time pressure, levels, badges, rewards, feedback, leader board. |
Motivation |
The usage of game elements boosts students’ motivation to acquire knowledge |
