The use of gamification to foster communication in the ELT classroom

Introduction

Gamification is a teaching strategy that uses game-like elements and mechanics in the learning process to make it more interactive and engaging, leading to better interpersonal communication, academic performance, and long-term knowledge retention. The use of gamification in the classroom has become increasingly popular as it improves the way learning takes place by immersing the experience of the user into an activity that is seen as fun or enjoyable. The principal goals of gamification are to enhance certain abilities, improve learning, introduce objectives that give learning a purpose, engage students, support behavior change, and socialize (Knutas et al. 2014; Krause et al. 2015; Dichev and Dicheva 2017; Borges et al. 2013).

However, traditional methods of communication training can be boring, passive, and ineffective. Therefore, the problem that this blog will investigate is how gamification can be used to foster communication in the classroom. Specifically, the blog will explore how gamification can be used to improve communication skills, increase student engagement, and motivate learners to achieve their communication goals. Research has shown that gamification can have a positive impact on students’ learning, engagement, and behavior based on their personality traits. According to (Hakulinen and Auvinen 2014; Tvarozek and Brza 2014)  many researchers through their studies have gotten favorable results, such as an increase in learners retention, knowledge, and cooperation. However, there is still uncertainty about the long-term benefits of gamification in educational contexts, and the practice of gamifying learning has outpaced researchers’ understanding of its mechanisms and methods. Additionally, some teachers may perceive a lack of resources, including time to prepare gamified activities, as a barrier to using gamification in their courses. Gamification represents such a challenge for teachers who teach in Higher Education institutions as it is becoming a trending topic in education. (Boyle, 2016). Therefore, it is important to investigate how gamification can be effectively implemented in the classroom to foster communication and overcome potential barriers.

The integration of gamification into the classroom is revolutionizing traditional teaching and learning methods. For instance, introducing game elements, such as competition and rewards, into the educational environment, gamification serves as a powerful tool to enhance communication among students. This approach motivates and engages learners, encourages collaboration and teamwork, provides immediate feedback, and allows for progress tracking. Moreover, gamification also fosters a culture of risk-taking and experimentation while promoting inclusivity. Furthermore, it creates a vibrant and interactive classroom atmosphere that not only makes learning enjoyable but also significantly improves communication, ultimately reshaping the educational landscape. According to (Panmei & Waluyo 2023) there have been an increasing number of studies examining the use of gamification as a means for facilitating vocabulary.

In addition, it provides a lot of advantages for teachers and students as well. Gamification elevates the student experience in several ways. Firstly, it fuels motivation and engagement. Students are naturally drawn to competition and rewards, making them more eager to participate actively in classroom activities. Through collaborative games and challenges, students also improve their communication skills, learning to express their thoughts and ideas more openly.

Moreover, teachers also have rewards of gamification. They enjoy engaging students who are more focused on learning since gamification supports efficient classroom management by offering a structured framework that reduces disruptions and maintains a positive learning atmosphere. Lastly, it enhances communication between teachers and students, with educators often acting as facilitators or even participants in the games.

Literature Review

What is Technology?

Technology has become an integral part of modern society, shaping the way we interact, work, and perceive the world. It results from applying scientific knowledge to practical purposes, enabling innovation and progress across diverse fields. Technology serves as the driving force behind advancements that continually redefine how we approach and solve problems.

Technology significantly enhances efficiency in various sectors. Industries benefit from technological innovations that improve production methods, resource utilization, and overall operational effectiveness. Moreover, technology is a source of innovation, driving the creation of new solutions to complex problems and fostering an environment where creativity thrives. The continuous evolution of technology ensures that society remains dynamic, adaptive, and at the forefront of progress.

The advantages of technology are many. One of its primary benefits is social media which can connect people globally, fostering collaboration and information exchange. In science, technology has revolutionized diagnostics, treatment, and patient care, leading to improved outcomes and a better quality of life. Furthermore, in education, technology has opened up new avenues for learning, providing access to a wealth of information and interactive educational tools.

Raja & Nagasubraman (2018) state that these days, technology is a big part of our lives. It is regarded as the cornerstone of economic expansion. In the current environment, a low-tech economy can never expand. This is a result of how much easier and faster technology has made our work. Every potential subject is affected by technology, and education is one of them.

The Use of Technology in Education

Teachers have access to strong tools through technology, such as online learning platforms and smartboards in classrooms, that can improve student engagement and learning outcomes. A wide variety of materials are available through digital resources, including e-books and educational apps, which accommodate various learning styles and increase accessibility to education. According to Peck & Dorricott D (1994), ‘’Technological tools can foster students’ abilities, revolutionize the way they work and think, and give them new access to the world’’. (p. 1)

Through the internet, kids can access a wealth of information that transcends geographic boundaries. Furthermore, sophisticated ideas become more relatable and comprehensible through interactive learning applications and simulations. Additionally, technology makes it easier for teachers to create personalized learning plans that are tailored to the needs of each student. This makes the educational system more inclusive and efficient. According to Ratheeswari (2018), The use of such technology in teaching training programs will increase the quality of teaching effectively.

In addition, teachers can engage technology by implementing interactive whiteboards, educational apps, and multimedia tools to make learning more engaging. Technology helps to create audio, visual as well and audio-visual effects in the classrooms while teaching and can be highly effective in attracting and sustaining students’ attention. (Alsied & Pathan 2000).

What is Gamification in Education?

According to Majuri , Koivisto, Hamari (2018). Gamification has especially been addressed and implemented in the realm of education where supporting and retaining engagement is a constant challenge. In the realm of education and engagement, gamification is a strategy that incorporates game-like elements into contexts to motivate, engage, and encourage participation. By applying principles such as competition, rewards, and achievement badges, gamification transforms tasks or learning experiences into more enjoyable and interactive pursuits.

This approach captivates learners in educational settings, making the material more compelling and fostering a sense of accomplishment. Beyond academia, businesses also employ gamification in training programs or customer interactions to enhance user engagement and motivation. The versatility of gamification lies in its ability to infuse elements of play into various facets of life, promoting active participation and positive behavior through a structured and rewarding framework. According to Kapp, gamification is “using game-based mechanics, aesthetics, and game thinking to engage people, motivate action, promote learning, and solve problems.” Kapp, K. M. (2012).

Reasons to Use Gamification

Gamification is a tool that makes learning more enjoyable, facilitates better retention, encourages and collaboration between classmates. The application of gamification cultivates a sense of autonomy, promoting a more effective and meaningful educational experience. It has been adopted to teach in a variety of contexts and address related activities, and behaviors such as participatory approaches, and collaboration,  making assessments easier and developing student creativity and retention (Caponetto et al., 2014).

Furthermore, gamification facilitates the development of crucial skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration. Games create immersive scenarios where students can apply theoretical concepts in practical contexts. Emotionally, gamification impacts learners through feelings of success and failure, as well as frustration and anxiety (Dominguez et al., 2013). A well-designed gamification environment allows learners to experience all of these emotions. High levels of frustration or anxiety are best avoided by carefully designing tasks and learning activities with appropriate levels of challenge (Dominguez et al., 2013).

Gamification and Motivation

Motivation in education is a crucial factor that significantly influences students’ learning experiences, academic performance, and overall success. According to Barret (2023), gamification has gained recognition in different educational settings to support and motivate learners to improve the results of their learning experiences. Gamification transforms traditional classrooms into dynamic learning environments. Through interactive elements, educators create an atmosphere that stimulates learning effectively. Furthermore, games have remarkable motivational power; they utilize several mechanisms to encourage people to engage with them.

By applying gamification to the classroom, students could be motivated to learn in new ways or enjoy otherwise tedious tasks (Hanus & Fox, 2015). On the other hand, there are two categories of motivation. The first one is intrinsic motivation. It involves learners being interested in what they learn and in the learning process itself (Harlen & Deakin Crick, 2003). The second one is extrinsic motivation. It is associated with individuals who engage in learning because it is a means to an end, relatively disassociated from the content and subject of learning (Harlen & Deakin Crick, 2003).

Advantages and Disadvantages of Gamification

Gamification is a technique that uses game design elements to make learning more engaging and fun (Deterding et al., 2011, p. 54). Gamification involves incorporating elements of game design, such as interactive activities, into the learning environment. Like any educational strategy, gamification has both advantages and disadvantages. Firstly, gamification boosts learner engagement because games encourage friendly competition among colleagues. They make learners feel proud, completing a course after a series of gamified challenges and tasks. When learners feel emotionally connected to the content, their retention increases. (Westfall, Rodriguez, Dempsey, Cherrigton, Roy, Patel, & Willig 2014). In addition, considering all the advantages mentioned, the use of games in education is also accompanied by limitations that the educator should consider. While supporters may argue that students are more engaged and interested in learning when gamification is used, some see gaming as a way of bribing students. They learn the goals to unlock achievements; therefore, they are only learning for the sake of achieving a checkpoint of reaching a milestone. Students may not be retaining information but rather learning just enough to complete the challenge, then disposing of the information immediately after ( Gal-Oz & Zuckerman 2014)

Previous Studies on Gamification

In the study conducted by Panmei and Waluyo (2022), titled “The pedagogical use of gamification in English vocabulary training and learning in higher education,” the researchers investigated the impact of gamified vocabulary learning on learner training and autonomy advancement, as well as learning outcomes. To achieve these objectives, a quasi-experimental research design was employed, involving both experimental and control groups. The participants were divided into two groups, without random assignment. The experimental group received gamified learning intervention during their vocabulary training, while the control group studied vocabulary sets in an MS Word file. Questionnaires were administered before and after the learning process to explore the students’ perspectives on their learning experience. The focus of the study was on the experimental group, with the control group serving as a comparison for learning outcomes. The results of multiple independent t-tests revealed no significant differences in overall vocabulary test scores between the two groups. However, notable disparities emerged in the results of vocabulary tests 2 and 4, where the experimental group obtained higher scores. Nevertheless, there were no significant differences in the results of vocabulary tests 1 and 2. Regarding students’ perceptions of gamification as a training facilitator, significant changes were identified before and after the interventions. However, there were no significant changes in their perceptions of gamification’s impact on learner autonomy in vocabulary learning. These findings contribute to the understanding that gamification apps can be integrated into vocabulary learning to support study and foster learner autonomy. However, the use of an application not specifically designed for vocabulary learning may not yield superior results compared to those without gamification support, despite satisfactory learning outcomes. As a result, further research is necessary to explore the effects of integrating non-specifically designed apps into English language teaching and learning. Overall, this study highlights the potential benefits of gamified vocabulary learning in higher education but emphasizes the importance of considering the design and effectiveness of the gamification app used.

The study written by (TA Papp, A Theresa 2017), called “Gamification Effects on Motivation and Learning: Application to Primary and College Students” reports on the effects of gamification on student motivation and learning and learning. This two-year mixed methods research collected data on university reflections, pre-and post-test results, and survey results.  Six undergraduate business communication classes and two mathematics classes composed of fourth-year students participated in this study. The purpose of this mixed research study is to identify students’ perceptions of the impact that gamification had on their learning in classes using gamification elements. This study will present data collected using a survey instrument to report students’ opinions, experiences, and perceived outcomes of the gamification process. Data on gamification in business communication were collected over two years. One year provided the qualitative data and the other provided the quantitative data. The qualitative data were obtained from a reflective assignment completed by each student.  The fourth graders focused exclusively on multiplication and collected data through a pre-test and a post-test to quantify whether there was an improvement in learning after the introduction of gamification. Both groups agreed that the gamified approach was engaging and stimulating. that the gamified approach was engaging, motivating, and the preferred learning method. Mathematics students improved their knowledge of the multiplication table. Business communication students expressed increased motivation and engagement in the classroom due to the game process and interaction with the teacher. in the classroom due to the game process de and associated game elements, such as experience points, challenges, and team missions.

The study belongs to (Ortiz et al. 2018), entitled “Gamification in Education: an overview of the state of the art”.This work aims to make a theoretical review of the benefits of the use of gamification and to know its application in the educational context. This work adopted a qualitative methodology based on content analysis. The results indicate that gamification processes in education generate significant benefits for students, although not without difficulties in some of the works in the study. After this argumentation, the article concludes in favor of the benefits of gamification in education such as motivation, immersion to enable the anticipation and planning of situations; commitment, and socialization through interactivity and interaction.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the integration of gamification into the classroom setting emerges as a powerful tool for enhancing communication skills among students. By mixing elements of play and competition into educational activities, educators create an engaging environment that fosters collaboration, critical thinking, and effective communication. The gamified approach not only captures students’ interest but also promotes a sense of teamwork, as they navigate challenges and share ideas. The blog has explored the advantages that gamification brings to education, including fostering collaboration, enhancing student focus, and creating a dynamic and interactive classroom atmosphere.

The gamified approach not only benefits students but also provides a structured framework for teachers, facilitating efficient classroom management and improving communication between educators and learners. Notably, research indicates that incorporating game-like elements amplifies student participation and motivation, leading to more meaningful interactions. Furthermore, gamification allows learners to identify with a topic and avoid frustration when learning a new topic or skill.

As evidenced throughout this blog, the incorporation of gamification encourages students to actively engage, share ideas, and forge meaningful connections. The immediate feedback inherent in gamified activities serves as a valuable tool, enabling students to refine their communication skills in real time and reinforcing positive behaviors. Additionally, the use of technology is a useful tool that complements gamification due to its effectiveness in the teaching-learning process, especially in fostering communication in the classroom.

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