Taufik Ikhsan Slamet, Chen Meng
Gamification has emerged as a potent tool for enhancing collaborative learning experiences, both in face to face and online environments. Based on real-world evidence of its effectiveness in various fields like online shopping and healthy habits, the efficacy of gamification in improving engagement has also sparked a great interest among scholars in the education field. This meta-analysis aims to scrutinize the efficacy of gamification in collaborative learning settings across educational levels, encompassing both K-12 and higher education environments. A comprehensive search across prominent academic databases (i.e., WOS SSCI, Scopus, and Google Scholar) yielded 35 relevant studies, comparing outcomes between gamified and non-gamified learning conditions. Among the 35 studies, 28 studies examined cognitive outcomes of learning (3296 participants), and 22 studies examined attitudinal outcomes of learning (2862 participants). For cognitive outcomes, the overall effect size was d = 0.875 (SE = 0.183, p < 0.0001, 95% CI [0.517, 1.232]), indicating a large effect. Similarly, significant effects were observed in attitudinal learning outcomes or socio-emotional domains, with an effect size of d = 0.748 (SE = 0.159, p < 0.0001, 95% CI [0.436, 1.060]), signifying a moderate to large impact. Our findings underscore the substantial positive influence of gamification on cognitive and attitudinal learning outcomes when integrated into collaborative learning contexts. Furthermore, we provide insights into the demographic characteristics of the included studies, offering a nuanced understanding of participant profiles and collaborative learning contexts. Additionally, we discuss avenues for future research and acknowledge the limitations inherent in this meta-analysis. In conclusion, this meta-analysis affirms the efficacy of gamification in enhancing both cognitive and attitudinal dimensions of collaborative learning, thereby advocating for its strategic integration into educational practices. © Beijing Normal University 2025.
Educational Technology Department, Faculty of Education, Universitas Negeri Malang, Malang, Indonesia; Instructional Systems Technology, Department of Learning, Design, and Adult Education, School of Education, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
