JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

In recent years, the integration of technology in education has revolutionized traditional learning paradigms. Digital literacy, a crucial skill in the 21st century, has become a vital aspect of modern education, enabling students to navigate, critically assess, and effectively use digital tools. As educators strive to boost engagement and learning outcomes, gamification has appeared as a auspicious pedagogical approach. By applying game mechanics to non-game contexts, gam-ification seeks to create a more immersive and interactive learning experience.

Objective:

This research paper aims to investigate the impact and acceptance of gamifica-tion by learners in a digital literacy course at the undergraduate level.

Methods:

In a pre-post intervention study, 168 undergraduate students were randomly assigned either to the experimental (gamification-based) or control group (conventional) learning condition. Both group of participants learned same top-ics of digital literacy.

Results:

Empirical findings showed that participants from the experimental group showed better academic performance in digital literacy than those who were not exposed to game-based learning environment. The participants’ prior expe-rience with gamification was not found to be a significant predictor of their ac-ceptance of gamification in the digital literacy course.

Conclusions:

The study provides evidence supporting the potential benefits of gamification in enhancing digital literacy education and opens the door for further exploration and implementation of gamified learning approaches in higher education set-tings.