Year: 2024
Type: article
Study design: Systematic Review
Abstract: Background: Gamification is a promising approach for enhancing motivation and engagement in software engineering education, but its applications and effects are not yet well understood. Objective: To systematically review the use of gamification in software engineering education, focusing on the game elements utilized, the software engineering knowledge areas and skills targeted, and the reported impacts on learning outcomes and student perceptions. Methods: We searched Scopus for papers published in journals, conferences, or workshops that described empirical studies of gamification in software engineering courses. Study characteristics, gamification approaches, software engineering topics, research methods, and key findings were extracted and synthesized using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. Results: The 29 included studies most commonly employed points (17 studies), challenges (14 studies), leaderboards (11 studies), and badges (9 studies) to gamify the learning of software process (12 studies), design (9 studies), and professional practices (7 studies). The majority of studies (21) reported positive impacts on student engagement, motivation, and/or performance, but the quality of evidence was limited by the lack of validated measurement instruments and controlled study designs. Conclusions: Gamification appears to be a promising approach for enhancing software engineering education, but more rigorous empirical research is needed to understand its effects and boundary conditions. This review provides educators and researchers with an overview of current applications, evidence, and open questions to guide the design and study of gamified learning experiences in software engineering.
Language: English
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7199563108