Samenvatting

This paper analyses the effects of using gamification in an educational context to mediate learning behaviours and attitudes. Particularly, the relationships between the independent variables of game mechanics, elements, and dynamics (MEDs) and the dependent variables of student holistic development. To identify these effects, quantitative and qualitative observations were collected from three class teachers of a 12-student class during the implementation of gamified International Primary Curriculum (IPC) unit. Conclusions were drawn from this data using a 4-phase constant comparative analysis and manual coding through an interpretivist perspective. Analysis of the results suggested 31 possible relationships between the identified holistic development constructs and influencing factors, such as game MEDs, Online Learning, Topic, and Time of Year. Interpreting the outcome from the effects of these relationships, 15 were positive, 4 negative, and 12 had an indeterminable effect due to contradicting or insufficient data. Gamification appeared to have had the most effect on students’ holistic development with a total of 20 out of the 31 possible relationships connecting to at least one game dynamic. Interest & Motivation, Perseverance, Problem Solving & Critical Thinking, and Attendance were the most notable constructs in connection to gamification. Overall, gamification was observed to have had a mostly positive effect on students’ holistic development. However, considering the small context and multiple limitations of this study, it was not possible to conclude any direct causality of gamification. Moving forward, it was concluded that there is a need for future research into the causal relationships of gamification to the holistic development constructs identified to have had an effect in this study.