Cited by 994Educational Games and GamificationDigital Games and MediaOnline Learning and Analytics

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Does gamification improve student learning outcome? Evidence from a meta-analysis and synthesis of qualitative data in educational contexts

Bai, Shurui, Hew, Khe Foon, Huang, Biyun·2020·Educational Research Review

DOI 10.1016/j.edurev.2020.100322

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Abstract

Despite the buzz around gamification as an exciting new method to engage students, evidence of its ability to enhance learning is mixed. In fact, gamification has attracted considerable controversy (“gamification is bullshit”) and some derogatory labels such as “exploitationware.” Therefore, in order to make the case for or against gamification in education, it is important to examine the effects (if any) of gamification on student learning achievements. This study is a meta-analysis of 30 independent interventions (3,202 participants) drawn from 24 quantitative studies that have examined the effects of gamification on student academic performance in various educational settings. The results show an overall significant medium effect size in favor of gamification over learning without gamification (Hedges' g = 0.504, 95% CI [0.284–0.723], p

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“In the realm of learning at the primary school level, student learning outcomes are often the main concern (Bai et al., 2020; Huang et al., 2020; Sitopu, 2024; Syawaluddin et al., 2020; Wahono et al., 2020).”
Background
Construção e Teste de app gamificado gerador de senhas fortes e memoráveis: Um estudo exploratório em cibersegurança
Romão, H. L., Henklain, M. H. O., Lobo, F., & Feitosa, E. L. (2024) · Simpósio Brasileiro de Cibersegurança (SBSeg) · doi:10.5753/sbseg_estendido.2024.243316 · Cited by 2
Investigação Psicométrica da Escala Hexad para Identificação de Perfis de Usuários de Gamificação em Português Brasileiro
Santos, A. C. G., Muramatsu, P. K., Oliveira, W., Joaquim, S., Hamari, J., & Isotani, S. (2024) · Simpósio Brasileiro de Fatores Humanos em Sistemas Computacionais (IHC) · doi:10.5753/ihc_estendido.2024.241597 · Cited by 2
Brazilian Teachers’ concerns towards the use of Gamification in Education: perceived barriers to its adoption
Toda, A. M., Palomino, P. T., Rodrigues, L., Klock, A. C. T., Pereira, F. D., Borges, S. S., Gasparini, I., Oliveira, E., Isotani, S., & Cristea, A. I. (2024) · Revista Brasileira de Informática na Educação · doi:10.5753/rbie.2024.3228 · Cited by 3
Task Complete: A gamified solution to exercise positive habits in players with Intellectual Disabilities
Michalichem, P. A. F., Pereira, L. T., & Rodrigues, K. R. D. H. (2024) · doi:10.5753/sbgames.2024.241189 · Cited by 2
Design fit in gamified online programming learning environment
Wang, W., & Sari, M. K. (2025) · Learning and Instruction · doi:10.1016/j.learninstruc.2025.102087 · Cited by 5
Exploring the Influence of Interpersonal Relationships on Gamification Preferences in Collaborative IVR Environments
Ke, S., Zheng, L., & Lee, B. G. (2025) · IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces (VR) · doi:10.1109/vr59515.2025.00035 · Cited by 3
“Various psychological learning theories suggest that gamified strategies, by representing complex and abstract concepts in interactive virtual formats, create an engaging environment that promotes deeper student interest and effectively capture and sustain learners’ attention and motivation [9].”
Gamification at the workplace: a theoretical perspective on training and development
Rukadikar, A., & Khandelwal, K. (2025) · The Learning Organization · doi:10.1108/tlo-07-2024-0239 · Cited by 3
Tailored Extended Reality Environments for Education and Training in Cybersecurity: Engagement Beyond Awareness
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Exploring the Impact of Gamification on Behavioral Change: The Role of Grade Incentives and Free-Choice Behavior
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“Their use has been shown to effectively improve student participation (Huang & Hew, 2015) and enhance learning outcomes (Bai et al., 2020).”
The Use of a Gamified Learning App in Accounting Education: Exploring the Impact of COVID-19
Langenhagen, J. (2022) · Communications in computer and information science · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-96060-5_12 · Cited by 1
Hooked By Avatars? Literature Studies in Upper Secondary School—A Simulation Study
Graeske, C., Sjöberg, S. A., & Thunberg, S. (2022) · International Education Studies · doi:10.5539/ies.v15n3p53 · Cited by 3
“Teachers and educational leaders have used gamification increasingly often in recent years, to engage students and optimize teaching (Bai et al., 2020).”
Background
Gamification in the training of future culture and art professionals: experience of EU countries
Prusak, V., Чепалов, О. І., Забора, В. А., Akhtem, S., & Volodymyr, G. (2022) · Apuntes Universitarios · doi:10.17162/au.v12i3.1115 · Cited by 2
“Gamification can greatly enhance learning, but it is short game interventions that can have a positive effect (Bai et al., 2020).”
Background
Gamification to Engage Students
Brown-McBride, S., & Leong, P. (2022) · Advances in game-based learning book series · doi:10.4018/978-1-6684-4287-6.ch024 · Cited by 2
The Effectiveness of Gamification Elements for the Development of Future Culturologists’ Digital Competence
Humeniuk, T., Prosandieieva, L., Воронова, В., Nedzvetska, O., Chernihovets, T., & Solomatova, V. (2022) · Journal of Curriculum and Teaching · doi:10.5430/jct.v11n6p113 · Cited by 2
Technology of blended learning in institutions of higher education in war conditions
Levchuk, E., Levchuk, K., HUSAK, L., & Havryliuk, N. (1970) · EUROPEAN HUMANITIES STUDIES State and Society · doi:10.38014/ehs-ss.2022.2.03 · Cited by 2
Gamificación en el desarrollo de condiciones para la autorrealización de los estudiantes de instituciones de educación superior
Tsurkan, L., Dubìnka, M., Сергіївна, С. Н., Slipchyshyn, L., & Kalenyk, M. (2023) · Apuntes Universitarios · doi:10.17162/au.v13i3.1525 · Cited by 2
Metaverse: Innovation in Teaching Methods and Game Design for Teenagers' Second Language
Huang, Q. (2023) · Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media · doi:10.54254/2753-7048/12/20230775 · Cited by 2
Innovative Methodologies and Approaches to Teaching with Artificial Intelligence in Ukrainian Higher Education
Semeniuk, R., Holovnia, Y., Huda, O., & Савастру, Н. (2024) · Futurity Education · doi:10.57125/fed.2024.03.25.02 · Cited by 12
“…we analyzed a number of pedagogical works and came to the conclusion that their choice depends on the interior and exterior conditions of educational process (Grassini, 2023), learning objectives (Bai et al., 2020), and students’ individual needs and characteristics (Patkar & Kumbhar, 2021).”
Enhancing Artistic Learning Through Gamification
Durán, A. G., & Fuentes, R. S. (2024) · Advances in educational technologies and instructional design book series · doi:10.4018/979-8-3693-0716-8.ch006 · Cited by 2
Evaluación de una experiencia innovadora de gamificación en educación superior: el caso de ingeniería
Londoño, N. M., Fernández, J. T., & Ospina-Mateus, H. (2024) · UTE Teaching & techonology Universitas Tarraconsensis · doi:10.17345/ute.2024.3660 · Cited by 2
Gamified lessons support molecular genetics education of first year biology students during COVID-19 lockdown
Andronicos, N. M., Barnett, T. J., Roberts, R., Chong, S., Labeur, L., Henderson, S., & Burns, A. (2021) · Annual Conference of the Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education (ASCILITE) · doi:10.14742/ascilite2021.0137 · Cited by 1
How to Welcome First-year Students: Best Practice of a Gamified Orientation Day
Vanderstraeten, L., Buysschaert, F., Mulder, V. D., François, D., Janssens, L., Maes, A., Maes, G., Minnaert, E., & Opdecam, E. (2022) · European Conference on Games Based Learning · doi:10.34190/ecgbl.16.1.672 · Cited by 1
“However, research has demonstrated that gamification is even more engaging and motivating when students have actively chosen to participate in the gamified learning setting, in line with students’ need for autonomy (SDT) (e.g., Sailer et al., 2017; Bai, Hew and Huang, 2020).”
BackgroundInfluential
Tackling the anxiety of learning statistics: The mystery of the red envelope
Robinson, M. A., Soublière, J., Agogué, M., Grégoire, D. A., Rua, T., & Plourde, Y. (2023) · Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education · doi:10.1111/dsji.12294 · Cited by 1
Data-driven goal setting: Searching optimal badges in the decision forest
Langenhagen, J. (2023) · Telematics and Informatics Reports · doi:10.1016/j.teler.2023.100072 · Cited by 2
“This result is also confirmed by recently conducted meta-studies [2, 15, 24].”
Result
The Significance of Using Gamification Elements in the Educational Process
Baisholanova, K. S., Kubayev, K. E., Rakhysh, A., et al. (2023) · IEEE International Conference on Smart Information Systems and Technologies (SIST) · doi:10.1109/sist58284.2023.10223591 · Cited by 1
“In scientific work, game mechanics is explained as a way of implementing a part of the game process [2].”
Background

Authors: Bai, S., Hew, K. F., & Huang, B.
Affiliations: University of Hong Kong (HK)
Corresponding author: Hew, Khe Foon
ORCID: Bai, Shurui
Hew, Khe Foon
Huang, Biyun
Venue: Educational Research Review
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Published: 2020-06
Volume: 30
Pages: 100322
ISSN: 1747-938X (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1016/j.edurev.2020.100322
OpenAlex: W3010425548
Cited by: 994
References: 190
Citations by year: 2026: 270 · 2025: 203 · 2024: 181 · 2023: 160 · 2022: 94 · 2021: 65 · 2020: 20
FWCI: 14.94
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
www.elsevier.com/legal/tdmrep-license (tdm)
Locations: Educational Research Review (publishedVersion)
Funders: National Institute of General Medical Sciences (R25GM129219)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Educational Games and Gamification
Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Digital Games and Media
Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Science Applications › Online Learning and Analytics
Keywords: gamification, learning outcomes, academic performance, student engagement, joyful learning, performance feedback, recognition, goal setting, student anxiety, jealousy, educational technology

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Does gamification improve student learning outcome? Evidence from a meta-analysis and synthesis of qualitative data in educational contexts

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