A Pilot Study of the Influence of Gamification on the Effectiveness of an e-Learning Course

Research articles on educational e-courses that contain only motivational elements of computer games but do not include playing computer games date from 2010. Such a concept of designing an online course is called gamification and is related to the use of game elements (mechanics, dynamics and aesthetics) for a purpose which is not a computer game [1],[6]. Numerous studies have shown that gamification has a positive impact on the pedagogical and psychological aspects of e-learning. A review of the literature in the field of e-learning courses in information technology studies reveals that the gamification of such courses has been inadequately explored. Therefore, the main topic of our investigation was the creation and analysis of a gamified e-learning course in the field of information technology. Through theoretical and empirical research, our work is focused on: 1) developing an instructional model and a set of recommendations for the implementation of a gamified educational system that would positively affect students' learning; 2) creating a gamified e-course in the field of teaching information technologies; 3) examining a potentially positive effect on students' achievement (measured by objective indicators) in an experimental group of students who used the gamified e-course.