Saudi Faculties members’ suggestions toward gamified teaching for students learning

Abstract

The study aimed to demonstrate Saudi faculties members’ perspectives toward the implementation of gamification elements in their teaching-learning process and the relevant consequences on the learning process, demonstrate the most common gamification elements preferences among faculty members and education and scientific faculties, and reveal suggestions toward empower gamification elements and its sufficient design into learning context as faculties members perceived. A total of 469 responses were submitted by faculties members working at the University of Hail. The study used the descriptive-analytic approach, utilizing the power of online surveys as a data-collecting tool. The results showed a high agreement among faculty members toward the usage significance of gamification elements in the learning context. They reported that gamification elements have a substantial role in fostering self-learning among students, increasing interest in enjoyment, joys, and entertainment sphere in the learning process, increasing students’ engagement and involvement rate into the learning process. Nevertheless, faculties members declared some fears and doubts about the explicit negative consequences of gamification such as increasing students' isolation, increasing students' anxiety levels, and increasing reliance on extrinsic motivation. However, the study found that the most used elements were avatars, progress, leaderboards, and challenges. The participants also suggested relying on a sustainable feedback process toward elements integration into the learning context, establishing periodic assessments of gamification elements, associating intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, affording appropriate challenges, and supporting flexible user experience.