Learner Enjoyment in Gamified and Non-Gamified Pedagogical Approaches: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

This study was undertaken to compare how gamified and non-gamified pedagogical approaches affect Learner Enjoyment. The quasi-experimental study utilised a post-test only control group design, involving Grade 9 students (n=80) from a CBSE-affiliated secondary school. Two intact Grades were randomly selected and assigned to either a control or experimental group, with 40 students in each. The experimental group received a gamified pedagogical intervention in Mathematics for a duration of two months. Conversely, the control group underwent traditional, non-gamified instruction on the same subject matter and topics for the same period of time. At the completion of the treatment, both groups were assessed by administering the Learner Enjoyment tool. After analysing the post test data using the t-test, the study’s findings indicated that Learner Enjoyment of the gamified approach is 90.15 on average, significantly greater than that of the nongamified approach, which has a mean score of 60.08. Therefore, the study revealed that, in comparison to the non-gamified educational approach, the proposed gamified pedagogical strategy may be effective in enhancing Learner Enjoyment. The study also examined how gender affects Learner Enjoyment in both gamified and non-gamified pedagogical approaches. It discovered that students who were taught using gamified and non-gamified pedagogical approaches irrespective of their gender, demonstrated the same degree of Learner Enjoyment.