Jasperactive as a Gamification Tool for Motivation and Engagement in Adult Learners

Magdeline Matsie Mokonyane; K.  Moodley; L.  van Ryneveld

doi:10.25159/2663-5895/10352

Authors

Magdeline Matsie Mokonyane University of Pretoria https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4893-9696
K. Moodley University of Pretoria https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5832-6009
L. van Ryneveld University of Pretoria https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9909-9949

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25159/2663-5895/10352

Keywords:

Gamification, adult learners, motivation, engagement, End-user Computing

Abstract

Gamification is the use of game elements in non-gaming contexts. This paper explored how gamification can be a motivation and engagement tool for adult learners in an End-user Computing (EUC) course. Due to their high workloads and limited practice opportunities, staff members at the University of Technology (UoT) struggled to find time to enhance their EUC skills. The researchers used the Jasperactive platform to teach EUC skills to adult learners. A conceptual framework using motivation and engagement theories and elements was used as a conceptual lens for this study. The study followed an interpretive case study design with a qualitative approach. The sample comprised thirty participants who were purposefully selected and regarded as adult learners. Data was collected through the researcher’s observations and one-on-one interviews with six participants. Thematic data analysis was conducted using the elements included in the conceptual framework. The findings revealed how certain gamification elements influenced the motivation and engagement of adult learners. The study findings, furthermore, indicated that gamification may be used to solve motivation and engagement issues in training and working environments if it is well-designed and founded on well-established execution principles. Moreover, when adult learners are motivated and involved in the learning process, current motivation and engagement theories might be useful to explain the phenomenon. Adult learners seemed to be motivated and engaged in the effort to enhance their EUC abilities when using a gamified platform like Jasperactive. The study suggested that the participants were further motivated to complete the course to obtain their Microsoft Office Specialist certificate.

References

Alsawaier, R. S. 2018. The effect of gamification on motivation and engagement. The International Journal of Information and Learning Technology.

https://doi.org/10.1108/IJILT-02-2017-0009 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJILT-02-2017-0009

Berlyne, D. E. 1968. Curiosity and exploration. Science, 153, 25-33.

https://doi.org/10.1126/science.153.3731.25 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.153.3731.25

Brull, S., & Finlayson, S. 2016. Importance of gamification in increasing learning. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 47(8), 372-375.

https://doi.org/10.3928/00220124-20160715-09 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3928/00220124-20160715-09

Carlson McCall, R., Padron, K., & Andrews, C. 2018. Evidence-based instructional strategies for adult learners: A review of the literature.

Coller, B. D., & Scott, M. J. 2009. Effectiveness of using a video game to teach a course in mechanical engineering. Comput. Educ, 53(no. 3), 900 - 912.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2009.05.012 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2009.05.012

Csikszentmihalyi, M. 1997. Happiness and creativity: Going with the flow. Futurist, 31(5), 8-12.

Csikszentmihalyi, M. 1996. Creativity: Flow and the psychology of discovery and invention. New York, HarperCollins.

Curran, V., Gustafson, D. L., Simmons, K., Lannon, H., Wang, C., Garmsiri, M., ... & Wetsch, L. 2019. Adult learners’ perceptions of self-directed learning and digital technology usage in continuing professional education: An update for the digital age. Journal of Adult and Continuing Education, 25(1), 74-93.

https://doi.org/10.1177/1477971419827318 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1477971419827318

Deterding, S., Dixon, D., Khaled, K., & Nacke, L. 2011. From game design elements to gamefulness: defining “gamification”. Proceedings of Mindtrek'11 (Tampere, Finland). Fereday, J., & Muir-Cochrane, E. (2006). Demonstrating rigor using thematic analysis: A hybrid approach of inductive and deductive coding and theme development. International journal of qualitative methods, 5(1), 80-92.

https://doi.org/10.1177/160940690600500107 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/160940690600500107

Inayat, A., & Ali, A. Z. 2020. Influence of teaching style on students’ engagement, curiosity and exploration in the classroom. Journal of education and educational development, 7(1), 87-102.

https://doi.org/10.22555/joeed.v7i1.2736 DOI: https://doi.org/10.22555/joeed.v7i1.2736

Galbis-Córdoba, A., Martí-Parreño, J., & Currás-Pérez, R. 2017. Education Students’ Attitude towards the Use of Gamification for Competencies Development. Journal of e-Learning and Knowledge Society, 13(1).

Jackson, M. 2016. Gamification elements to use for learning. Tersedia di https://trainingindustry.com/articles/content-development/gamification elements-to- use-for-learning/[Diakses pada 11 September 2018].

Jasperactive. ((n.d.)). What is Jasperactive.Retrieved from https://jasperactive.com/microsoft- office/

Keller, J. 1987. The systematic process of motivational design. Performance & Instruction, 26(9), 1-8.

https://doi.org/10.1002/pfi.4160260902 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/pfi.4160260902

Keller, J.M. 2000. How to integrate learner motivation planning into lesson planning: The ARCS model approach. Florida State University,U.S.A., VII Semanario, Santiago, Cuba, February, 2000.

Keller, J.M. 2008. First principles of motivation to learn and e3‐learning. Distance education, 29(2), 175-185.

https://doi.org/10.1080/01587910802154970 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01587910802154970

Keller, J.M. 2010. "Motivational Design for Learning and Performance". Springer Science and Business Media LLC,.

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1250-3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1250-3

Kirsh, D. 2000. A few thoughts on cognitive overload. Intellectica, 1(30), 19 - 51.

https://doi.org/10.3406/intel.2000.1592 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3406/intel.2000.1592

Lawanda, N., Mohile, R., & Sagarika Datta, S. 2018. Gamification and employee engagement: Theoretical review on the role of HR. In International Conference on Digital Innovation: Meeting the Business Challenges (pp. 183-198).

Malone, T. W., & Lepper, M. R. 1987. Making learning fun: A taxonomy of intrinsic motivation for learning. Aptitude learning and instruction, 3, 223-253.

Markets., M. A. 2016. Gamification market by solution (consumer driven and enterprise driven), applications (sales and marketing), deployment type (On-Premises and cloud), user type (large enterprise, SMBs), industry and region - global forecast to 2020. Retrieved from http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market- Reports/gamification-market-991.html.

Murairwa, S. 2015. Voluntary sampling design. International Journal of Advanced Research in Management and Social Sciences, 4(2), 185-200.

Nayir, F. 2017. The relationship between student motivation and class engagement levels. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 17(71), 59-78.

https://doi.org/10.14689/ejer.2017.71.4 DOI: https://doi.org/10.14689/ejer.2017.71.4

Özdener, N. 2018. Gamification for enhancing Web 2.0 based educational activities: The case of pre-service grade school teachers using educational Wiki pages. Telematics and Informatics, 35(3), 564-578.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2017.04.003 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2017.04.003

Piaget, J. 1952. The origins of intelligence in children. New York: International University Press.

https://doi.org/10.1037/11494-000 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/11494-000

Seaborn, K., & Fels, D. I. 2015. Gamification in theory and action: A survey. International Journal of human-computer studies, 74, 14-31.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2014.09.006 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2014.09.006

Shatz, I. 2015. Using Gamification and Gaming in Order to Promote Risk Taking in the Language Learning Process (PDF). MEITAL National Conference, Haifa, Israel(Technion), 227 - 232.

Shernoff, D. J., Csikszentmihalyi, M., Schneider, B., & Shernoff, E. S. 2014. Student engagement in high school classrooms from the perspective of flow theory. In Applications of flow in human development and education (pp. 475-494): Springer.

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9094-9_24 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9094-9_24

Smith, S. P. 2017. Adult learners: Effective training methods. Professional safety, 62(12), 22-25.