Improving students' academic performance—there's an app for that
https://doi.org/10.1186/S41239-017-0069-7…
2 pages
1 file
Sign up for access to the world's latest research
Abstract
A mobile learning app that uses game elements such as leaderboards and digital badges may have positive effects on student academic performance, engagement, and retention, according to a study published in the open access International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education. Researchers at Swinburne University of Technology, Australia developed a fully customizable app that allowed lecturers to push quizzes based on course content directly to their students' devices in order to motivate them, increase their competitiveness, and keep them engaged with the course.

Related papers
2019
Keeping students’ attention in class and engaging them in learning is not an easy task. In this paper we report the approaches and strategies used in a university course ‘Games and Learning’. An action research study was conducted involving three cycles. During the first one, a flipped learning approach was used to motivate students to read the papers before class. In the classroom, students had to use their mobile devices to answer quizzes, fill a form, and summarize the lesson. During the following cycles, students worked in groups, analyzing digital games. Along the second cycle students analyzed a video game and during the third cycle they analyzed a serious game. We realized that asking them to submit some tasks online before class, helped them to work more and achieve better results. From the first group work to the second one the majority of students improved their critical digital game analysis. The collected data supported the conclusion that students were engaged in learning.
A breakthrough development in the crossing of education and technology has long been a subject of heated debate. The possibility of combining machine learning and attention-grabbing graphics to not only make learning easy and interesting, but personalized, was the original impetus for gamifying education. In this paper I investigate the history of technology and media through the lens of education, and attempt to apply the principles, practices, and insights gleaned there within to an educational mobile game. Specifically, the mobile app I designed for the iPhone and Android operating systems focuses on teaching players SAT I math concepts using Nintendo's wildly popular Pokemon game design model.
2025
Developing long-term study habits through gamification in educational platforms presents a significant challenge. The approaches taken by modern gamified platforms and researchers to gamify the educational platform often rely on extrinsic rewards akin to video games, which engage students but fail to cultivate the intrinsic motivation necessary for habit development. Educational platforms commonly implement badges, leaderboards, achievements, and points (BLAP) that predominantly reward students for their results rather than their effort, thereby lacking meaningful gamification. To address these issues, this paper proposes alternative strategies such as competitive player-vs-player quizzes, visual time statistics, and a habit-tracking heatmap to foster intrinsic motivation through a competitive environment that enhances self-awareness and cultivates a growth mindset. This research utilized an initial survey and literature review to identify the shortcomings of existing gamification approaches, developed a prototype based on the hypotheses, and engaged participants in interactive sessions to gather qualitative feedback. Subsequently, a quantitative survey measured the effectiveness of the proposed strategies. As an initial exploratory study, this paper aims to lay the groundwork for future empirical validation of these strategies. The findings from this phase provide initial validation that these new features may serve as effective alternatives to traditional gamification elements. While the study suggests these methods have potential, a longitudinal evaluation is necessary to assess their long-term impact on study habits.
Programming is an important core subject in most Computer science programmes at university level but several studies show that students are facing difficulties both with theoretical understanding and practical code construction. At the department where this study was conducted around 50% of the students fail to complete their introductory programming courses. Some researchers claim that this is a pedagogical problem involving psychological and motivational aspects. The use of mobile phones and ubiquitous gaming has increased in the 21 st century. Might it be possible to get students to play educational games on their smart phones as an extra-curricular activity and what design aspects are important to get the students to play the game?
Abstract: The increasing number of students who are hooked on playing online mobile games (OMG) is alarming. As such, this study was realized to address the problem. This study assessed the gaming profile towards OMG and its relation to the academic performance of the engineering students of Eastern Visayas State University Tanauan Campus (EVSUTC). Specifically, the study investigated the correlation between student's number of hours spent on playing OMG (at school and home), commonly played OMG (at school and home), reasons for playing OMG and attitudes on playing OMG with academic performance utilizing Eta and Pearson r correlation analyses. A random sample of 134 student respondents were selected through purposive sampling of those who are playing OMG using their mobile phones. Descriptive correlational research design was utilized and a validated survey instrument was employed to gather the needed information. The findings revealed that majority of the students played mobile legends and spent mostly 2 hours playing OMG for a reason of boredom. The overall attitudes of the students on playing OMG were interpreted as Less Favorable (M=2.58, SD=1.13). Out of the independent variables being set in the study, the number of hours spent on playing OMG at home (r=-0.188, p=0.039) and commonly played OMG at school (r=0.203, p=0.045) were found significantly correlated with student's academic performance. Hence, the students' time spent on playing OMG at home and the type of games that students played at school have significant bearing to their academic performance. As such, delimiting student's usage of internet can be made to address the problem.
Computers&Education, 2013
In this paper, we present an initial study to determine the subject preferences for educational computer games for children, in which 150 education professionals participated. From the results of this first study, we have developed an iPhone game for transmitting knowledge as part of multiculturalism, solidarity and tolerance following established learning theories, several design principles, and the objectives and competences of the Spanish law for primary education. We also report on a second study to determine whether the iPhone game has better learning outcomes than a traditional game by analyzing the participation of 84 children ranging in age from 8 to 10 years old. The frequency of playing with consoles or computer games was also taken into account in this second study, and the worldwide trend of previous studies has been corroborated. For learning outcomes, the results did not show significant differences between the two groups. However, 96% of the children indicated that they would like to play with the iPhone game again, and 90% indicated that they preferred the experience with the iPhone game over the traditional one. From these results, we can conclude that the children achieved similar knowledge improvements using both the autonomous game (iPhone game) and the custom, guided game (traditional game). This could facilitate versatility in the learning process since the learning activity could be performed at any place and time without requiring supervision. Therefore, it could be a useful tool in the learning process and help teachers to fulfill students' training needs.
In this paper, we investigate the effect of the mobile game-based social studies curriculum Statecraft X on the quality of student work. This curriculum involved 34 secondary three students using a mobile game played on Apple iPhones-Statecraft X-to engage in governorship practices in the game world of Velar. As part of the Play-between-World curriculum, students also construct their ideal practices of governance in the fictional world of Bellalonia through in-class and outside the classroom activities. The control group of 39 students underwent the regular curriculum in the school for the same duration. Students in the intervention group had significantly higher scores for the assessment criteria of relevance, perspective, and personal voice in a writing task than those in the control group.
2014
Digital games are very popular amongst the digital natives; they use them for entertainment engagement, enjoyment and fun. With the emergence of the internet and mobile apps edutainment and gamification is also becoming increasingly important in the educational sector. With the rapid development of mobile technologies and applications, games are now entering a new era where their purpose is no longer for entertaining only but also for educating and informing. Games can offer interactive learning activities and tasks that can foster collaboration and creativity. Drawing on the experience of gamification, this explorative paper examines key strategies by which instructors can introduce interactive mobile game elements to the classroom in ways that are simple and engaging.
International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies (iJIM)
Mobile learning technique is increasingly popular and is acting as a good instructional medium , How mobile learning apps enhances students achievement is investigated in this study. The students were divided in to two group and experimented. The result indicated that the students achievement is higher in the group who made use of mobile apps.
It is widely accepted that many university students experience difficulties in learning mathematics or mathematics related subjects. This paper aims to provide an overview of the current "state of the art" in the use of new technologies in mathematics learning with particular reference to computer games and mobile technologies. These in particular are believed to have the potential of motivating students towards their mathematics learning. Possible uses of games and mobile technologies are explored by citing examples of recent research into and evaluation of the educational use of these new technologies, as well as the learning theories which underpin the integration of new technologies into teaching and learning. Different types of mobile technologies are introduced, their educational potentials are considered and related pedagogical issues are discussed. The paper also identifies possible future trends of new technologies, such as educational multi-user virtual learning environments, and possible different ways of supporting mathematics teaching and learning through new technologies with reference to the "Web 2.0" paradigm shift.

Loading Preview
Sorry, preview is currently unavailable. You can download the paper by clicking the button above.