Gamification in higher education: a self-determination theory perspective on the reward system

Abstract

Educational gamification is a rising area, and several studies
have already been conducted in the context of Higher Education, with
encouraging results, especially about the effectiveness of gamification in
increasing students perceived motivation to learn. The authors of this
study explore how game elements commonly used in gamified learning
systems, such as badges, points, progression bars and levels, can affect
students motivation by fulfilling their needs for competence, relatedness,
and autonomy, in the framework of the self-determination theory (SDT). The
final goal is to better understand how to build the reward system of an
educational gamified application aimed at maximising students motivation.