Gamification with Purpose: What Learners Prefer to Motivate Their Learning

TL;DR

This paper investigates learner preferences for ten game design elements (GDEs) to inform purpose-driven educational gamification. It employs a systematic literature review to select GDEs, creates visual prototypes, and uses a best-worst scaling (BWS) survey with 125 participants plus qualitative feedback to derive rankings and motivational drivers. Key findings show that progress visualization (progress bars, concept maps) and immediate feedback top the preferences, while extrinsic-only incentives (avatar, virtual currency) are least favored; six motivational themes emerge from qualitative data. The study advocates integrating GDEs tightly with learning content to support intrinsic motivation and explores combinations of GDEs over isolated elements, offering practical guidance for educators and LMS designers. Overall, the work pushes toward a learner-centered, purpose-aligned gamification approach in education.

Abstract

This study investigates learners' preferences for game design elements (GDEs) in educational contexts to inform the development of purpose-driven gamification strategies. It emphasizes a learner-centered approach that aligns gamification design with pedagogical goals, while mitigating risks such as the erosion of intrinsic motivation. A systematic literature review was conducted to identify ten widely discussed GDEs. Visual prototypes representing each element were developed, and a best-worst scaling (BWS) survey with 125 participants was administered to elicit preference rankings. Qualitative feedback was also collected to uncover motivational drivers. Learners consistently preferred GDEs that support learning processes directly-most notably progress bars, concept maps, immediate feedback, and achievements. Qualitative analysis revealed six recurring motivational themes, including visible progress, content relevance, and constructive feedback. The findings suggest that learners value gamification elements that are meaningfully integrated with educational content and support intrinsic motivation. Purpose-aligned gamification should prioritize tools that visualize learning progress and provide actionable feedback, rather than relying solely on extrinsic incentives.

Figures (1)

• Figure 1: Age distribution of participants