Educational Analytics: A New Frontier for Gamification?

Area of Science:

• Educational Technology
• Nursing Education

Background:

• Gamification is increasingly explored to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes.
• Traditional educational methods may not fully leverage digital tools for knowledge retention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a software-based gamified knowledge competition on undergraduate nursing students.
• To assess the influence of gamification on knowledge retention and academic performance.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of "Kaizen," a voluntary, web-enabled, multiple-choice question competition over two rounds.
• Statistical analyses including descriptive statistics, logistic regression, generalized linear mixed models, and ANOVA were used.
• Data analyzed included user attrition, knowledge retention through repeated questions, and final examination performance based on play styles.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant increase in correct response odds (OR, 1.8) was observed for repeated questions, indicating knowledge retention.
• Significant differences in final examination performance were found across various student play styles.
• The study identified factors associated with user attrition in the gamified learning environment.

Conclusions:

• Gamification, exemplified by "Kaizen," can positively impact nursing students' knowledge retention and academic performance.
• Educational analytics derived from gamification data are crucial for informing educators on enhancing student engagement and learning.
• Further research should focus on optimizing gamified strategies to maximize educational benefits in nursing programs.