Gamification In Education For Sustainable Development

Abstract

Gamification is a prominent concept that has been in the spotlight over recent years, parallel to the advancement of technology. It integrates game attributes in a non-game setting to promote learners’ engagement during the process of learning. Educators are increasingly faced with imparting and fostering sustainable practices on topics pertaining to sustainability to primary school learners in Malaysia. Sustainability has become an essential topic in schools, usually embedded in stories and language teaching. Therefore, this paper aims to explain how features of gamification impact learners’ engagement and motivation in learning topics on sustainability. The theories of cognitive development were the basis of teaching to encourage cooperative play activity and incorporate into cognitive play activity that fosters pupils’ motivation and self-determination. This study applied a quantitative approach involving 33 primary school English teachers who were familiar with gamification and its implementation in education. The findings reflect its positive impact on learners’ process of acquiring knowledge as the majority of the respondents agreed that the presence of gamification in a lesson triggers learners’ curiosity. With its fun element, gamification can engage learners in sustainability issues, create a deeper understanding of the topic, and relate it directly to learners’ values and decision-making process.