Use of Gamification in Primary and Secondary Education: A Systematic Literature Review

Gamification in education refers to the application of game design elements and game principles in teaching with the goal of increasing students’ motivation and engagement, which contributes to more successful achievement of learning outcomes. Gamification can be used in education at different levels, from primary and secondary schools to universities and adult education. An analysis of the literature on the use of gamification in education has shown that it is more common in university education and less common in primary and secondary schools. Nonetheless, experience shows that games and numerous digital tools are successfully used in schools for the purpose of gamification, although this is generally not supported by the relevant research published in the papers. The research presented in this paper represents a systematic review of the literature on relevant research on the use of gamification in primary and secondary schools to explore the field and make recommendations for future research. The conclusion is that research on gamification should continue to suggest appropriate pedagogical and technological frameworks which would facilitate the use of gamification in schools by teachers.