Gamified Learning and Cognitive Retention: A Study on Student Engagement in Virtual Classrooms

Abstract

The transition to virtual learning environments has enhanced the pursuit of instructional strategies that can maintain the attention of students and enhance in-depth learning. Gamified learning, where the game features of points, badges, levels, and interactive challenges are added, have become an interesting perspective when it comes to making the process more engaging. In this research, the author explore the connection between the design of gamified instructions and cognitive retention among college students attending completely online classes. A mixed-methods research design was employed to gather data on 186 undergraduates attending virtual classrooms which had applied structured layers of gamification. On the one hand, the quantitative aspects of cognitive retention were assessed by pre-tests and post-tests conducted within the scope of four-weeks instructional cycle and on the other hand the insights of qualitative nature were provided in terms of student reflections and focus groups. The discussion found that the students who were exposed to gamified learning had a much better retention score than appearance in non-gamified control sections. Respondents also said that game parameters improved their desire to repeat learning activities, motivated them to stay longer in their engagement and alleviated the feeling of loneliness that is usually experienced in online learning. Qualitative data showed that narrative-based difficulties, as well as mechanisms of immediate feedback, had an especially significant role in keeping attention and making students establish more robust memory links. Nevertheless, the research also established that some learners were at times anxious because of poorly designed competitive aspects, and balanced and inclusive gamification approaches should be considered. On the whole, the findings reveal that carefully created gamified learning activities may facilitate cognitive retention through the engagement of active learning and facilitation of repetitive course interaction. The research paper is relevant to the existing arguments on effective virtual pedagogies and will provide useful suggestions to teachers aiming at incorporating gamification into online learning. It is recommended that future research focuses on long-term effects and investigates how individual learner preferences can be used to develop the efficacy of gamified environments.