Personalization, Cognition, and Gamification-based Programming Language Learning: A State-of-the-Art Systematic Literature Review

TL;DR

This systematic review examines how personalized gamification strategies can improve motivation, engagement, and learning outcomes in programming education, highlighting factors influencing their effectiveness.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of 81 studies on personalized gamification in programming courses, offering insights into effective design and implementation.

Findings

Personalized gamification enhances motivation and engagement.

Effectiveness varies based on gamification elements and learner characteristics.

Insights inform better educational practices in programming courses.

Abstract

Programming courses in computing science are important because they are often the first introduction to computer programming for many students. Many university students are overwhelmed with the information they must learn for an introductory course. The current teacher-lecturer model of learning commonly employed in university lecture halls often results in a lack of motivation and participation in learning. Personalized gamification is a pedagogical approach that combines gamification and personalized learning to motivate and engage students while addressing individual differences in learning. This approach integrates gamification and personalized learning strategies to inspire and involve students while addressing their unique learning needs and differences. A comprehensive literature search was conducted by including 81 studies that were analyzed based on their research design, intervention, outcome measures, and quality assessment. The findings suggest that personalized gamification can enhance student cognition in programming courses by improving motivation, engagement, and learning outcomes. However, the effectiveness of personalized gamification varies depending on various factors, such as the type of gamification elements used, the degree of personalization, and the characteristics of the learners. This paper provides insights into designing and implementing effective personalized gamification interventions in programming courses. The findings could inform educational practitioners and researchers in programming education about the potential benefits of personalized gamification and its implications for educational practice.