Exploring if Gamification Experiences Make an Impact on Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions of Future Gamification Use: A Case Report

Abstract

Gamification has become an increasingly used pedagogical approach in the classroom, motivating students and enhancing their educational experience. This has led to the need for specific training for teachers, as well as a need to understand how this training can be effective and how contact with gamification during teacher training can influence the attitude of pre-service teachers. Therefore, this case report has focused on examining pre-service teachers’ perceptions of gamification as a tool used in their teacher education. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data on the participants’ individual experience with gamification and their perception of future uses of this technique. The data were collected between December 2010 and February 2020 in Granada, Spain, and were analyzed using qualitative content analysis to identify general trends and findings. Pre-service teachers present a positive perception of gamification as a tool to enhance and motivate learning, highlighting the importance of prior training for its application in the right context, as well as the need to investigate other teaching approaches to improve the effectiveness of gamification. In conclusion, it should be noted that gamification is a pedagogical approach increasingly used in the classroom, so specific training is needed for the teachers responsible for carrying out this technique. This training should include research on the effectiveness of gamification, as well as the best approaches for its application, for student motivation, and for the creation of equal relationships between students.