The Effect of Gamification on Learning Engagement among Undergraduate Students: The Moderating Role of Attitude

Abstract

Gamification has become increasingly popular in higher education as a learning strategy to enhance student motivation, participation, and engagement. Incorporating game elements into educational activities can create a more interactive learning experience. However, the effectiveness of gamification in improving learning engagement remains inconsistent, particularly due to differences in students’ perceptions and attitudes toward technology-enhanced learning.

This study aims to examine the effects of Perceived Usefulness (PU) and Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU) on Learning Engagement (LE) among undergraduate students, while investigating the moderating role of Attitude Toward Using Gamification (ATUG). The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) serves as the theoretical foundation for explaining the relationships between perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitudes toward gamification, and student learning engagement.

A quantitative research approach was employed, with data collected through an online questionnaire distributed via Google Forms. A total of 228 valid responses were obtained from undergraduate students aged 18–28 at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), using judgmental sampling. The data were analyzed using SPSS through descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, normality testing, correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis, and hypothesis testing.

The findings indicate that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use have significant positive effects on learning engagement. Both variables explain 67% of the variance in learning engagement. After incorporating attitude toward using gamification as a moderating variable, the explanatory power of the model increased to 73.2%. The results also confirm that ATUG significantly moderates the relationships between perceived usefulness and learning engagement, as well as between perceived ease of use and learning engagement.

The novelty of this study lies in examining students’ attitudes toward gamification as a moderating variable in the relationships between perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and learning engagement. These findings extend the application of TAM in gamified learning environments by demonstrating that students’ attitudes toward gamification play an important role in shaping their learning engagement.

This study is limited to undergraduate students from a single university and relies on self-reported questionnaire data. Future research should involve students from multiple institutions, employ longitudinal or mixed-method approaches, and investigate additional factors that may influence learning engagement. Practically, higher education institutions are encouraged to develop gamified learning strategies that are useful, user-friendly, and capable of fostering positive student attitudes toward educational technology.