Mapping Gamification Research in Higher Education: A Scoping Review of Designs, Outcomes, and Research Gaps

Abstract

Gamification is widely used in higher education, but the research differs in design, duration, game elements, and measured outcomes. This study mapped recent empirical research on gamification in higher education and identified areas that require further investigation. A scoping review was conducted using the JBI approach and reported with reference to PRISMA-ScR. Searches covered ERIC, the Directory of Open Access Journals, Crossref-indexed publisher platforms, and reference lists for peer-reviewed studies published from 2019 to 2025. The documented search identified 74 records, of which 20 studies met the inclusion criteria. Data were charted by discipline, sample, research design, intervention duration, gamification elements, outcome categories, and reported limitations. Six studies used experimental or randomized designs, seven used quasi-experimental or comparative designs, three used mixed methods, two used longitudinal or cohort comparisons, and two used single-group interventions. Learning performance was the most frequently examined outcome, followed by motivation, engagement, individual differences, and retention. Points, leaderboards, quizzes, challenges, feedback, badges, progress indicators, narratives, and escape-room activities were commonly combined. The evidence was concentrated in single courses, short interventions, and STEM-related subjects. Positive findings were common, but the diversity of interventions and measures did not support a general causal conclusion. Future studies should report intervention components clearly, include delayed assessments, examine lower-performing and competition-averse students, and use multi-course or multi-institutional designs.