A Pilot Intervention Using Gamification to Enhance Student Participation in Classroom Activity Breaks

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of adding game design elements (goal setting, feedback, and external rewards) to an evidence-based physical activity intervention to increase in-class physical activity participation (intensity of activity breaks performed). Nine third- through sixth-grade classrooms (n = 292 students) in one elementary-middle school in Detroit, Michigan (49% female, 95% nonwhite; 80% qualified for free/reduced lunch) participated in this 20-week intervention where teachers implemented 5 × 4 min moderate-to-vigorous activity breaks per day. Gamification of activity breaks occurred during weeks 13–20 of the intervention and included the use of game design elements and classroom goals for activity break intensity. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during activity breaks was measured via direct observation. There was a significant effect of intervention with a 27% increase in student MVPA participation during the gamified intervention weeks compared with the standard intervention weeks (p = 0.03). Gamification of activity breaks resulted in 55% (compared with 25% during the standard intervention) of students accumulating approximately 20 min of health-enhancing physical activity per day in their classroom. These findings provide preliminary evidence that gamifying activity breaks may be an important strategy for increasing student participation in classroom activity breaks.

Gamification and Computer Science Students’ Activity

“…In recent years, there are studies focused on education and gamification such as [68] that determine whether students would perceive the gamification activities in a positive light, [42] that maps game elements in a well-known generally accepted Learning Management System, or [69] focused on studying the impact of each element in order to investigate the behavioral outcome of game elements in educational environments. We also found research related to student participation such as [70]; that at combining gamification techniques and learning analytics to improve the engagement in University courses or [71] that test the effectiveness of gamifying activity breaks (AB) to enhance student participation, enjoyment, and confidence during AB in low-income schools.…”

Effects of Gamification on Behavioral Change in Education: A Meta-Analysis

“…The conscious awareness of emotional commitment can enrich the learning experience and help the students see the inherent value of refining or obtaining a new skill. It is believed that the strength and utility of an educational badging system are associated with the context and should be directly aligned with the learning engagement and assessment strategies [ 7 ].…”

School-Based Interventions for Promoting Physical Activity Using Games and Gamification: A Systematic Review Protocol

“…The intervention did not significantly impact children's overall PA levels during school commute times, but there was evidence that the intervention had a positive impact on higher intensity PA during the commute to school. Another study carried out three types of interventions in a period of 20 weeks [33], and one of the interventions was gamified. During the gamified weeks, students received challenging weekly objectives; when each class met its objective, a new objective was implemented.…”

“…In contrast, GBL takes place only during specific periods of time because it usually focuses on a game designed with the primary objective of learning rather than entertaining [25]. Gamification has been a trending topic in different domains of knowledge such as health promotion [26][27][28], online programs [29], internet intervention [30], and education [31][32][33][34][35][36][37]. Therefore, the terms defined above are not synonymous but describe different valid approaches in the educational context that should not be confused because their focus and purpose are not the same [23,38].…”

“…In contrast, GBL takes place only during specific periods of time because it usually focuses on a game designed with the primary objective of learning rather than entertaining [ 25 ]. Gamification has been a trending topic in different domains of knowledge such as health promotion [ 26 , 27 , 28 ], online programs [ 29 ], internet intervention [ 30 ], and education [ 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 ].…”