Could Gamification Be a Protective Factor Regarding Early School Leaving? A Life Story

Abstract

The European Union has recognized the close relationship between mental health, well-being, and education, encouraging studies and whole school interventions that work in the interrelationship between mental health and school, especially in aspects related to Early School Leaving (ESL). Literature shows that there are research gaps in this regard, but there are some inklings to think that innovative teaching methods can improve both adolescent´s mental health and reduce the rates of ESL. The main objective of this article was to find out how the use of game-based teaching techniques affects the well-being of students at risk of ESL. The life story of one young student that has left school early has been studied, focusing on the impact that gamification had in his scholar trajectory and well-being. Data analysis was carried using the constructivist version of the grounded theory. Results showed a certain degree of interrelation between all three aspects. Pointing that a period of gamification can have a positive effect in school engagement as a result of better levels of wellbeing, but also, that if this methodology is not maintained or accompanied it can cause a rebound effect acting as a risk factor to ESL.

Modern Technologies and Gamification in Historical Education

“…Gamification can support deeper cognitive and affective aspects (Rivera & Garden, 2021) and be of service to students with learning difficulties as during the period of gamification a clear improvement in the emotional perception of educational activities and the elimination of the fear of learning certain subjects can be observed (Guerrero-Puerta & Guerrero, 2021). Fer example, virtual reality provides history teachers with an incredible opportunity to deliver lessons from anywhere and allows students to develop creativity.…”

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

“…Although the literature points out that the success of this technique is not dependent on a specific profile, this has been demonstrated by studies carried out in different educational stages, from early childhood education to higher education [27,28] including primary education [29][30][31] and even secondary education [32], which show the effectiveness of this technique. Some studies, such as the one conducted by Guerrero-Puerta and Guerrero [8], also indicate that gamification can be especially effective with students in vulnerable situations, with the possibility of school failure.…”

“…This Societies 2024, 14, 11 2 of 15 trend has led to the need for specific training for the teachers in charge of carrying out this approach [5,6]. This makes it necessary to understand how this training can be effective and how contact with gamification during teacher training can influence the attitude of preservice teachers in their future [7,8]. Therefore, this case report has focused on examining pre-service teachers' perceptions of gamification as a tool used in their teacher training.…”

Exploring the Relationship between Early Leaving of Education and Training and Mental Health among Youth in Spain

“…Therefore, it is essential to discuss the key areas that influence mental health among youth before delving further into this research. Furthermore, we must consider the effects on mental health when young people commit ELET and the academic environment as an influential factor [15]; this is particularly important given our objective in this article. This theoretical framework will delve into these topics to gain a better understanding of mental health among youth and the relation between mental health and ELET.…”

“…An analysis of existing literature [9][10][11][12][13][14] revealed a connection between mental health issues and ELET; however, limited qualitative research methods have been used to explore this relationship in depth, making it difficult to accurately comprehend underlying factors or draw reliable conclusions about students' perceptions without giving them the opportunity to explain themselves or "have a voice" [15]. In addition to this, the European Union has recognized the connection between mental health, well-being, and education.…”