Abstract
Introduction
Gamification has become a widely adopted strategy in education, aiming to enhance student motivation, engagement, and learning outcomes. In vocational and technical education, digital platforms often use gamified elements to support autonomous and self-directed learning. However, the actual effectiveness of individual gamification features remains under-researched in practice.
Methods
The study applied a mixed-methods approach based on statistical analysis of user data from the educational platform VITA (N=5,402) and comparative evaluation against established theoretical models by Sailer (2017) and Hamari (2014). Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation coefficients were used to identify key relationships between learner characteristics, engagement indicators, and gamification components.
Results
The findings show that points (XP) and instant feedback are the most effective gamification elements in supporting course completion and learner engagement. In contrast, badges and leaderboards demonstrated minimal correlation with performance metrics. Comparative radar chart analysis confirmed a partial alignment between theoretical models and practical implementation.
Discussion
Gamification can be a powerful motivational tool if pedagogically grounded and intentionally designed. The study highlights the importance of aligning gamified elements with motivational principles, especially in the context of vocational learners who require clarity, autonomy, and progress tracking.
Limitations
The dataset represents only one private educational platform and does not include qualitative user feedback or adaptive personalization features.
Conclusions
Gamification is effective when elements such as feedback, points, and progress are meaningfully integrated into the learning process. Future educational innovations should focus on deeper personalization, narrative integration, and collaborative design to maximize gamification’s motivational potential.