Raising students programming skills using appiahene gamification model

Abstract

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) offers an opportunity for the development of modern Teaching and Learning Materials (TLM). The use of game features in a non-gaming context 'gamification' - suggest the promise to make teaching and learning of programming more motivating and more enjoyable to students. Notwithstanding widespread commentary on its advantages and lacks, little empirical study has sought to validate the existing gamification models as a meaningful concept and provide evidence of its efficiency as a tool for motivating and engaging users in non-entertainment contexts. The aim of this paper is to propose a new model named "Appiahene Gamification Model (AGM)" for programming learning to prove that gamification has quality that when applied well would be beneficial. Qualitative method of research was used by reviewing several models and frameworks applied in gamification, to demonstrate that there is academic merit to these models. Discussions with four programming lecturers were also used; one has implemented a gamification, two are yet to experience it whilst the last have not heard about the concept. Using such qualitative methods in this paper illustrates that there is academic support for a common model design that can be used by institutions. The proposed model reflects how instructors and learners relate to their learning objectives and experience. There is a notion that gamification cannot be stagnant and linear once applied, but must be cyclical and updated to reflect changes in the learning objective, gamification elements and the experience of the users who use the application. As the success of gamification depends on the definition of objectives and experience, the clarity of such definitions will correlate to the success rate of gamification in the specific area. With proper integration of the proposed model in the field of programming, a positive impact such as motivation and greater engagement of students on the learning process can be achieved. This proposed model would have implications for a wide range of teaching and learning and identifies areas for further research. The model can also be used to formulate recommendations towards the design of gameful instruction in other fields like business.