Effects of Tangible Rewards on Student Learning Performance, Knowledge Construction, and Perception in Fully Online Gamified Learning

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of tangible rewards on student learning performance, knowledge construction of online discussions, and perception in fully online gamified learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a quasi-experiment study involving two classes: (a) A control group (N = 26) utilized gamification points as main intangible rewards, and (b) A treatment group (N = 26) utilized gamification points as main intangible rewards and high-quality assignment samples from a previous cohort as tangible rewards. Results suggest that the presence of tangible rewards had no impact on learning performance. However, tangible rewards motivated students to create more posts and replied more often to a peer's post in online discussions. According to the survey responses, students liked the learning experience where both tangible rewards and game elements as intangible rewards were used all together in a gamified class. Students also preferred the provision of course content closely related to learning material as rewards and suggested offering multiple types of rewards at regular intervals. Most students in the tangible rewards group often checked their peers' posts for gaining new knowledge and reflecting on their own work by comparison, which also showed students' active participation in knowledge construction of online discussions.