Approaches and game elements used to tailor digital gamification for learning: A systematic literature review

Abstract

The systematic review examined research on tailored digital gamification for learning based on 43 peer-reviewed articles published between 2013 and 2022. The study aimed to investigate tailored approaches and game elements, contributing to the use of tailored digital gamification in educational settings. The tailored approaches were categorized as personalization, adaptation, and recommendation, with user modeling as their basis. Five clusters of game elements were employed when using these tailored approaches in digital gamified classes. The findings imply that most of the articles in this review were still in the stage of class preparation and focused on what information can be used to tailor. More empirical studies need to be conducted to examine the motivating effects of tailored digital gamifying classes, using the approaches of personalization, adaptation, and recommendation. Additionally, twenty-three game elements were found in this review study, among which reward was the most often used. Then these game elements were grouped into five clusters based on their functions, that is, performance, personal, social, ecological, and fictional cluster. A variety of game element clusters reflect multiple aspects of gamification. The use of them in each tailored approach might contribute to a better understanding and selection of game elements when tailoring digital gamification. These findings provide a holistic picture of common approaches and related game elements in tailored digital gamifying classes. Teachers and curriculum designers can benefit from this study by considering appropriate approaches and game elements.