Gamification and collaborative learning in higher education students
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Abstract
With technological advances and the need to employ new methodologies in education, gamification and collaborative learning can foster more appropriate educational environments. However, their implementation still faces challenges, especially due to the lack of teacher mastery of these strategies. This research examined the impact of gamification strategies on collaborative learning in students of an official higher education plan in Mexico. Two objectives were set: to test whether gamification strategies influenced students' collaborative work, and to establish how these strategies influenced collaborative learning. A quasi-experimental design with a mixed approach was used, with 128 students distributed in four groups, who took a b-learning subject with gamification strategies. The COLLES instrument was administered in pre-test and post-test, complemented by semi-structured interviews with key informants. The results showed significant improvements in all dimensions of collaborative learning, especially in Relevance, Reflective Thinking, Interaction and Peer Support. The interviews revealed categories such as Mutual Support, Motivation, Shared Responsibility and Methodological Innovation, confirming the quantitative data. The discussion points out that a well-designed gamification course fosters engagement, active participation and the development of collaborative competences. Therefore, a course with gamification strategies represents an effective strategy to promote collaborative learning in higher education and it is recommended that a course with gamification strategies be designed to promote collaborative learning in higher education.
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