Enhancing creative problem solving and learning motivation in social studies classrooms with gamified cooperative learning

Creative problem solving (CPS) is crucial for learners in our rapidly changing society. Literature suggests that cooperative learning environments, which encourage the exchange of ideas and new perspectives, can foster CPS. However, in reality, students often face low motivation, which hinders their willingness to work collaboratively. Limited empirical research has simultaneously addressed both CPS and learning motivation. Therefore, this quasi-experimental research aims to compare CPS and learning motivation in social studies before and after participation in gamified cooperative learning activities (GCL) and traditional cooperative learning activities (TCL), as well as between the two groups. The study involved 64 seventh-grade Thai students selected through purposive sampling. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, paired samples, and independent-samples t-tests. The findings indicated a significant increase in overall CPS and learning motivation in the GCL group. Furthermore, the overall CPS of the GCL group was significantly higher than that of the TCL group, although certain subcategories did not show significant differences. This study provides empirical insights into developing learning activities that enhance creative problem-solving and learning motivation, contributing to the literature on cooperative learning approaches that incorporate gamification.