The Effectiveness of the Good Behavior Game on Students' Academic Engagement in Online-Based Learning

Online learning has become a popularform of education, particularly accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, providing flexibility but posing challenges like reduced collaboration, limited student-faculty interactions, and decreased engagement. Therefore, there is a pressing need to implement effective instructional modalities, designs, and strategies to enhance online engagement. This study investigated the effectiveness of the Good Behavior Game (GBG), rooted in applied behavioral analysis, in promoting academically relevant behavior among nursing students engaged in online learning. Using a quasi-experimental pre-test, post-test design, 95 nursing students from a public university in Jordan were divided into groups exposed to different GBG conditions. Data on participation were collected over11 weeks, and statistical analyses revealed a significant positive impact of the GBG on student engagement. When the GBG initially targeted the quantity of participation, there was a significant improvement in students' participation quality, but not the quality. On the contrary, when only the quality was targeted, the improvement was significant in the participation quality but not quantity. Combining quality and quantity contingencies in one condition produced the most significant improvement, suggestingthe GBG's adaptability and potential as a comprehensive engagement strategy in online learning. The study result suggests that many drawbacks associated with online learning can be addressed throughdesigning effective educational strategy. This researchhighlights the GBG's potential for enhancing online education, addressing its limitations by fostering studentsengagement . Further exploration of its applicability in diverse educational settings is recommended, solidifying its place as an effective strategy in the evolving education landscape