Meta-Analysis on Investigating and Comparing the Effects on Learning Achievement and Motivation for Gamification and Game-Based Learning

This meta-analysis aimed to investigate and compare the efficiencies of gamification and game-based learning in terms of learning achievement and motivation. With distinctive features, gamification and game-based learning were hypothesized to exert different effects on learning achievement and motivation. The effects on learning achievement were more stable and significant for game-based learning (ES = 0.54, 95% CI [0.38, 0.70]) than for gamification (ES = 0.85, 95% CI [0.32, 1.37]). The overall effects on motivation were more significant for gamification (ES = 0.77, 95% CI [0.53, 1.01]) than for game-based learning (ES = 0.60, 95% CI [0.42, 0.78]). Gamification exerted less significant but more stable effects on intrinsic motivation (ES = 0.64, 95% CI [0.37, 0.91]) than on extrinsic motivation (ES = 0.92, 95% CI [0.50, 1.34]). Game-based learning exerted less significant but more stable effects on extrinsic motivation (ES = 0.56, 95% CI [0.35, 0.77]) than on intrinsic motivation (ES = 0.62, 95% CI [0.12, 1.13]). The main conclusion was that gamification and game-based learning, as two distinct game-related pedagogies, differently influenced learning achievement, intrinsic motivation, and extrinsic motivation. The dependence on immersion subject to external or internal factors and ludic contexts associated with internalization of motivation influenced the effect stability on learning achievement and motivation.