Before the start of the industrial revolution the workplace has been ever changing with introduction of technologies. With the adoption of automation and artificial intelligence this marks an acceleration shift compared to the past. Where the need for technological, social, and emotional skills will rise while demands for physical and manual skills will fall. Investments in retraining the workforce to close the potential skills gap related to automation and digitalization is getting an increased business priority. The preferred ways of learning have changed over the last few years, stepped outside of the classic classroom trainings into the rapidly growing of online tools. The aim of this thesis is to know whether gamification can support reskilling of people, through the use of a digitally gamified learning experience. Through a qualitative research approach with semi-structured interviews this thesis found that digitally gamified learning experience increases the will to learn new skills. It also showed that using a digitally gamified learning experience the time spent on task increased when learning a new skill.

Since the introduction of mobile devices, alternative language learning methods have been developed and have evolved alongside traditional language classroom education. This has presented academics with the unique opportunity to study new methods of second language acquisition compared to more traditional face-to-face language instruction. The growing technology possibilities have contributed to what is called Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL), where learners can easily study a new language with the use of a personal electronic device such as a laptop or phone. Studies about such learning tools, for example Rosetta Stone, Duolingo or Babbel have been carried out for several years to for example test their effectiveness. Among research studies, one well-known study by Vesselinov and Grego (2012) looked at the effectiveness of Duolingo, evaluating the statement Duolingo makes that 34 hours of studying with the tool is equivalent to a semester in a university classroom (Vesselinov & Grego, 2012). Even though various studies about the well-known language learning application (app) Duolingo have been conducted, gaps in research are still present.The current study aims to find out if studying German for one semester (14 weeks) with Duolingo is equivalent to one semester in a beginner face-to-face class, German 101, at a university level. At the end of the semester, both groups took the German 101 final exam and the Duolingo placement test to measure German learning. After analyzing results of the German 101 exam, results showed that learners from the face-to-face class achieved higher language knowledge in the tested skills writing and reading than the participants who studied with Duolingo for the same period of time. However, no substantial differences were found between groups for the vocabulary and grammar section of the final exam and the Duolingo test. The survey reported that participants who studied with Duolingo all agreed that they liked the experience, especially studying at their own pace. Concerns were also mentioned, however, for example that Duolingo is only good for beginner learners, it doesn’t provide interactions with others, and there is no teacher to ask for explicit feedback.

This research explores collaborative second language (L2) learning in gamified environments, and specifically examines affordances and limitations of mobile gamified language systems and augmented reality (AR) in supporting collaborative L2 learning. Therefore, this design-based research entailed the development and evaluation of two L2 AR gamified collaborative learning tools, Explorez and VdeUVic. At different locations on campus, players interact with characters that give them quests including clues or options to further the storyline. The gameplay interactions were designed to take place either in the form of written text or audio and video recordings, encouraging students to practice both oral and written language competencies. Three cohorts of FL2 university students playtested both gamified systems, and 58 students chose to participate in the study. The evaluation of the AR language tools was implemented by means of mixed-method case studies, collecting data of both a qualitative and quantitative nature, through pre- and post- play questionnaires, interviews, and video recordings of student gameplay interactions for analysis. This research examined the learners’ perceptions of their learning experience and in what ways students collaborated to complete the tasks. Additionally, the adaptation of Volet et al.’s (2009) collaborative learning framework permitted the examination of the learners content processing and social regulation during gameplay. The findings suggested the potential of AR gamified environments to facilitate high levels of interaction and collaboration. The analysis showed distinct patterns of collaborative learning across groups and sessions. Additionally, the findings identified patterns in the emergence of learners’ high-level co-regulation, as well as factors that assisted students in sustaining engagement of high-level co-regulation during gameplay. / Graduate

National dialogue and scholarly research illustrate the need for engaging science, math, technology, and engineering (STEM) innovations in K-12 environments, most importantly in low-income communities (President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, 2012). According to Educating the Engineer of 2020, "current curricular material does not portray STEM in ways that seem likely to excite the interest of students from a variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds" (Phase, 2005). The National Educational Technology Plan of 2010 believes that one of the most powerful ways to transform and improve K-12 STEM education it to instill a culture of innovation by leveraging cutting edge technology (Polly et al., 2010). Augmented reality (AR) is an emerging and promising educational intervention that has the potential to engage students and transform their learning of STEM concepts. AR blends the real and virtual worlds by overlaying computer-generated content such as images, animations, and 3D models directly onto the student's view of the real world. Visual representations of STEM concepts using AR produce new educational learning opportunities, for example, allowing students to visualize abstract concepts and make them concrete (Radu, 2014). Although evidence suggests that learning can be enhanced by implementing AR in the classroom, it is important to take into account how students are processing AR content. Therefore, this research aims to examine the unique benefits and challenges of utilizing augmented reality (AR) as a supplemental learning technique to reinforce mathematical concepts while concurrently responding to students' cognitive demands. To examine and understand how cognitive demands affect students' information processing and creation of new knowledge, Mayer's Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML) is leveraged as a theoretical framework to ground the AR application and supporting research. Also, to enhance students' engagement, gamification was used to incorporate game elements (e.g. rewards and leaderboards) into the AR applications. This research applies gamification and CTML principles to tablet-based gamified learning AR (GLAR) applications as a supplemental tool to address three research objectives: (1) understanding the role of prior knowledge on cognitive performance, (2) examining if adherence to CTML principles applies to GLAR, and, (3) investigating the impact of cognitive style on cognitive performance. Each objective investigates how the inclusion of CTML in gamifying an AR experience influences students' perception of cognitive effects and how GLAR affects or enhances their ability to create new knowledge. Significant results from objective one suggest, (1) there were no differences between novice and experienced students' cognitive load, and, (2) novice students' content-based learning gains can be improved through interaction with GLAR. Objective two found that high adherence to CTML's principles was effective at (1) lowering students' cognitive load, and, (2) improving GLAR performance. The key findings of objective three are (1) there was no difference in FID students' cognitive load when voice and coherence were manipulated, and, (2) both FID and FD students had content-based learning gains after engagement with GLAR. The results of this research adds to the existing knowledge base for researchers, designers and practitioners to consider when creating gamified AR applications. Specifically, this research provides contributions to the field that include empirical evidence to suggest to what degree CTML is effective as an AR-based supplemental pedagogical tool for underrepresented students in southwest Virginia. And moreover, offers empirical data on the relationship between underrepresented students' perceived benefits of GLAR and it is impact on students' cognitive load. This research further offers recommendations as well as design considerations regarding the applicability of CTML when developing GLAR applications. / PHD / The purpose of this research is to examine the unique benefits and challenges of using augmented reality (AR) to reinforce underrepresented students’ math concepts while observing how their process information. Gamification and Mayer’s Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML) principles are applied to create tablet-based gamified learning AR (GLAR) applications to address three research objectives: (1) understanding the role of prior knowledge on cognitive performance, (2) examining if adherence to CTML principles applies to GLAR, and, (3) investigating the impact of cognitive style on cognitive performance. Each objective investigates how the inclusion of CTML in gamifying an AR experience influences students’ perception of cognitive effects and how GLAR affects or enhances their ability to create new knowledge. This research offers recommendations as well as design considerations regarding the applicability of CTML when developing GLAR applications for underrepresented students in southwest Virginia.

As digitalization continues to advance, digital tools have become omnipresent in the classroom, and Student Response Systems (SRSs) have emerged as a valuable tool for teachers. However, the added value and efficacy of integrating gamified SRSs, compared to non-gamified SRSs, in the classroom has yet to be fully explored. Furthermore, little attention has been paid to non-gamified SRSs. The present study examines how a gamified learning environment in SRSs impacts vocabulary acquisition compared to a non-gamified learning environment. To analyze this effect, a quantitative study was designed using statistical analyses such as the Shapiro-Wilk test, the Friedman test and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. SRSs, namely Gimkit and Socrative, were selected to measure vocabulary acquisition. A total of 61 high school students studying English were enrolled in this study. Eighteen target words have been picked from two different vocabulary books designed to help students reach the C1 level in English. The selected words have all been identified as adjectives. The students were split into two class-based groups, and each was assigned a SRS to use for two 20-minute study sessions, happening at an interval of three days. To measure the effect of the two SRSs on vocabulary acquisition, three tests were conducted over three weeks. The students took a pre-test, an immediate post-test after the second study session, and a final delayed post-test two weeks later. The statistical analysis and the results of the three tests measuring vocabulary acquisition revealed a statistically significant improvement in vocabulary test scores for both groups in the short- and long-term. However, no statistical significance was shown for the test scores between the two groups: gamified and non-gamified learning environments. Hence, a gamified learning environment using SRSs was shown to have no statistical significance on vocabulary learning and retention compared to a non-gamified one. While digital tools are widely embraced, this study suggests that gamified SRSs, compared to non-gamified SRSs, may not offer a significant advantage in terms of vocabulary acquisition and retention. It is, therefore, important for the teachers to get to know their students and find the type of SRSs that suit their learning style best. Further studies could investigate the impact of gamified and non-gamified SRS on the students’ vocabulary acquisition and motivation over a school year to understand the effects better.

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This study intends to find out how two different teaching methods affect pupils'communicative ability in the problem-solving process. This through the use of smallgroup work. This study also has a comparative aspect and intends to compare atraditional teaching method with the innovative Game-based learning theory, whichadvocates that learning can take place through gamification. In order to achieve theaim of the study, an inquiry was carried out in four different small groups in gradefour (ages 10–11). The result of the inquiry indicated that the mean value of thenumber of communication clusters presented per minute was higher in the groupsthat worked with traditional learning than those that worked with gamified learningthrough the use of Escape room. / Denna studie har för avsikt att ta reda på hur två olika undervisningssätt påverkarelevers kommunikativa förmåga inom problemlösningsprocessen. Detta genomanvändandet av smågruppsarbeten. Studien har även en jämförande aspekt somhandlar om att jämföra ett traditionellt undervisningssätt med den nytänkandeGame-based learning theory som förespråkar att lärande bör ske genom spelifiering.För att uppnå syftet med studien genomfördes en undersökning i fyra olikasmågrupper i årskurs fyra (ålder 10–11 år). Resultatet från undersökningen pekadepå att medelvärdet av antal uppvisade kommunikationskluster per minut var högrehos grupperna som arbetade med traditionellt lärande än de som arbetade medspelifierat lärande genom användandet av Escape room.