Gamification in Software Engineering Education: a Tertiary Study

Simone Tonhão, Marcelo Shigenaga, Julio Herculani, Andressa Medeiros, Aline Amaral, Williamson Silva, Thelma Colanzi, Igor Steinmacher

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

As the significance of Software Engineering (SE) professionals continues to grow in the industry, the adoption of gamification techniques for training purposes has gained traction due to its potential to enhance class appeal through game-derived elements. This paper presents a tertiary study investigating the application of gamification in Software Engineering (SE) education. The study was conducted in response to recent systematic literature reviews and mappings on the topic. The findings reveal that the areas of SE most frequently gamified are Software Testing and Software Quality, with competition and cooperation being the most commonly utilized gamification elements. Additionally, the majority of studies focus on structural gamification, where game elements are employed to modify the learning environment without altering the content. The results demonstrate the potential of gamification to improve students' engagement and motivation throughout the SE learning process, while also impacting other aspects such as performance improvement, skill development, and fostering good SE practices. However, caution is advised as unplanned and incorrectly applied gamification measures may lead to significant declines in performance and motivation.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationCBSoft 2023 - Brazilian Conference on Software
Subtitle of host publicationTheory and Practice; Proceedings of the 37th Brazilian Symposium on Software Engineering, SBES 2023
PublisherAssociation for Computing Machinery
Pages358-367
Number of pages10
ISBN (Electronic)9798400707872
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 25 2023
Event37th Brazilian Symposium on Software Engineering, SBES 2023, held in conjunction with the Brazilian Conference on Software: Theory and Practice, CBSoft 2023 - Campo Grande, Brazil
Duration: Sep 25 2023Sep 29 2023

Publication series

NameACM International Conference Proceeding Series

Conference

Conference37th Brazilian Symposium on Software Engineering, SBES 2023, held in conjunction with the Brazilian Conference on Software: Theory and Practice, CBSoft 2023
Country/TerritoryBrazil
CityCampo Grande
Period9/25/239/29/23

Keywords

  • Gamification
  • Software Engineering Education
  • Tertiary Study

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Human-Computer Interaction
  • Computer Networks and Communications
  • Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition
  • Software

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