Research trends on introducing gamification to the course design of massive open online courses (MOOCs)

Abstract

Recently, massive open online courses (MOOCs) have gained global attention and have spread rapidly as a new format for delivering global online education. However, previous research has indicated that more appropriate support for learners is required to sustain motivation and learning retention. In this article, the researchers reviewed previous studies and synthesized the findings regarding the fundamental models and theoretical frameworks for introducing gamification components into their MOOC course design. Although there are studies that incorporate gamification on a trial basis as part of their course design, as well as efforts to organize the actual design framework, we identified that the implementation of gamification elements are limited to those that are relatively easy to incorporate in educational settings such as points and badges.