Date
8-24-2023
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)
Chair
Brian Jones
Keywords
gamification, middle school, math, science, student engagement
Disciplines
Education
Recommended Citation
Parks, Kimberly Rudd, "A Phenomenological Study of Teachers' Experiences with Educational Gamification and its Impact on Student Engagement in the Middle School Math and Science Classroom" (2023). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 4786.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/4786
Abstract
The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand digital gamification and its effect on student engagement based on the lived experiences of middle school math and science teachers in rural schools in the southeast region of the United States. Nick Pelling’s gamification theory guided the study herein. Gamification theory served as a tool to alter learner engagement which impacted instruction and learning. I used a criterion-based purposeful selection of 10 middle school math and science teachers with gamification experience. Participating teachers had three or more years of teaching experience and taught in regional rural schools. The hermeneutical phenomenological study resulted in the themes of gamification elements on student engagement, planning gamification lessons, and obstacles to gamification. The lived experiences of middle school math and science teachers positively addressed the gap in the correlation between gamification and enhancing student engagement.
