ArticleScientific reports2026
Gamification elements and student engagement in higher education using fuzzy DEMATEL analysis.
Article in Scientific reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
Understanding how gamification elements interact to influence student engagement and learning outcomes in higher education remains a significant challenge due to the complexity and uncertainty of these relationships. This research aims to analyze the causal interdependencies among key gamification elements and their combined effects on educational outcomes. To address this, the Fuzzy Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method is employed to capture both direct and indirect relationships while accounting for the ambiguity in human judgment. Data were collected from 50 undergraduate and postgraduate students with experience in gamified learning environments. The findings indicate that feedback is a dominant driving factor, exerting a strong causal relationship on competition (0.45) and rewards (0.50). Competition further strengthens rewards (0.55) and leaderboards (0.60), while rewards promote engagement with challenges (0.50). The novelty of this research lies in applying Fuzzy DEMATEL to systematically model the interdependencies among core elements of gamification in higher education. The results offer practical implications for educators, providing a structured basis for designing effective gamified learning strategies that enhance student engagement and improve learning outcomes.
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