Levelling up Learning: Exploring Gamification Impact on Saudi Undergraduates’ Student Engagement in Higher Education

Gamification and gamified systems have gained increasing attention in recent studies. Gamification can involve a range of elements, such as incorporating game-like features into software design and is not always limited to software products. This research examines the direct impact of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model’s components (performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions) on attitudes toward using gamification and student engagement (specifically skill and participant engagement). The study also explores the moderating effect of student concentration on the relationship between attitudes toward gamification and student engagement. Data were collected from 306 undergraduate students attending public universities in Saudi Arabia. The findings demonstrate that all UTAUT components significantly influence attitudes toward gamification, and student concentration positively moderates the link between attitudes and engagement. These results contribute important insights for both theoretical and practical applications.