Gamification and students’ engagement in accounting courses – an experimental study

Purpose The purpose of this research was to examine the impact of gamification on students’ engagement and to understand their perceptions of gamification as a teaching and learning style. Design/methodology/approach The participants in this research were students who had studied the principles of accounting courses at University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Ibra, Sultanate of Oman. A total of 131 students participated in this study. This course consisted of five learning outcomes: the first three learning outcomes were taught using a traditional (non-gamified) teaching style, and the remaining two outcomes were taught using a gamification teaching style. Findings The results show that teaching accounting courses using game elements enhances student engagement in the classroom. Female students’ engagement could be improved in a better way by gamifying accounting courses. This study also highlighted that students who aspire to move on to an excellent academic category exhibit higher engagement in the gamified classroom. This study also found that students have a positive perception of the gamification of accounting classes. Practical implications Including game elements in teaching accounting courses leads to increased student engagement, thus enhancing overall learning experiences. Therefore, higher education institutions in the Sultanate may consider the use of gamification in different courses. Originality/value This empirical research contributes to the application of gamification in teaching accounting courses in the Sultanate of Oman and similar countries. The effects of gender and previous academic performance of the students were explored. These findings could be used to design appropriate teaching methods for a specific group of students.