Leveling Up the Power of Voice: The Impact of Gamification on Speaking Participation of Multilingual Learners in the Cybersecurity Classroom

The United States has a growing number of multilingual learners in its classrooms, but many schools are not prepared to support these students, especially in computer science education. There is a shortage of qualified teachers and few resources available in languages other than English. As a result, many multilingual learners are not actively participating in their computer science classes. This is a problem because computer science is a growing field with many opportunities for employment. One way to support multilingual learners in computer science education is through gamification. Gamification is the use of game-design elements and principles in non-game contexts. It can be used to create a more engaging and motivating learning environment for students. This action research study investigated the impact of gamification using Classcraft on the speaking participation of multilingual learners in a high schoool Cybersecurity pathway. The following research questions guided the study: (1) What is the impact, if any, of gamification on multilingual learner performance in scores on certification exams? (2) What are multilingual learners’ perceptions about gamified instruction on their motivation to vocally participate in cybersecurity classes? (3) What is multilingual learners’ motivation towards speaking in a cybersecurity class after gamified instruction? The study used a convergent parallel mixed methods design, including quantitative data from pre- and post- tests, and Classcraft metrics, as well as qualitative data from semi-structured interviews and classroom observations. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis to develop recommendations for how to use gamification to support the speaking participation of multilingual learners in computer science education.