Gamified Project-Based Learning in Vocational Education and Training Computer Science Courses

Active methodologies place the student at the core of the teaching–learning process, with the teacher becoming a companion and guide. Among these methodologies, gamification is demonstrating great capacity to attract students and promote interest, being of particular relevance in STEM subjects. While gamification and Project-Based Learning (PBL) have been extensively studied independently, their integration into Vocational Education and Training (VET) computer science courses remains underexplored, particularly regarding approaches where students develop games themselves rather than merely incorporating game elements or playing serious games. This work presents a novel gamified PBL approach specifically designed for VET Programming education, with three distinctive features: (i) students develop a complete game based on graph theory and Object-Oriented Programming, with each student working under personalised conditions and constraints; (ii) a custom-developed software tool that simultaneously serves as a pedagogical scaffold for students to validate their solutions iteratively and as an automated evaluation platform for teachers; and (iii) empirical validation through action-research with first-year VET students, employing mixed-methods analysis including qualitative observations and descriptive quantitative comparisons. The approach was implemented with first-year Web Application Design students in the Programming subject, where students developed a game integrating graph theory algorithms, Object-Oriented Programming, and Markup Language. Despite the small sample size (10 students), qualitative observations and descriptive analysis indicated promising results, and grade distributions were comparable to those in more accessible subjects. Teacher diary observations, follow-ups, and questionnaires documented sustained engagement, peer collaboration, and strategic problem-solving throughout the project phase. These preliminary findings suggest that gamification through game development, particularly when supported by automated tools enabling personalised conditions and iterative validation, represents a promising approach for teaching and learning Programming in VET contexts.