Gamifying Lower-Secondary School Computing: A Quasi-Experimental Study with Implications for Open and Distance e-Learning

This study examined the value of integrating gamification into lower-secondary computing education. A mixed-methods design combined theoretical analysis, student surveys, interactive lesson development, and a three-month school-based quasi-experiment. The sample comprised 120 students from three schools in Kazakhstan, equally divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group received gamified computing instruction, whereas the control group followed conventional teaching. Students exposed to gamification showed stronger outcomes across motivation, subject knowledge, and problem-solving: 45% reached a high motivation level compared with 20% in the control group, 40% achieved a high level of subject knowledge compared with 25%, and 50% attained a high level of problem-solving compared with 30%. The findings also indicate that gamification supported teamwork, critical thinking, and algorithmic reasoning. The study concludes that interactive tasks, reward systems, and collaborative and competitive learning formats can increase the effectiveness and attractiveness of computing instruction when aligned with educational objectives for students.