نویسندگان:

¹گروه روانشناسی، دانشکده علوم اقتصادی و اجتماعی، دانشگاه بوعلی سینا، همدان، ایران

²دانشجو دکتری روان شناسی تربیتی، گروه روان شناسی، دانشکده علوم اقتصادی و اجتماعی، دانشگاه بوعلی سینا، همدان، ایران

چکیده فارسی: هدف پژوهش حاضر توصیف و تحلیل و نتیجه‌گیری کلی در خصوص اثربخشی مداخلات آموزشی مبتنی بر گیمیفیکیشن (بازی وارسازی) بر یادگیری و عملکرد تحصیلی دانش‌آموزان ابتدایی بود. روش پژوهش پیش رو فراتحلیل می‌باشدکه با استفاده از مدل اثرات ثابت و تصادفی انجام پذیرفت.جامعۀ آماری مطالعه شامل تمامی پایان‌نامه‌ها و مقالات انجام شده نیم‌دهۀ اخیر در داخل کشور ایران بود که در پایگاه‌های داده‌ای نظیر ایران‌داک، پرتال جهاد دانشگاهی SID، مگ‌ایران، نورمگز گوگل اسکلار و پورتال جامع علوم انسانی ISC در سال 1403 مورد جست‌وجوی نظام‌مند قرار گرفت. پس از مرور و دریافت پژوهش‌های مختلف بر اساس ملاک ورود و خروج تعیین‌شده 28 مقاله وارد فرایند تحلیل شدند که برابر با 45 واحد فراتحلیل بود. همین‌طور تجزیه و تحلیل داده‌ها با استفاده از نرم‌افزار CMA-3 انجام پذیرفت. نتایج تحلیل نشان داد که مقدار اندازۀ اثر ترکیبی در مدل ثابت برابر با 257/1 و در مدل تصادفی برابر با 442/1 است که از نظر آماری معنادار بود (p<0/05)؛ لذا می‌توان گفت که مداخله‌های آموزشی مبتنی بر گیمیفیکیشن بر یادگیری و عملکرد تحصیلی دانش‌آموزان ابتدایی تأثیر بالایی داشته است؛ بنابراین به متولیان مربوطه پیشنهاد می‌شود برای افزایش بهره‌وری یادگیری و عملکرد تحصیلی دانش‌آموزان از آموزش‌های مبتنی بر گیمیفیکیشن استفاده کنند.

Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness of Gamification-Based Education on Learning and Academic Performance of Elementary School Students in Iran

English Abstract: The present study aimed to provide an overall analysis of the effectiveness of gamification-based educational interventions on learning and academic performance of elementary school students. We conducted a meta-analysis on selected theses and articles within the last five years in Iran, which were systematically searched in available databases in 2024. Following the retrieval and screening of various studies based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, 28 articles were finally included in the analysis process, yielding 45 meta-analytic units. The results of the analysis indicated that the pooled effect size was 1.257 in the fixed-effects model and 1.442 in the random-effects model, both of which were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Therefore, it can be concluded that gamification-based educational interventions have a significantly positive impact on the learning and academic performance of elementary school students. Introduction In contemporary education, gamification has emerged as an engaging and effective method that enhances student’s motivation and active participation. Gamification refers to the integration of game design elements into non-game contexts, particularly within educational settings. (Learned & Aldred, 2024). In educational contexts, this approach involves the creation of interactive learning environments that incorporate game elements such as scoring, badges, leaderboards, immediate feedback, and reward systems (Yırtıcı et al., 2024), and it can enhance individuals' learning and academic performance. Learning, a fundamental concept in education, is defined as the creation of relatively stable changes in behavior resulting from experience (Seif, 2018 1397), and academic performance refers to the extent to which students achieve short-term or long-term educational goals, reflected in measurable indicators such as grades, test scores, grade point average, and teacher evaluations (Garner & Sanderson, 2025). In this regard, numerous studies have investigated this topic, including those by Diaz & Lons (2024), Yildirim & Sen (2021), and Sani & Ratri (2024). However, among various study types, the meta-analysis research method, as a tool for integrating independent results and providing an overall evaluation of the effects of gamification educational interventions, can offer a comprehensive picture of its effectiveness. To date, we did not find any research from Iran on this topic. Therefore, the present meta-analysis study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of gamification-based education on learning and academic performance of elementary school students in the past five years.   Methodology We used fixed-effects and random-effects models in this quantitative meta-analysis (Cohen, 1988). The inclusion criteria encompassed quantitative research designs, reporting of effect sizes or the necessary data for their calculation, a focus on gamification in elementary education, and publication within the years 2019–2024 (corresponding to the Iranian calendar years 1398–1403). In other words, all included studies had a quantitative research design (quasi-experimental or experimental), reported effect sizes or the data required to calculate them, focused on gamification in educational settings, and were published in reputable domestic scientific databases. Exclusion criteria included qualitative design, review, or lacking quantitative data, unavailability of full paper, and duplicate or methodologically unclear research. A systematic search was conducted using a combination of Persian keywords including "Gamification" and its equivalents, "Learning" and its equivalents, and "Effect" and its equivalents in databases such as IranDoc, Google Scholar [1], SID, Magiran, Noormags, and the Iranian Social Sciences Citation Index (ISC). Following the systematic search and screening, 28 studies (equivalent to 45 effect sizes) were entered into the analysis using CMA-3 software. Results The results of the meta-analysis indicated that gamification-based education has a significant impact on learning and academic performance of elementary school students. Table 1 displays the overall effect size in both fixed-effects and random-effects models. Accordingly, the z value in the fixed-effects model was 23.923 and 11.464 in the random-effects model, both of which were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The overall effect size was 1.257 in the fixed-effects model and 1.442 in the random-effects model. Based on the interpretative criteria (Delavar, 2015), these values fall within the large effect size range, indicating high effectiveness. Further examination revealed that among the 28 studies included in the meta-analysis, only four studies had a non-significant effect size, while the remaining studies were significant at the p < 0.05 level. To assess the validity of the results, publication bias tests were also run. The funnel plot suggested a potential presence of unpublished studies; however, Rosenthal's fail-safe N index showed a value of 7071, which is significantly higher than the minimum criterion of 5K+10. Therefore, it can be concluded that the findings have adequate statistical validity and are not significantly affected by publication bias. Furthermore, Cochran's Q test (Q = 233.39, df = 44, p < 0.05) was significant, indicating substantial heterogeneity among the studies. The I² index also showed a value of 81.48%, suggesting that a large portion of the variance is attributable to genuine differences between the studies. Accordingly, the use of the random-effects model was deemed appropriate for the final analysis. Discussion and conclusion The results of the present study indicated that gamification-based education has a positive and significant effect on learning and academic performance of elementary school students; a finding consistent with the results of domestic research, which reinforces its importance in Iran’s education system. Numerous studies have shown that gamification in education can lead to greater cognitive engagement, improved understanding of difficult concepts, increased intrinsic motivation, and enhanced interpersonal interaction among students. Over-reliance on extrinsic rewards is a limitation of this approach, which may lead to a decrease in intrinsic motivation in the long term. Therefore, it is suggested that teachers consider a balance in motivational strategies when they implement gamification-based education. Furthermore, it is recommended that future research investigate longitudinal effects, emotional experiences, and individual differences.