GAMIFICATION AS A DIDACTIC MOTIVATOR

IN LOW-RESOURCE PUBLIC ENGLISH

AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE (EFL)

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Gamification as a Didactic Motivator in Low-Resource Public English as a

Foreign Language (EFL) Classrooms in Ecuador

The present article explores the feasibility and impacts of Gamification as a motivational tool in

classrooms within low-resource public institutions in Ecuador, particularly in teaching English as a

English as a Foreign Language instruction. Through the incorporation of gaming elements, teachers can

improve language acquisition, student engagement, and encourage collaborative learning, as evidenced

by previous studies. The utilization of a qualitative-deductive approach allowed for data collection

through an extensive literature review across various educational contexts. Results suggest that

Gamification offers a promising perspective for overcoming challenges in traditional education,

promoting active student participation. Additionally, the findings highlight the potential of

Gamification to revolutionize teaching practice and enrich the entire educational experience.

motivation, ecuadorian public schools

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como Lengua Extranjera (EFL) de Bajos Recursos en Ecuador

El presente artículo indaga sobre la viabilidad y los impactos del uso de la Gamificación como recurso

motivacional en aulas de instituciones públicas de escasos recursos en Ecuador, específicamente en la

enseñanza del inglés como lengua extranjera. La integración de elementos lúdicos en el proceso

educativo tiende a aumentar la motivación estudiantil, propiciando un entorno de aprendizaje más

efectivo. Los docentes de instituciones públicas ecuatorianas enfrentan desafíos al involucrar a los

estudiantes en sus clases, en parte debido a metodologías desactualizadas y acceso limitado a recursos

abordar los desafíos de la educación tradicional al fomentar la participación activa del estudiante y

enriquecer la experiencia educativa en su totalidad.

motivación estudiantil, instituciones públicas ecuatorianas

Artículo recibido 06 marzo 2024

Aceptado para publicación: 08 abril 2024

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active involvement of students in the process of acquiring English as a foreign language. This situation

is possible because of the persistence in the use of traditional teaching methodology that does not

promote the active participation of students in terms of effectiveness, or offer interactive learning

experiences. Furthermore, it could be attributed to the difficulty in accessing up-to-date educational

materials.

Based on the previous information, we have determined that it is appropriate to address the topic of

gamification as a didactic and engaging tool aiming to increase the quality of teaching and student

engagement. This approach seeks to overcome any limitations such as access to technology and internet

connectivity, and likewise, it is outlined as an opportunity to present pedagogical innovations that

generate a purposeful impact and also contribute to both the academic and personal development of

so far including motivation, engagement, and interaction. It has been demonstrated that Gamification

may foster language acquisition by providing opportunities for purposeful practice. It may also promote

the dialogue and establish an engaging and cooperative learning atmosphere.

Gamification, defined as “the use of game elements in non-game contexts” plays a crucial role in

students’ participation by creating a better stimulating environment (Castro, 2023). This can help to

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contribute to current educational problems by establishing a positive atmosphere for productive and

Despite the potential of gamification, its effectiveness in EFL classrooms in Ecuador has not been

widely studied or utilized yet. Thus, the present study aims to examine how powerful gamification is as

a motivating tool in EFL teaching, through the integration of game design elements into the learning

process. This might create a more enjoyable, interactive, effective, and stimulating environment for

Second language acquisition. Precisely, this work focuses on the following research question: What is

the impact of resource scarcity, such as lack of internet access and limited availability of electronic

gadgets, on the implementation of gamification to increase student motivation and level of commitment

in low-resource Ecuadorian educational settings, specifically in the context of English as a Foreign

language teaching?

Previous studies have explored gamification as a motivational tool in the teaching-learning context of

In addition, it is relevant to mention research that aims at applying gamification as a motivating strategy

in Chinese large classrooms, Kraus et al., (2020) which has shown favorable reactions from both

students and teachers by incorporating innovative methodologies focused on the usage of games as the

core element of the class. It is imperative to understand that the adaptation of resources and the

preparation are primary aspects to ensure the effective implementation of gamification.

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On the other hand, several tools of gamification pursue that common goal: to encourage and involve all

This research centers around gamification as a tool to enhance student motivation in low-resource

educational atmospheres in Ecuador, to be specific in teaching English as a Foreign Language teaching.

This procedure is developed in a setting characterized by resource limitations, socioeconomic

challenges, and a reduction in teaching hours, which currently stands at three pedagogical hours per

week according to the current curriculum.

Over time, the Ecuadorian public educational system has experienced various changes that have

revolved around the promotion of cultural diversity, indigenous and foreign languages, along traditions,

all to improve educational standards. These shifts have impacted student participation in learning

activities, particularly in the realm of teaching English as a foreign language.

Notwithstanding the increasing demand for English Language skills in academic, professional, and

The current research adopts a qualitative-deductive approach, which involves gathering data through a

descriptive analysis supported by a documentary review obtained from a plethora of educational

materials such as postgraduate studies, scientific articles, blogs, journals, and indexes in trustable

databases such as Google Scholar, Scielo, Redalyc, and Latindex. The sources were carefully chosen

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from a broad array of materials showcasing similar contexts to ours from both Asia and Latin America,

strategies in educational settings. These similarities provided a solid foundation for comparative

Gamification, commonly defined as “the use of game elements in non-game contexts” (Deterding,

Dixon, Khaled y Nacke, 2011) plays an important role in student engagement as the environment

becomes more stimulating upon its implementation. Therefore, this growing interest from students can

contribute to solving real educational issues by fostering a healthy, trustworthy, fun and more

productive atmosphere to build the groundwork of successful education.

In this scenario, Castro Benavides et al. (2023) demonstrate in their research that through gamification,

which uses game elements, student motivation and commitment can be increased at different

exhibited higher motivation to learn by integrating gamification into their research. Specific physical

elements such as charades, designed to enhance reading and vocabulary skills, were perceived as games

and therefore more enjoyable, provoking student interaction. This differed from traditional classroom

settings where the focus is mainly on teaching grammatical structures. However, they realized that other

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games which involved dialogue did not encourage spontaneous communication, and consequently,

more deeply in the game. This, in turn, improves their physical, playful and communicative skills, and

the ability to solve problems in real contexts.

Up to this point, it has been demonstrated that the application of gamification as a didactic motivator,

in the context of teaching and learning English as a foreign language, is highly beneficial. However,

there are no studies available regarding the use of gamification in low-resource public classrooms within

Ecuadorian public schools.

In the figure below (Figure 1), comprehensive details will be presented on the diverse bibliographic

sources from which information was gathered to develop this research.

The bibliographic sources used in the present paper were 14 scientific articles, 3 books, and 1 educational blog.

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The following table (Table 1) provides a comparative analysis of the implications of traditional

The incorporation of gamification in the educational setting has the potential to positively revolutionize

the teaching process, offering an enriching learning experience that might have a significant impact on

the student’s academic performance. This innovative pedagogical strategy effectively addresses the