The Impact of Gamification On Critical Thinking Skills: University of Technology Case Study

Gamification is applying game elements to non-game environments to encourage engagement and motivation. This research investigates the gamification influence on the critical thinking (CT) skills of Computer Science (CS) students enrolled at the University of Technology (UoT) in Gauteng province. The CT skills were divided and tested on five elements, namely Problem Identification, In-Depth Clarification, Inference, Judgement and Strategy Formation, across three study-level groups. A single case study of a pre-and post-quasi-experimental, quantitative research strategy with a pragmatic approach was utilized. A total of 145 student questionnaires were analyzed using Chi-square tests. Results showed a significant difference in CT skills between the experimental and control groups was observed. Moreover, there was a statistically significant increase in Judgement from pre- to post-intervention across all three levels. While CT is a compounded skill, research has shown that increasing only a single element is sufficient for competence. This study concludes that gamification is an effectual instrument to develop CT skills and leads to knowledge retention through play by motivating and stimulating inquisitiveness amongst students. Future research can include measuring changes in individual students’ CT skills throughout the three years of study.