How gamification boosts learning in STEM higher education: a mixed methods study

The demand for professionals with expertise in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) continues to grow. To meet this demand, universities are actively seeking strategies to engage more students in STEM disciplines and improve their learning outcomes. One promising approach is gamification, specifically using leaderboards. This study investigates the impact of leaderboard-based gamification on the learning performance of 175 students in a calculus course, with a focus on the mediating roles of autonomous motivation and self-efficacy, as well as potential moderating factors such as gender and gaming experience. A mixed-method research approach was employed, combining a pretest–posttest…