Gamification has been extensively implemented and studied in corporate settings and has proven to be
more effective than traditional employee-training programs, however, few classroom studies of
gamification have been reported in the literature. Our study explored the potential of gamified
on-line undergraduate physics content as a mechanism to enhance student learning and motivation.
Specifically, the main objective of this work was to determine whether extrinsic motivation
indicators commonly used in video games could increase student engagement with course content
outside of the classroom. Life Science students taking an introductory physics course were provided
access to gamified multiple choice quizzes as part of their course assessment. The quizzes
incorporated common gaming elements such as points, streaks, leaderboards and achievements, as well
as some gamified graphical enhancements and feedback. Student attitudes and performance among those
using the gamified quizzes w…