Gamification and EFL Writing: Effects on Student Motivation

Many Korean students report lower motivation for English language writing. Gamification, a field receiving much attention in recent years, purports to increase motivation by adding game-like mechanics to ordinary tasks. This study reports on a quasi-experimental study aiming to examine gamification on a Korean university level English academic writing course to identify the effects of gamification on EFL writing motivation and writing performance. The Academic Writing Motivation Questionnaire (AWMQ) measured levels of English writing motivation among 22 Korean university students, half taking a course with additional gamified content, the rest taking the same course without gamified content. Mean scores for five motivational factors identified within the AWMQ were examined both for pre- and post-treatment and between treatment and control groups. Self-reported motivation showed a significant improvement in four of five factors for the treatment group post-treatment, but only one factor showed significant difference between the treatment and control groups. Comparison of writing samples produced by the participants and final course grades show no significant difference in EFL writing outcomes for the two groups. The results of gamification on motivation and writing outcomes, as well as potential areas of further research and implications for pedagogy related to gamification are discussed.