Leveraging Leaderboards in Gamified Pedagogy: A Catalyst for Enhancing Engagement, Interpersonal, and Communication Skills in Engineering Learners

Abstract

Many engineering students struggle to grasp content in traditional classroom lectures. Research indicates that student attention spans in such settings often wane after just 15 minutes. Consequently, innovative pedagogical methods are essential to foster active engagement in the classroom. One promising approach is the integration of educational games, which offer a dynamic environment conducive to experiential learning. Our research primarily focuses on adapting and implementing custom-designed games tailored to enhance participation, and engagement among undergraduate engineering students. These games are meticulously crafted to align with specific subject matter requirements. Empirical evidence from our interventions spanning 2021 to 2023 demonstrates a notable increase in student engagement, interpersonal and communication skills, as corroborated by statistical analyses, including P-tests. The consistency of these findings over a three-year period underscores the efficacy of our gamified pedagogical approach in undergraduate engineering education.