Design and Implementation of a Gamification-Based Web Application for Learning High-School Physics

In response to the accelerated development of digital technologies, including the Internet and AI, the demand for online education has dramatically increased in recent times. While online learning offers convenient access to users, maintaining motivation and minimizing dropouts persist as major challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the necessity to adapt to digital teaching and learning. To address these concerns, researchers have proposed the application of gamification in online education. In this paper, we present a web application named PhyGame, which incorporates gamification for effective teaching and learning of high school physics. In addition to standard game elements, the application encompasses simulations of learning materials and analytical instruments for keeping track of learning status. To evaluate the effectiveness of PhyGame, we conducted user study with 21 high school students. The evaluation concentrated on user-experience factors, such as comparisons to conventional education, and perceived level of enjoyment, engagement, and motivation by the subjects. The findings indicate that the majority of the students had favorable experiences with the application and expressed enthusiasm for utilizing similar platforms in other disciplines. This paper confirms that integrating gamification strategies into online STEAM education has the potential to significantly bolster student learning.