Gamification in Physics Education: An Experimental Study on Secondary School Students’ Learning Outcomes

Gamification has gained increasing attention as a pedagogical strategy for enhancing motivation and learning outcomes in science education. This study investigates the effect of gamification elements on secondary school students’ achievement in physics. An experimental design was implemented with 120 students aged 12–15 years, divided equally into intervention (n = 60) and control groups (n = 60). The intervention group received physics instruction embedded with gamification elements including point systems, leaderboards, and digital badges over 12 weeks, while the control group received traditional instruction. Pre- and post-tests were administered to assess students’ learning outcomes. Data were analyzed using paired-sample t-tests and ANCOVA with pre-test scores as covariates. Results showed a significant improvement in post-test scores for the intervention group compared to the control group (p < .001). Gamification contributed to increased engagement, motivation, and retention of physics concepts. These findings support the integration of gamification in science curricula to enhance students’ academic achievement. The study concludes with practical recommendations for teachers and curriculum developers.