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Programming education is increasingly common across disciplines, yet best practices remain unclear, especially for liberal arts students. This study examined whether gamification improves programming ability and self-efficacy in liberal arts undergraduates. Sixty-four students in two sections of an introductory Python course participated. One section (n = 30) used the gamified CodeCombat platform, while the control section (n = 34) underwent traditional instruction. Students completed pre- and post-surveys and programming assessments. The gamification group showed significantly greater gains in programming scores (p < .05) and self-efficacy ratings (p < .01). Programming ability and self-efficacy were highly correlated within each section (r > .60, p < .001). End-of-course interviews provided qualitative insights into student experiences. These results demonstrate that gamification can enhance learning outcomes and self-efficacy for liberal arts students in programming courses. The study contributes knowledge on effective and engaging introductory programming pedagogies for non-technical majors. Further work is needed to identify optimal game design elements and instructional integration methods.

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Effects of Gamification Strategy on Liberal Arts Students’ Learning and Self-Efficacy in Programming

  • 章节

  • 发表日期：

    2025年

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  • Peng Jing,
  • Li Heng

摘要

Programming education is increasingly common across disciplines, yet best practices remain unclear, especially for liberal arts students. This study examined whether gamification improves programming ability and self-efficacy in liberal arts undergraduates. Sixty-four students in two sections of an introductory Python course participated. One section (n = 30) used the gamified CodeCombat platform, while the control section (n = 34) underwent traditional instruction. Students completed pre- and post-surveys and programming assessments. The gamification group showed significantly greater gains in programming scores (p < .05) and self-efficacy ratings (p < .01). Programming ability and self-efficacy were highly correlated within each section (r > .60, p < .001). End-of-course interviews provided qualitative insights into student experiences. These results demonstrate that gamification can enhance learning outcomes and self-efficacy for liberal arts students in programming courses. The study contributes knowledge on effective and engaging introductory programming pedagogies for non-technical majors. Further work is needed to identify optimal game design elements and instructional integration methods.