Does gamification improve university learning? A correlational meta-analysis between serious games and learning outcomes

Alejandro Valencia-Arias; Jesús Alberto Jimenez Garcia; Lelis Grabiel Palacios Silva; Sebastián Cardona-Acevedo; Sebastián Arias García; Jackeline Valencia; Luisa Yepes Ospina

doi:10.30935/cedtech/19237

Alejandro Valencia-Arias ¹ ^* , Jesús Alberto Jimenez Garcia ², Lelis Grabiel Palacios Silva ³, Sebastián Cardona-Acevedo ⁴, Sebastián Arias García ⁴, Jackeline Valencia ⁵, Luisa Yepes Ospina ⁶

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CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 18, Issue 4, Article No: ep688

https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/19237

Submitted: 19 February 2026, Published Online: 09 September 2026

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Abstract

Gamification and serious games are two such strategies that have seen a surge in popularity as pedagogical approaches in higher education. These strategies incorporate game elements and playful environments, with the aim of enhancing student motivation, engagement, and participation in digital and diverse learning settings. In this context, the present research aims to estimate the overall relationship between gamification, serious games, and university learning outcomes through a correlational meta-analysis of the available empirical evidence. The study employs a quantitative approach and is structured in accordance with international reporting standards, with explicit criteria for data search, selection, extraction, and synthesis that ensure analytical consistency and methodological transparency. The findings indicate that the relationship between gamification, serious games, and university learning is not a homogeneous effect, but rather a complex phenomenon conditioned by the educational context, pedagogical design, and methodological decisions in primary studies. The analysis emphasizes the significance of estimating global associations, accompanied by stability and robustness assessments. It also demonstrates the limitations of broad classifications of results in explaining the observed variability.

Keywords: gamification, serious games, university learning, correlational meta-analysis, learning outcomes

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Citation

Valencia-Arias, A., Jimenez Garcia, J. A., Palacios Silva, L. G., Cardona-Acevedo, S., Arias García, S., Valencia, J., & Yepes Ospina, L. (2026). Does gamification improve university learning? A correlational meta-analysis between serious games and learning outcomes. Contemporary Educational Technology, 18(4), Article ep688. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/19237

Valencia-Arias, A., Jimenez Garcia, J. A., Palacios Silva, L. G., Cardona-Acevedo, S., Arias García, S., Valencia, J., and Yepes Ospina, L. (2026). Does gamification improve university learning? A correlational meta-analysis between serious games and learning outcomes. Contemporary Educational Technology, 18(4), ep688. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/19237

Valencia-Arias A, Jimenez Garcia JA, Palacios Silva LG, et al. Does gamification improve university learning? A correlational meta-analysis between serious games and learning outcomes. CONT ED TECHNOLOGY. 2026;18(4), ep688. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/19237

Valencia-Arias, Alejandro, Jesús Alberto Jimenez Garcia, Lelis Grabiel Palacios Silva, Sebastián Cardona-Acevedo, Sebastián Arias García, Jackeline Valencia, and Luisa Yepes Ospina. "Does gamification improve university learning? A correlational meta-analysis between serious games and learning outcomes". Contemporary Educational Technology 2026 18 no. 4 (2026): ep688. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/19237

Valencia-Arias, Alejandro et al. "Does gamification improve university learning? A correlational meta-analysis between serious games and learning outcomes". Contemporary Educational Technology, vol. 18, no. 4, 2026, ep688. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/19237

Valencia-Arias A, Jimenez Garcia JA, Palacios Silva LG, Cardona-Acevedo S, Arias García S, Valencia J, et al. Does gamification improve university learning? A correlational meta-analysis between serious games and learning outcomes. CONT ED TECHNOLOGY. 2026;18(4):ep688. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/19237