Effects of Digital Gamification on the Reading Performance of Secondary School Students in Kaduna State

This study investigates the effects of digital gamification on the reading performance of secondary school students in Kaduna State, Nigeria. With the growing integration of technology in education, gamified learning platforms have emerged as innovative tools for enhancing students' engagement and academic achievement. The research adopted a quasi-experimental design involving two groups: an experimental group exposed to digital reading materials embedded with gamification features such as points, badges, and interactive quizzes, and a control group using traditional reading methods. Population of 360 and Sample size of 120 SS1 students via random technique from four public secondary schools' students were randomly assigned to experimental (n=60) and control (n=60) groups. Data were collected using pre-test and post- test reading comprehension assessments and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings revealed that students in the experimental group demonstrated significantly improved reading performance compared to their counterparts in the control group. Furthermore, the study observed increased motivation, active participation, and a positive attitude toward reading among students exposed to gamified content. These results suggest that digital gamification can serve as an effective pedagogical strategy for improving literacy skills in secondary schools, particularly in under-resourced educational settings. The study recommends the integration of gamified digital resources into the reading curriculum and the training of teachers to effectively implement such tools. Future research should explore long- term impacts and subject-specific applications of gamification in diverse educational contexts.